Healthcare

Let's hear it for clarity! Thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) revision of the Physician Referral Law (aka Stark law) in November 2020, we now have more explicit guidance for the key definitions. And for physician compensation experts, it's about time.

On Friday, November 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the long-awaited final rules revising regulations related to the Physician Self-Referral Law (known commonly as the Stark Law), the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), and the Civil Monetary Penalty Law (CMP). The revised regulatory framework for these two laws is intended to reduce barriers to care coordination and promote alternative payment models that focus on increasing value and delivering care in a more efficient and coordinated way.  

UPDATED April 8, 2020

On March 29, CMS issued blanket waivers of the Physician Self-Referral Law (commonly known as the “Stark Law”) to cover financial relationships and referrals related to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.  

Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) revealed proposed changes to “modernize” and clarify regulations that interpret the Physician Self-Referral Regulations (Stark Law) and the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The Proposed Rule immediately highlights a focus on the transition to a value-driven healthcare system, which is in-line with the OIG’s priorities.