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Showing 7 posts in Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG).

The Heat Turns Up: The 60-Day Rule Gets a Facelift but Changes Create Complications for Providers

Posted In Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), False Claims Act, Medicaid, Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG), Overpayments

With the OIG’s May 30, 2025, announcement that they are seeking $454.4 million in funding to fight healthcare fraud, healthcare providers can expect increased governmental scrutiny despite Trump’s budget cutbacks and staff layoffs.  The OIG justifies its budget request by pointing out that for every $1 invested, there is an expected return of $11 in government recoveries and receivables, which fuels the Trump administration’s fight on fraud, waste, and abuse in health care. What this means for health care providers is intensified scrutiny and likely use of AI as a tool to evaluate big data to identify potential false claims, fraud, outliers, etc. Considering the OIG’s 90-page new General Compliance Guidance, healthcare providers’ self-policing strategies and internal audits are more important than ever as the heat turns up on alleged fraud and false claims. More >

OIG, in a Departure, Approves Hospital Provision of Nurse Practitioner Services

Posted In Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Care Law, Hospitals, Nurse practitioners (NP), Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG)

Traditionally, the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“OIG”) would take a hard stance on any arrangements that might involve some form of remuneration from a hospital to a referring physician, but the winds of change may be blowing. In Advisory Opinion 22-20, published in December of 2022, the OIG has given a green light, albeit in a limited context, to an arrangement in which a hospital may have its employee nurse practitioners perform some services traditionally performed by the patients’ primary care physicians. This is a small step in the direction of a more flexible OIG stance on the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”), but it doesn’t completely sidestep risks. More >

Structuring Healthcare Provider Agreements for Compliance

Posted In Anti-Kickback Statute, Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG), Stark Laws

On June 23rd, the Healthcare Law Blog discussed the Fraud Alert recently issued by the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services regarding physician compensation arrangements which telegraphed the Office of Inspector General’s intention to increase scrutiny of financial arrangements between physicians and providers to whom physicians make referrals. In today’s post, we examine the steps physicians and other healthcare providers should take to ensure that any financial relationships are in compliance with federal statutes and regulations. More >

All Eyes on Hospice Care

Posted In Compliance Programs, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Care Law, Hospice, Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG)

In 2013, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) charged the nation’s largest for-profit hospice chain, Vitas Innovative Hospice Care (“Vitas”), with false Medicare billings, inappropriately admitting patients with “aggressive marketing tactics,” and misleading patients and families about Medicare hospice benefits. This suit is just one of many recently filed against hospice providers, indicating that they are being watched keenly by enforcement authorities and government agencies. More >

Guess Who’s Coming to Visit? Long-Term Care Facility Inspections

Posted In Health Care Law, Medicaid, Medicare, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”), Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”)

Compliance and preparedness are two very real, everyday concerns for long-term care facilities. Not only are these important aspects of daily operations for the safety of the employees and patients, they are paramount because any day a visitor from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG”) or Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) could show up for an inspection.  Is your facility prepared? More >

Compliance Plan – A Provider’s Defense

Posted In Abuse and Waste, Affordable Care Act, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Care Law, Medicaid, Medicare, Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG), Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”)

The Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) has always encouraged Medicare and Medicaid providers to implement a compliance program. For 14 years, as a matter of fact, OIG has provided compliance guidance in 11 healthcare sectors (including: hospitals, nursing facilities, home healthcare, hospice and third-party billers). With the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), compliance plans and programs are now mandatory for any provider enrolled in a Federal health care program, including Medicare. More >

Federal Government Fight Against Health Care Fraud

Posted In Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), Health Care Law, Medicaid, Medicare, Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (OIG)

FIFTEEN YEARS - $20.6 BILLION – NOT BAD!! More >

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