U.S. Federal Anti-Kickback Laws and Regulations
Learn the importance of the U.S. Federal Anti-Kickback Laws and regulations for organizations and companies.
What you'll learn
- Describe the importance of the U.S. Federal Anti-Kickback Laws and regulations for medical and healthcare organizations and companies.
- Be able to distinguish between an act that may be considered a kickback vs. one that falls under the Safe Harbor Rules.
- List some examples of violations of the Anti-Kickback Laws.
- Describe the penalties for violation of the Anti-Kickback Laws.
- Describe how to protect yourself and your company from potential violations of anti-kickback laws.
The U.S. Federal Anti-Kickback Statute is the governing statute that prohibits any person or entity from knowingly and willfully offering, paying, or soliciting any type of remuneration for referrals for any services provided and reimbursable under a federally-funded government program, such as Medicare and Medicaid. Violations of this statute can result in substantial fines, felony conviction, imprisonment, and exclusion from federally funded programs. In 1991, “safe harbor” rules were issued that identify the activities exempt from the Anti-Kickback Statute, provided certain guidelines are followed. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides numerous regulations that interpret the Anti-Kickback Laws and Safe Harbor regulations. It is imperative that all employees of organizations providing services or products to federally funded programs recognize the importance of this statute.
