In the news: OIG adjusts approach to self-disclosure protocol in Open Letter

In a March 24 Open Letter to Health Care Providers, the Office of Inspector General conveys its focus on combating kickbacks intended to induce or reward physician referrals. “Kickbacks pose a serious risk to the integrity of the health care system, and deterring kickbacks remains a high priority for OIG,” said Daniel Levinson, inspector general, in the letter.

As a result, the OIG is narrowing the scope of its self-disclosure protocol. The OIG will no longer accept physician self-disclosures that violate the physician-self referral law unless that physician has also violated the anti-kickback statute. In addition, as of March 24, the OIG will require a minimum $50,000 settlement to resolve kickback issues brought to its attention through self-disclosure protocol.