The anti-kickback law in healthcare has been around since 1972.  Its main purpose is to protect patients and federal programs from fraud and abuse by stopping the influence of money on healthcare decisions.  A broad set of rules, but straightforward in the fact that “anyone who knowingly and willfully receives or pays anything of value to influence” healthcare decisions can be held accountable to a felony.  The Stark statute, which came about in 1995, is sometimes thought to be the same as the anti-kickback law; however, it actually has a completely different scope.  Anti-kickback violations require intent, Stark does not.  Anti-kickback violations can be punishable by criminal penalties; Stark violations are covered by civil money penalties.

Anti-kickback violations can come in many forms.  The more flagrant violations come from just flat out giving money to influence healthcare decisions.  Less so, but just as consequential, are the payment of salaries above fair market value for the services provided. 

Becker’s ASC Review highlighted “5 Antikickback Cases Making Headlines” this week.  Click the link below to read the article.  It’s quite interesting.

http://beckersasc.com/news-analysis-asc/antikickback-legal-regulatory/5-antikickback-cases-making-headlines.html

The point here is to make certain provider salaries reflect the appropriate value anytime there is a contract between healthcare organizations, or an employment contract between an organization and the provider.  Do your homework, get good legal advice, and whatever you do, don’t let the Anti-kickback Law can ‘Kick’ You Where it Hurts!

—Marty Hudson

For the last few years MedicalGPS has published our newsletter, Navigator, to bring our clients and readers valuable, useful information.  We will continue to publish Navigatior, but to enhance and continue that trend we have established the MedicalGPS Blog.  We will be blogging and promoting our blogs on a weekly basis with the hope of providing you valuable information.  We want to provide you something beyond just another way to promote MedicalGPS and our products, but to offer ideas and suggestions to better your business.  If MedicalGPS can help you obtain that improvement, we stand ready to do so.  You can take a look at our website www.medicalgps.com to see our products, services and solutions and read more about our company. 

We also have ownership in our IT company, Core Business, LLC.  Core Business provides all of our IT support and the creative processes behind our technology.  If we don’t have what you are looking for, Core Business can create it for you.  You can also see a little more about Core Business and some of the clients it serves at www.thisiscore.com. 

Visit us here, go to our website and sign up for Navigator to get on our email list (http://medicalgps.com/navigator.aspx), or subscribe to our RSS feed, to experience how MedicalGPS can help you Position Your Practice for Success!

— Marty Hudson

So, I’m a self-admitted cynic when it comes to blogging.  So many people and business blog just for the sake of blogging and I just don’t support that.  I feel that a blog should have a function.  It should provide value to those who might read it.

After a recent staff meeting we came to the conclusion that a lot of the discussions we have in the MedicalGPS office are either interesting, insightful, intelligent or just funny.  “Maybe we should start blogging.”

So the MedicalGPS blog is born.  Based on my earlier statement on “value” Marty and Jerry will likely be the greatest contributors to this space, but the rest of the crew and I will pop in from time to time with something about data, reporting, online systems…. well- all the nerdy stuff.

— Corey Foster