Earlier this week, the Office of Inspector General OIG issued a Special Fraud Alert (Alert) on speaker programs by pharmaceutical and medical device companies in connection with the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. In the Alert, the “speaker programs” are defined as company-sponsored events at which a health care professional makes a speech or presentation to other
anti-kickback statute

(Ride)Sharing is Caring
The transportation landscape in America has evolved and these developments are now impacting health care. With about 75 percent of the U.S. population living in a county with access to an on-demand ride-hailing service, many patients are turning to ride-share services, like Uber and Lyft, as a means to obtain their medical care.
The idea…
OIG Issues Advisory Opinion on Transportation Aid and Lodging Benefits
In a recent Advisory Opinion (No. 16-02), the OIG concluded that it would not seek sanctions against a state-run hospital (the “Hospital”) under the federal anti-kickback statute or the civil monetary penalty law for two arrangements under which the Hospital provides transportation aid and short-term lodging to pregnant women covered by federal health care programs. …
OIG Blesses Physician On-Call Compensation Arrangement
In its recent Advisory Opinion No. 09-05, the OIG reviewed a proposed arrangement whereby a hospital would compensate physicians for on-call services performed on behalf of the hospital’s uninsured patients. The OIG concluded that while the Proposed Arrangement could potentially generate prohibited remuneration under the anti-kickback statute, if the requisite intent to induce or reward…