Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

In other news ...

• Despite heightened focus on how to stay compliant with the Stark law, some medical practitioners are still getting nabbed for infractions.

On Oct. 5, the OIG entered into a settlement agreement with a California hospital director who paid $64,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Civil Monetary Penalties Law and the Stark law, which prohibits self-referral.

The hospital director, who also served as the compliance officer, allegedly "personally negotiated financial arrangements with physicians and directed improper payments to them," according to an Oct. 5 OIG press release. In addition, the OIG also accused the hospital director of causing "submission of false claims to the Medicare program that should not have been paid based upon the Stark Law violation."

To read the OIG's press release on the subject, visit www.oig.hhs.gov/publications/docs/press/2009/BasktCMPNewsRelease508.pdf.