The HHS Office of the Inspector General issued a regulatory announcement on February 2 of its intent to finalize new Medicare and Medicaid enrollment standards that will establish procedures to better police fraud and abuse in these programs. This announcement notes the authority to require physician practices to implement fraud and abuse compliance programs pursuant to a provision in the health system reform law. If your practice has yet to implement a compliance program, know that this will be expected in the near future.
In the Federal Register notice, the OIG makes the following statement: “We are in the process of developing a new Notice of Proposed Rule Making incorporating the compliance plan provisions and comments received that will be published at a later date. The proposed rule will also have an opportunity for further public comment.”
