CMS Launches Review of Anti-Kickback Rules

Medicare officials are soliciting feedback on how to revise physician self-referral rules to help reduce healthcare costs, reports Politico Pro . The 1989 Stark Law largely prohibits doctors from referring clients to care settings where they could see some financial gain. The law and subsequent regulations were put in place to prevent unnecessary care, but conservative lawmakers claim they could be impeding better care coordination and controlled spending. For example, if a physician-led accountable care organization wants to treat someone in a lower-cost surgery center instead of a hospital, the current rules may bar such a referral. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is requesting information on how Stark regulations hinder care coordination and how to surmount those obstacles while ensuring that self-referrals would be transparent and not unnecessarily raise costs. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma notes she is seeking out "bold ideas," while HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan is spearheading this effort. Comments are due on Aug. 24.