Trump Administration Proposes Overhaul of Fraud and Abuse Rules

The White House has released long-awaited proposals to overhaul decades-old anti-fraud and abuse regulations, reports Politico Pro . The effort is intended to make it easier for health care providers to coordinate their patients' care. The two proposed rules released Wednesday focus on revamping restrictions on doctor self-referrals, known as the Stark Law and the anti-kickback statute. Last year, HHS launched an initiative targeting regulations that officials and providers charge stymie the health care system's movement toward paying for the value of care provided instead of paying for each service. The agency issued requests for information on both the Stark Law and anti-kickback statute, then held a series of roundtables with providers and other groups. The proposed rule establishes new and permanent exceptions to the Stark law for providers in value-based payment arrangements. In addition, HHS is calling for feedback on whether data on the cost of care should be given during referrals for a service or item. The anti-kickback proposal includes a number of new safe harbors, including for care coordination to improve quality, health outcomes, and efficiency. Finally, the rule establishes modifications to existing safe harbors.