Budget package tightens up self-referral

Article Abstract:

Bills on physician self-referral, group practices and medical laboratories passed into law as part of the federal budget. For example, the new law on group practices requires that at least 75% of patient-physician interactions involve a member of the group, thus limiting contracted medical staff. In addition, self-referral is now banned to Medicaid and ten other services such as physical therapy and radiation. Shared laboratories by physicians not formally in a group practice is also forbidden to refer Medicaid and Medicare patients.

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors, Physicians & Surgeons, Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists), Health Personnel Regulation, Medical personnel, Group medical practice, Medical law

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Clamping down on self-referrals

Article Abstract:

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, which took effect Jan 1, 1992, bars physicians from referring Medicare patients to clinical laboratories in which they or their family members have invested. Physicians who violate the law can be fined up to $15,000 per test and dropped from Medicare. Exemptions to the law include physicians who run in-office labs, labs listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and labs in rural areas.

Medical laboratories, Medical referral, Medicare

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Clinical lab regulations issued

Article Abstract:

Physicians will be minimally affected by federal regulations governing clinical labs that were released Feb 28, 1992. The rules, which were written to implement the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, base the degree of federal oversight on the complexity of the tests the lab performs. For example, 'low complexity' labs will have less stringent personnel requirements than 'moderate' and 'high complexity' labs.

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