The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) for the Department of Health and Human Services recently issued an Advisory Opinion that provides insight into how the agency evaluates arrangements that deal with the integration of technology, medicine, and patient monitoring under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (“AKS”). In Advisory Opinion No. 19-02, OIG evaluated whether a
Can Telemedicine Operators Provide Free or Discounted Technology to Participating Providers?
Imagine there are two hospitals (or two physician groups). One is highly specialized and has developed a telemedicine program for treating stroke patients; the other is a community hospital or physician practice that would like to take part in this telemedicine program but does not want to pay for the technology needed to virtually connect