OIG advises against free home safety assessments
Rehab Regs, April 14, 2006
In a recent advisory opinion, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) says that providing free preoperative home safety assessments to prospective patients may violate federal law, according to PT Bulletin Online.
The opinion may have broader enforcement implications for all rehab providers.
PTs in home health agencies who perform preoperative home safety assessments, either over the phone or in person to prospective patients, are providing valuable services that can influence the beneficiary to choose the home health agency as a provider, thereby violating civil monetary penalty and anti-kickback statutes, reported PT Bulletin.
The assessment need not include any skilled care, significant patient education, or other therapeutic instruction to violate the law. Go to www.hcpro.com/content/57004.cfm to read the full advisory opinion.
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