OIG Federal Register 2000 [Healthcare Compliance Tips]

Study the OIG Federal Register 2000.

I was recently thinking about my high school graduation, and how much I dreaded my first college level math course. Oh, I disliked math so much to the point that I was convinced that I would never conquer the subject whatsoever!

But one day, my paradigm shifted.

When I arrived at my first day of class, my professor announced that we would not be able to use a calculator in his class, and that it was time to get back to the basics of math.  His goal was to help us solve math problems without being dependent on electronics. He wanted us to rely on our mental strength instead.

Well, guess what?  I received an A at the end of his class.  And, for the rest of my college career, I continued to receive high grades in math.

I now wish that I could find this professor and thank him for removing the calculator from my hands. His course forced me to conquer my fears, and to help me remove the math mental block I previously had.

Here’s the moral of the story: It’s time to shift your mindset and get back to the basics. It’s time to bring in new perspectives and fresh ideas into your compliance program.

The first step you must do is to re-educate yourself and review government resources.

And, in this series called The Comeback Story: 9 Compliance Resources to Level Up Your Practice, I will share with you the purpose of each resource, and how it can take your practice to the next level and beyond.

Starting with:

OIG Federal Register 2000

Purpose:

Issued in the year 2000, this is a commonly used guide to help individual and small group physician practices build an effective compliance program.

How to Use It:

Don’t let the year fool you.  Everything stated in this guide stands in our present day.  The creation of this document is to assist providers in preventing erroneous claim submission, or from them engaging in unlawful conduct involving Federal health care programs.

The best way to utilize the information in this guide is to break it down in chunks and to study each section closely.

A few examples of what you will learn within this document is are:

• 7 Components of an Effective Compliance Program
• Risk Areas
• Physician Relationships with Hospitals
• Physician Billing Practices
• Criminal Statutes
• Civil and Administrative Statutes
• Civil Monetary Penalties Law
• Physician Referrals

As you are studying this guide, you will automatically understand which areas to add, remove, or update within your own compliance program.

Don’t feel pressured to immediately enact all areas, but instead, work hard to implement the most important sections first.

**The opinions and observations from the group/author are not a promise to exempt your practice from fines and penalties.  Research, modify and tailor the advice to fit your specialty.

Click here for the next tip in the series.