Stark Law has several “designated health services” that patients cannot receive through the self referrals previously described in Stark Law #1.
Designated Health Services
These “designated health services” include: clinical laboratory services, physical and occupational therapy, radiology, DME, equipment, prosthetics, prescription services, and inpatient and outpatient hospital services. Additionally, Stark Law is categorized as a strict liability statute, which means that proof of intent to violate the law is not mandatory. If a physician violates the law, they can be subject to fines along with the exclusion of participating in federal healthcare programs.
Why is Stark Law important? It’s necessary in order to ensure that there are no conflicts of interests throughout the process of making difficult medical decisions that can determine the health of a patient. As a doctor, it’s essential that each decision is made with the patient’s health in mind rather than the potential benefits that doctors can receive with their own self referrals.
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Works Cited:
Ratcliffe, Amber. “Everything You Need to Know about Stark Law.” MedTrainer, 29 June 2023, medtrainer.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-stark-law/. Accessed 21 January 2024.