Physician Self-Referral Law/Stark law

Fair competition has always been the driving principle of our nation’s economy. This includes health care, and it’s the reason the Ethics in Patient Referrals Act, more commonly known as the “Stark Law,” has been on the books for decades to protect the Medicare program from the inherent conflict of…
As some members of Congress propose to weaken Medicare’s prohibition on physician self-referral to new physician-owned hospitals and ease restrictions on their growth, new data from Dobson | DaVanzo show that POHs publicly report on fewer Medicare quality measures and perform worse on readmission…
As some members of Congress continue to propose weakening Medicare’s prohibition on physician self-referral to new physician-owned hospitals (POHs) and loosening restrictions on the growth of existing POHs, new data from Dobson | DaVanzo show that POHs report fewer quality measures and perform…
Dobson | DaVanzo recently examined Medicare claims data comparing demographic and clinical characteristics of facilities and patients receiving care at physician-owned hospitals (POHs) and all other acute care hospitals (non-POHs). That report showed that relative to POHs, non-POHs care for older,…
A new study funded by Patient Rights Advocate adds to the evidence that physician-owned hospitals (POHs) are not comparable to or substitutes for full-service acute care hospitals.
Physician-owned hospitals are “not good for patients, communities, the integrity of the Medicare program, or providers who are actually in the business of caring for all patients, 24/7, regardless of their ability to pay or their medical condition,” the AHA and Federation of American Hospitals…
For decades, the Ethics in Patient Referrals Act (“Stark Law”) has protected the Medicare program, its beneficiaries and communities from the inherent conflict of interest created when physicians self-refer their patients to facilities and services they own.
Several House subcommittees April 26 will hold hearings on a variety of issues that affect hospitals and health systems, including transparency, site-neutral payment policies, tax-exempt status, workforce shortages and the Provider Relief Fund.
Some members of Congress continue to propose weakening Medicare’s prohibition on physician self-referral to new physician-owned hospitals and loosening restrictions on the growth of grandfathered hospitals. Legislation has been introduced that would allow problematic physician-owned hospitals to…
Congress should enact policies to strengthen the health care workforce and reject harmful proposals that would cut Medicare or Medicaid payments to hospitals and reduce access to care and services for patients.