Sneak a Peek at Federal Priorities for 2004

OIG gets serious about program exclusion
The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) won't be cutting much slack for facilities that aren't serious about compliance. Exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid - a powerful weapon in the OIG's fraud enforcement arsenal - remains a big threat for healthcare providers.                                                

In its Work Plan for fiscal year 2004 - which began Oct. 1 - the OIG predicted that it will oust "several thousand" wayward providers and suppliers from federal healthcare programs. The watchdog agency says it also plans to continue its work aiding the Department of Justice in False Claims Act cases, conducting site visits on providers bound by corporate integrity agreements and pursuing other fraud and abuse enforcement measures. 

The Work Plan - essentially a compendium of the agency's anticipated activities for the coming year - lists dozens of new audits and investigations in the works, from a review of claims for coronary artery stents to a study of whether providers are using modifier -25 appropriately. 

The Work Plan is at http://oig.hhs.gov/publications/docs/workplan/2004/work%20Plan%202004.pdf.

- Published on 2003-11-06