OIG targets contractual joint ventures.
A recent OIG Special Advisory Bulletin raises questions for providers involved in joint ventures. The Bulletin describes several characteristics that the OIG views as potentially suspect, including a referral stream controlled by the provider initiating the joint venture and the use of a wholly owned subsidiary of the provider to bill and collect for services. According to the OIG, profits paid by the subsidiary to the provider owner in such "suspect contractual joint ventures" could constitute illegal remuneration for referrals.
D003284:Contract Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005376:Financial Management / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005607:Fraud / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006759:Hospital-Physician Joint Ventures / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009935:Organizational Affiliation; D010067:Ownership; D010816:Physician Incentive Plans / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018584:Physician Self-Referral / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services