New Kickback Safe Harbor for Federally Qualified Health Centers

The HHS Office of Inspector General has issued a proposed new anti-kickback law safe harbor protecting transfers of goods, items, services, donations and loans to federally qualified health centers if specific conditions are met. The proposed regulation implements a provision of the Medicare Modernization Act calling for the new safe harbor where an arrangement contributes meaningfully to the health center's provision of services to a medically underserved population.  The comment period on the proposed regulation runs until August 1, 2005. Click here to view the proposed rules published in the Federal Register.