OIG Special Fraud Alert:
On July 20, 2022, the Office of Inspector General of the US Department of Health & Human Services (OIG) issued a Special Fraud Alert urging healthcare practitioners to exercise caution when entering into arrangements with telemedicine companies. OIG issued this Special Fraud Alert the same day the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced criminal charges against 36 defendants in 13 federal districts as part of the DOJ's Nationwide Coordinated Law Enforcement Effort to Combat Telemedicine, Clinical Laboratory, and Durable Medical Equipment Fraud.

The Special Fraud Alert notes that OIG has recently conducted dozens of investigations of alleged fraud schemes involving companies that provide telehealth, telemedicine, or telemarketing services (collectively, Telemedicine Companies). It also notes that in many of these investigations, OIG found evidence that the Telemedicine Companies intentionally paid physicians and non-physician practitioners (collectively, Practitioners) kickbacks to generate orders or prescriptions for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment, genetic testing, wound care items, or prescription medications. Continue reading >