[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 2228]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-689]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of Inspector General
Solicitation of Information and Recommendations for Developing
OIG Compliance Program Guidance for the Hospice Industry
AGENCY: Office of Inspector General (OIG), HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This Federal Register notice seeks the input and
recommendations of interested parties into the OIG's development of a
compliance program guidance for the hospice industry and its providers,
especially those serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Many
providers and provider organizations have expressed an interest in
better protecting their operations from fraud and abuse. Previously,
the OIG has developed guidances for hospitals, clinical laboratories,
home health agencies and third-party medical billing companies. In
order to provide a clear and meaningful guidance to those segments of
the health care industry involved in hospice operations, the OIG is
soliciting comments, recommendations and suggestions from concerned
parties and organizations on how best to develop a compliance program
guidance and reduce fraud and abuse within the hospice industry.
DATES: To assure consideration, comments must be delivered to the
address provided below by no later than 5 p.m. on March 15, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Please mail or deliver your written comments,
recommendations and suggestions to following address: Department of
Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Attention: OIG-
6-CPG, Room 5246, Cohen Building, 330 Independence Avenue, SW,
Washington, DC 20201.
We do not accept comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission. In
commenting, please refer to the file code OIG-6-CPG. Comments received
timely will be available for public inspection as they are received,
generally beginning approximately 3 weeks after publication of a
document, in Room 5541 of the Office of Inspector General at 330
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20201 on Monday through Friday
of each week from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Shaw, Office of Counsel to the
Inspector General, (202) 619-2078.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The development of compliance program
guidances has become a major initiative of the OIG in its effort to
engage the private health care community in addressing and combating
fraud and abuse. Recently, the OIG has developed and issued compliance
program guidance directed at various segments of the health care
industry.1 New OIG guidance under consideration will be
designed to provide clear direction and assistance to Medicare and
Medicaid hospice providers that are interested in reducing and
eliminating fraud and abuse within their organizations.
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\1\ See 62 FR 9435 (March 3, 1997) for clinical laboratories, as
amended in 63 FR 45076 (August 24, 1998); 63 FR 8987 (February 23,
1998) for hospitals; 63 FR 42410 (August 7, 1998) for home health
agencies, and 63 FR 70138 (December 18, 1998) for third party
medical billing companies. The guidances can also be found on the
OIG web site at http://www.dhhs.gov/progorg/oig.
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The guidances represent the culmination of the OIG's suggestions on
how providers can most effectively establish internal controls and
implement monitoring procedures to identify, correct and prevent
fraudulent and wasteful activities. As stated in previous guidances,
these guidelines are not mandatory for providers, nor do they represent
an exclusive document of advisable elements of a compliance program.
In an effort to formalize the process by which the OIG receives
public comments in connection with compliance program guidances, the
OIG is seeking, through this Federal Register notice, formal input from
interested parties as the OIG begins developing the compliance program
guidance directed at the hospice industry and its providers. The OIG
will give consideration to all comments, recommendations and
suggestions submitted and received by the time frame indicated above.
We anticipate that the hospice guidance will contain seven elements
that the OIG considers necessary for a comprehensive compliance
program. These seven elements have been discussed in our previous
guidances and include:
The development of written policies and procedures.
The designation of a compliance officer and other
appropriate bodies.
The development and implementation of effective training
and education programs.
The development and maintenance of effective lines of
communication.
The enforcement of standards through well-publicized
disciplinary guidelines.
The use of audits and other evaluation techniques to
monitor compliance.
The development of procedures to respond to detected
offenses and to initiate corrective action.
The OIG would appreciate specific comments, recommendations and
suggestions on (1) risk areas for the hospice industry, and (2) aspects
of the seven elements contained in previous guidances that may need to
be modified to reflect the unique characteristics of the hospice
industry. Detailed justifications and empirical data supporting
suggestions would be appreciated. We are also hopeful that any
comments, recommendations and input be submitted in a format that
addresses the above topics in a concise manner, rather than in the form
of comprehensive draft guidance that mirrors previous guidances.
Dated: January 6, 1999.
June Gibbs Brown,
Inspector General.
[FR Doc. 99-689 Filed 1-12-99; 8:45 am]
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