Bill Introduced in House Would End Physician Self-Referral Loophole for Physical Therapy
Medicare self-referral loopholes—the exception that allows physicians to refer patients for physical therapy and other services to a business that has a financial relationship with the referring provider—is once again in the legislative spotlight on Capitol Hill.
On April 6, the Promoting Integrity in Medicare Act (PIMA) was reintroduced in the US House of Representatives (HR 2066), in hopes of eliminating the exception to the federal law originally intended to prohibit self-referral. That law, known as the Stark law, does prohibit most self-referral practices, but it also contains language that allows physicians to self-refer for “patient convenience” or same-day treatments—known as in-office ancillary services. Unfortunately those exceptions also include services that are rarely provided on the same day—physical therapy, anatomic pathology, advanced imaging, and radiation oncology.
Full story of the Promoting Integrity in Medicare Act at APTA