HHS-OIG Issues Favorable Opinion on Community Health Center’s Primary Care Referral Services to Underserved Individuals Receiving Non-Medical Services Such as Free Diapers, Books, Toys, and Door Locks
Highlights
HHS-OIG released a favorable opinion regarding designated community health centers providing primary care referral services in combination with additional non-medical services (such as door locks for victims of crimes and free diapers to parents) that improve health outcomes for members of the community served by the CHC.
The proposed arrangement included safeguards, HHS-OIG said, that limited risk under the civil monetary penalty laws against beneficiary inducements and Anti-Kickback Statute and accordingly did not warrant sanctions.
The proposed arrangement may increase access to health care services, which is consistent with the statutory purpose and associated requirements of community health centers designated under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) recently released Advisory Opinion No. 25-02, a favorable opinion regarding the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and civil monetary penalty laws (CMP) against beneficiary inducements as applied to a designated community health center (CHC) under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), identifying community members in need of primary care services and referring these individuals to primary care providers.
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