In its June 9, 2015 Fraud Alert, the OIG cautions that physician compensation arrangements must reflect only the fair market value for bona fide services that physicians actually provide. Even legitimate compensation arrangements may violate the anti-kickback statute if
June 2015
OIG approves charitable cost-sharing subsidies to financially-qualified patients

In an Advisory Opinion posted on June 4, 2015, the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services advised that a proposed arrangement involving financial assistance to individuals with chronic diseases would not constitute grounds…
OIG okays manufacturer’s subsidies to Medicare subjects in a study benefiting commercial product
In its recently published Advisory Opinion 15-07, the OIG approved a medical device manufacturer’s (Manufacturer’s) subsidies to Medicare patients in a clinical trial (Study) designed to test the effectiveness of a procedure using the Manufacturer’s specific commercial product.
The…
New procedural rules for Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal reflect competing needs of flexibility and predictability in administrative proceedings

New rules have come into force for the Canadian Agricultural Review Tribunal (the “Tribunal”).
In Canada, certain decisions affecting the food industry have been delegated to quasi-judicial administrative tribunals. Administrative tribunals have been created for the purpose because they facilitate…
FDA limits use of antibiotics in food-producing animals
By December 2016, it will be illegal to use certain antibiotics in food-producing animals’ feed or water unless (1) the animal producer obtains authorization from a licensed veterinarian and (2) the drug is used only for prevention, control, or treatment…
Nutrition content and health claims
The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) sets out Food Standards that are legislative instruments under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. A new Standard to regulate nutrition content claims and health claims on food labels and in…

Data refresh: CMS releases 2013 hospital and physician payment information
CMS has released data sets showing payments to hospitals and physicians for calendar year 2013: the same calendar year as the Sunshine Act data released last fall. As a result, various sources will have contemporaneous data that could be used…