OIG Issues Proposed Rules on Exclusion Authority and Civil Monetary Penalties

Posted by Scott Stein and Brenna Jenny

In May, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) published two proposed rules, one expanding its exclusion authority (“Proposed Exclusion Rule”) and the other broadening and strengthening the availability of civil monetary penalties (“Proposed CMP Rule“). Some of these proposals merely codify provisions of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), whereas others are a product of the OIG’s own initiative, but interwoven within both are changes reflecting the influence of the False Claims Act on the enforcement landscape.

For example, in the Proposed Exclusion Rule, the OIG is proposing to add a provision expressly stating that there is no time limitation for the conduct that can form the basis for exclusion, regardless of whether the conduct is based on the violation of a statute with a statute of limitations. 79 Fed. Reg. 26810, 26815 (May 9, 2014). Much of the OIG’s rationale reflected its desire to be able to match the time lag often associated with FCA litigation. The OIG explained that with a time limitation, it might feel compelled to file a notice of proposed exclusion against a defendant in a pending FCA suit to avoid losing its window of opportunity, even where it might subsequently decide against exclusion with a fuller understanding of the allegations.

The OIG also proposes to borrow definitional terms from the FCA for its own enforcement purposes. As a consequence of being excluded, individuals and entities cannot receive payment “for any item or service furnished” to a federal healthcare program (“FHCP”). The OIG’s new definition would expand the meaning of “furnish” to encompass not only individuals and entities who “submit claims to” FHCPs, but also those who “request or receive payment from” FHCPs, such as organizations that receive block grants from FHCPs. While this definition generally makes explicit the government’s pre-existing enforcement approach, the OIG specifically notes that this “revised wording would be consistent with the False Claims Act’s broad definition of ‘claim'” and “would appropriately encompass all current and future payment methodologies.” Similarly, in the Proposed CMP Rule, the OIG plans to codify the ACA’s new source of CMP liability, based on “any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation of a material fact in any application, bid, or contract to participate or enroll as a provider of services or a supplier under a Federal healthcare program.” The ACA did not define “material,” and the OIG proposes to define the word so as to “mirror[] the False Claims Act definition.”