In an article published in the fall/winter 2017 edition of EndoEconomics, Chicago healthcare partners Amber McGraw Walsh and Melissa Szabad explained the implications of a new federal “safe harbor” provision making it easier for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) to offer patients free and reduced-price transportation.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General published a final rule last December outlining circumstances in which free or low-cost local transportation would be exempt from liability under the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. In their article, Walsh and Szabad provided a brief history of the issue, described specific elements of the Transportation Safe Harbor and discussed considerations for ASCs interested in implementing free or discounted transportation policies.
EndoEconomics is a quarterly publication covering current topics facing gastroenterologists and gastrointestinal physician owners of ASCs.