Tag Archives: independent healthcare contractors

A February 8, 2012 Alert issued by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services points out important issues under the Federal False Claims Act for any physician or other healthcare provider who “reassigns” his or her right to receive payment to another entity for which the physician provides services as an “independent contractor.” The Alert announced a financial settlement which the OIG reached with eight physicians. Those physicians had entered into independent contractor medical directorship agreements with various physical medicine companies. Those companies billed for services they claimed were performed or directly supervised by the physicians. In fact, the services were performed by unqualified “technicians” without physician supervision.