Page 130 - 2020 ARE eGuide for Clinical at Nonhospital Sites
P. 130
Payment for Referral
Payment for referral means paying cash or
anything of value in return for receiving
referrals of patients.
For example, a physician is paid based upon the
number of patients he refers to the hospital for
outpatient services.
Baptist Health will not offer any type of
payment in return for referrals to any of our
facilities. Similarly, Baptist Health will not accept
payment for referring patients to another
healthcare provider.
All decisions regarding patient care will be
based solely upon the best interest of the
patient.
Anti-kickback and Stark
The Anti-kickback and Stark Laws are federal
laws that address the issue of payments
received in return for referrals of patients.
In addition, Internal Revenue Service regulations prohibit any individual, either physician or
non-physician, from receiving an undue private benefit from a tax-exempt organization. An
undue private benefit would be a payment above fair market value for services rendered.
Because the laws and regulations that govern Baptist Health's relationships with physicians are
so complex, all contracts with physicians must be approved by the Legal Department before
they are finalized.
