OIG Issues New Compliance Guidance for Governing Bodies.

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released a new compliance guidance that provides health care organization governing boards with tips and tools for meeting compliance program oversight duties and obligations.  Titled “Practical Guidance for Health Care Governing Boards on Compliance Oversight,” the guidance focuses on governing body oversight of the following compliance functions:

• The coordination and role of the audit, compliance and legal departments;
• Reporting mechanisms and processes within an organization;
• Regulatory risk identification approaches; and
• Compliance goal and objective achievement accountability across an organization.

The guidance also addresses new healthcare trends.  Specifically, it noted that new payment models have incentivized the consolidation of healthcare providers.  The guidance notes that this consolidation has led to an increase in the number of financial relationships which require analysis for compliance with the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute.  The guidance also addresses government collection of public health outcomes and quality measures data and its effect on the role of governing bodies.

The OIG guidance is available at:

http://oig.hhs.gov/compliance/compliance-guidance/docs/Practical-Guidance-for-Health-Care-Boards-on-Compliance-Oversight.pdf.

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, et al.  Practical Guidance for Health Care Governing Boards on Compliance Oversight.  20 Apr. 2015.