Who is prohibited from referring patients under Stark Law?

The Stark Law, also known as the Physician Self-Referral Law, strictly prohibits physicians from referring Medicare or Medicaid patients to entities with which they have a financial relationship unless certain exceptions are met. This is primarily intended to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that medical decisions are made based on patient need rather than financial gain.

Physicians who have a direct or indirect financial stake in the service provider to which they are referring patients are specifically targeted by this law. This could include ownership interests, investment interests, or compensation arrangements. The rationale is to maintain the integrity of clinical decision-making by eliminating the potential for financial incentives to influence the referral process.

Understanding this law is critical in maintaining compliance and ensuring ethical practices in healthcare. Other stakeholders, such as patients or medical assistants, do not have the same prohibitions under the law, making it clear that the focus is specifically on physicians due to their role in determining patient care.