Have you ever wondered if one missed employee screening could result in a costly penalty? OIG Exclusion Screening in Senior Living Communities is an important compliance responsibility that communities should never overlook.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) can exclude individuals and entities from federally funded healthcare programs for a variety of reasons, including convictions for Medicare or Medicaid fraud. As a result, excluded individuals and entities cannot receive payment from federal healthcare programs for any items or services they furnish, order, or prescribe. In addition, this restriction applies to organizations that provide health benefits with direct or indirect funding from the United States. HHS-OIG maintains the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) and offers both an online search tool and a downloadable database. The HHS-OIG’s List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) serves as a valuable resource for healthcare employers conducting routine screening activities.
Furthermore, healthcare organizations that hire an individual or entity listed on the LEIE may face civil monetary penalties (CMPs). In fact, HHS-OIG recently announced that several skilled nursing communities agreed to pay settlements for allegedly employing excluded individuals. Consequently, the agency’s enforcement action involving skilled nursing communities highlights the importance of maintaining effective screening practices and monitoring processes.
Now that I have your attention, think about your current process for screening applicants and updating employee files. Do you check the LEIE for every employee and prospective employee? If not, you should. Likewise, if you already have a policy in place, who audits the process and verifies compliance? After all, one missed screening could trigger avoidable civil monetary penalties. OIG Exclusion Screening in Senior Living Communities requires ongoing attention, routine audits, and accountability. Therefore, complete your due diligence and make sure staff perform these checks consistently before a compliance issue becomes a costly lesson.
Stay well and stay informed!
