DHHS OIG Issues Draft Guidance For Individual And Small Group Physician Practice

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General's ("OIG") Draft Compliance Program Guidance for Individual and Small Group Physician Practices ("Guidance"), which was released June 7, 2000, is intended to assist individual and small group physician practices in developing and implementing internal controls and procedures that promote adherence to statutes and regulations applicable to the federal healthcare programs. According to the OIG, the Guidance is responsive to "physicians who have expressed interest in protecting their practices from the potential for fraudulent or erroneous conduct" and should be regarded as a set of guidelines physicians should consider when developing and implementing a compliance program. The Guidance notes that physician practices can gain numerous benefits by implementing an effective compliance program. Of particular interest to physicians is the opportunity to avoid potential liability arising from noncompliance and to reduce