(a) The OIG may impose a penalty, an assessment, and an exclusion against any person who it determines offers or transfers remuneration (as defined in § 1003.110) to any individual eligible for benefits under Medicare or a State health care program that such person knows, or should know, is likely to influence such individual to order or to receive from a particular provider, practitioner, or supplier, any item or service for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under Medicare or a State health care program.
(b) The OIG may impose a penalty against any person who it determines offered any financial or other incentive for an individual entitled to benefits under Medicare not to enroll, or to terminate enrollment, under a group health plan or a large group health plan that would, in the case of such enrollment, be a primary plan as defined in section 1862(b)(2)(A) of the Act.
The OIG may impose a penalty of not more than—
(a) $10,000 for conduct that occurred on or before February 9, 2018, and $20,000 for conduct that occurred after February 9, 2018, for each item or service for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under Medicare or a State health care program, ordered by or received from a particular provider, practitioner, or supplier for a beneficiary who was offered or received remuneration in violation of § 1003.1000(a) that was likely to influence the beneficiary to order or receive the item or service from the provider, practitioner, or supplier, and an assessment of not more than 3 times the amount claimed for each such item or service and
(b) $5,000 for each individual violation of § 1003.1000(b).
[81 FR 88362, Dec. 7, 2016, as amended at 88 FR 42841, July 3, 2023]
In determining the amount of any penalty or assessment or the period of exclusion under this subpart, the OIG will consider the factors listed in § 1003.140, as well as the amount of remuneration or the amount or nature of any other incentive.