IOAS Exception and Self-Referral

The in-office ancillary services (IOAS) loophole to the federal Ethics in Patient Referrals Act, also known as the self-referral law, has led to ongoing self-referral practices in advanced diagnostic imaging, anatomic pathology, physical therapy, and radiation therapy. There is mounting evidence that self-referral leads to over-utilization, mistreated patients, and billions of wasted Medicare dollars. It’s…

The in-office ancillary services (IOAS) loophole to the federal Ethics in Patient Referrals Act, also known as the self-referral law, has led to ongoing self-referral practices in advanced diagnostic imaging, anatomic pathology, physical therapy, and radiation therapy.

There is mounting evidence that self-referral leads to over-utilization, mistreated patients, and billions of wasted Medicare dollars. It’s time to get at the root of the problem and close this self-referral loophole.

Reforming the IOAS exception will ensure that Medicare patients receive the highest quality and safest health care most appropriate to their needs. It will also ensure Medicare policy incentives are properly aligned, saving the system billions of dollars. As a member of the AIM Coalition, ACLA supports proposed reforms to close this loophole and in doing so, serve the best interests of beneficiaries, providers, and our nation’s healthcare system.

Click here to see facts about self-referrals through the IOAS exception.

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