Where can I find the latest updates to the Stark rules?
On September 5, 2007, updates to the Stark rules were published in the Federal Register, revealing a useful change for physicians serving as medical directors of home health agencies (a role that falls under Stark). The previous requirement that compensation be at fair market, based upon surveys of emergency room physicians or published salary surveys of similar specialists has been removed. Fair market compensation is still required, but no specific definition is given. Other requirements about advance determination of compensation and no link to number of referrals remains. For an advance view of the rules, see http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PhysicianSelfReferral/Downloads/CMS-1810-F.pdf. Pages 20-23 address fair market value. Pages 457-458 address the special provision for home care physicians. • I have been working with a home health agency who is asking me to see their hospice patients and they will pay for it. Are there any Stark violations? Hospices are excluded from Stark regulations,
