§ 1320a–7 — Exclusion Of Certain Individuals And Entities From Participation In Medicare And State Health Care Programs

(a) The Secretary shall exclude the following individuals and entities from participation in any Federal health care program (as defined in section 1320a–7b(f) of this title): (1) Any individual or entity that has been convicted of a criminal offense related to the delivery of an item or service under subchapter XVIII or under any State health care program. (2) Any individual or entity that has been convicted, under Federal or State law, of a criminal offense relating to neglect or abuse of patients in connection with the delivery of a health care item or service. (3) Any individual or entity that has been convicted for an offense which occurred after August 21, 1996, under Federal or State law, in connection with the delivery of a health care item or service or with respect to any act or omission in a health care program (other than those specifically described in paragraph (1)) operated by or financed in whole or in part by any Federal, State, or local government agency, of a criminal offense consisting of a felony relating to fraud, theft, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary responsibility, or other financial misconduct. (4) Any individual or entity that has been convicted for an offense which occurred after August 21, 1996, under Federal or State law, of a criminal offense consisting of a felony relating to the unlawful manufacture, distribution, prescription, or dispensing of a controlled substance. (b) The Secretary may exclude the following individuals and entities from participation in any Federal health care program (as defined in section 1320a–7b(f) of this title): (1) Any individual or entity that has been convicted for an offense which occurred after August 21, 1996, under Federal or State law— (A) of a criminal offense consisting of a misdemeanor relating to fraud, theft, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary responsibility, or other financial misconduct— (i) in connection with the delivery of a health care item or service, or (ii) with respect to any act or omission in a health care program (other than those specifically described in subsection (a)(1)) operated by or financed in whole or in part by any Federal, State, or local government agency; or (B) of a criminal offense relating to fraud, theft, embezzlement, breach of fiduciary responsibility, or other financial misconduct with respect to any act or omission in a program (other than a health care program) operated by or financed in whole or in part by any Federal, State, or local government agency. (2) Any individual or entity that has been convicted, under Federal or State law, in connection with the interference with or obstruction of any investigation or audit related to— (i) any offense described in paragraph (1) or in subsection (a); or (ii) the use of funds received, directly or indirectly, from any Federal health care program (as defined in section 1320a–7b(f) of this title). (3) Any individual or entity that has been convicted, under Federal or State law, of a criminal offense consisting of a misdemeanor relating to the unlawful manufacture, distribution, prescription, or dispensing of a controlled substance. (4) Any individual or entity— (A) whose license to provide health care has been revoked or suspended by any State licensing authority, or who otherwise lost such a license or the right to apply for or renew such a license, for reasons bearing on the individual’s or entity’s professional competence, professional performance, or financial integrity, or (B) who surrendered such a license while a formal disciplinary proceeding was pending before such an authority and the proceeding concerned the individual’s or entity’s professional competence, professional performance, or financial integrity. (5) Any individual or entity which has been suspended or excluded from participation, or otherwise sanctioned, under— (A) any Federal program, including programs of the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs, involving the provision of health care, or (B) a State health care program, (6) Any individual or entity that the Secretary determines— (A) has submitted or caused to be submitted bills or requests for payment (where such bills or requests are based on charges or cost) under subchapter XVIII or a State health care program containing charges (or, in applicable cases, requests for payment of costs) for items or services furnished substantially in excess of such individual’s or entity’s usual charges (or, in applicable cases, substantially in excess of such individual’s or entity’s costs) for such items or services, unless the Secretary finds there is good cause for such bills or requests containing such charges or costs; (B) has furnished or caused to be furnished items or services to patients (whether or not eligible for benefits under subchapter XVIII or under a State health care program) substantially in excess of the needs of such patients or of a quality which fails to meet professionally recognized standards of health care; (C) is— (i) a health maintenance organization (as defined in section 1396b(m) of this title) providing items and services under a State plan approved under subchapter XIX, or (ii) an entity furnishing services under a waiver approved under section 1396n(b)(1) of this title, (D) is an entity providing items and services as an eligible organization under a risk-sharing contract under section 1395mm of this title and has failed substantially to provide medically necessary items and services that are required (under law or such contract) to be provided to individuals covered under the risk-sharing contract, if the failure has adversely affected (or has a substantial likelihood of adversely affecting) these individuals. (7) Any individual or entity that the Secretary determines has committed an act which is described in section 1320a–7a, 1320a–7b, or 1320a–8 of this title. (8) Any entity with respect to which the Secretary determines that a person— (i) who has a direct or indirect ownership or control interest of 5 percent or more in the entity or with an ownership or control interest (as defined in section 1320a–3(a)(3) of this title) in that entity, (ii) who is an officer, director, agent, or managing employee (as defined in section 1320a–5(b) of this title) of that entity; or (iii) who was described in clause (i) but is no longer so described because of a transfer of ownership or control interest, in anticipation of (or following) a conviction, assessment, or exclusion described in subparagraph (B) against the person, to an immediate family member (as defined in subsection (j)(1)) or a member of the household of the person (as defined in subsection (j)(2)) who continues to maintain an interest described in such clause— (i) who has been convicted of any offense described in subsection (a) or in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection; (ii) against whom a civil monetary penalty has been assessed under section 1320a–7a or 1320a–8 of this title; or (iii) who has been excluded from participation under a program under subchapter XVIII or under a State health care program. (9) Any entity that did not fully and accurately make any disclosure required by section 1320a–3 of this title, section 1320a–3a of this title, or section 1320a–5 of this title. (10) Any disclosing entity (as defined in section 1320a–3(a)(2) of this title) that fails to supply (within such period as may be specified by the Secretary in regulations) upon request specifically addressed to the entity by the Secretary or by the State agency administering or supervising the administration of a State health care program— (A) full and complete information as to the ownership of a subcontractor (as defined by the Secretary in regulations) with whom the entity has had, during the previous 12 months, business transactions in an aggregate amount in excess of $25,000, or (B) full and complete information as to any significant business transactions (as defined by the Secretary in regulations), occurring during the five-year period ending on the date of such request, between the entity and any wholly owned supplier or between the entity and any subcontractor. (11) Any individual or entity furnishing, ordering, referring for furnishing, or certifying the need for items or services for which payment may be made under subchapter XVIII or a State health care program that fails to provide such information as the Secretary or the appropriate State agency finds necessary to determine whether such payments are or were due and the amounts thereof, or has refused to permit such examination of its records by or on behalf of the Secretary or that agency as may be necessary to verify such information. (12) Any individual or entity that fails to grant immediate access, upon reasonable request (as defined by the Secretary in regulations) to any of the following: (A) To the Secretary, or to the agency used by the Secretary, for the purpose specified in the first sentence of section 1395aa(a) of this title (relating to compliance with conditions of participation or payment). (B) To the Secretary or the State agency, to perform the reviews and surveys required under State plans under paragraphs (26), (31), and (33) of section 1396a(a) of this title and under section 1396b(g) of this title. (C) To the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, for the purpose of reviewing records, documents, and other data necessary to the performance of the statutory functions of the Inspector General. (D) To a State medicaid fraud control unit (as defined in section 1396b(q) of this title), for the purpose of conducting activities described in that section. (13) Any hospital that fails to comply substantially with a corrective action required under section 1395ww(f)(2)(B) of this title. (14) Any individual who the Secretary determines is in default on repayments of scholarship obligations or loans in connection with health professions education made or secured, in whole or in part, by the Secretary and with respect to whom the Secretary has taken all reasonable steps available to the Secretary to secure repayment of such obligations or loans, except that (A) the Secretary shall not exclude pursuant to this paragraph a physician who is the sole community physician or sole source of essential specialized services in a community if a State requests that the physician not be excluded, and (B) the Secretary shall take into account, in determining whether to exclude any other physician pursuant to this paragraph, access of beneficiaries to physician services for which payment may be made under subchapter XVIII or XIX. (A) Any individual— (i) of this title) of the action constituting the basis for the conviction or exclusion described in subparagraph (B); or (ii) who is an officer or managing employee (as defined in section 1320a–5(b) of this title) of such an entity. (B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “sanctioned entity” means an entity— (i) that has been convicted of any offense described in subsection (a) or in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of this subsection; or (ii) that has been excluded from participation under a program under subchapter XVIII or under a State health care program. (16) Any individual or entity that knowingly makes or causes to be made any false statement, omission, or misrepresentation of a material fact in any application, agreement, bid, or contract to participate or enroll as a provider of services or supplier under a Federal health care program (as defined in section 1320a–7b(f) of this title), including Medicare Advantage organizations under part C of subchapter XVIII, prescription drug plan sponsors under part D of subchapter XVIII, medicaid managed care organizations under subchapter XIX, and entities that apply to participate as providers of services or suppliers in such managed care organizations and such plans. (17) Any manufacturer or officer, director, agent, or managing employee of such manufacturer that knowingly misclassifies a covered outpatient drug under an agreement under section 1396r–8 of this title, knowingly fails to correct such misclassification, or knowingly provides false information related to drug pricing, drug product information, or data related to drug pricing or drug product information. (1) An exclusion under this section or under section 1320a–7a of this title shall be effective at such time and upon such reasonable notice to the public and to the individual or entity excluded as may be specified in regulations consistent with paragraph (2). (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), such an exclusion shall be effective with respect to services furnished to an individual on or after the effective date of the exclusion. (B) Unless the Secretary determines that the health and safety of individuals receiving services warrants the exclusion taking effect earlier, an exclusion shall not apply to payments made under subchapter XVIII or under a State health care program for— (i) inpatient institutional services furnished to an individual who was admitted to such institution before the date of the exclusion, or (ii) home health services and hospice care furnished to an individual under a plan of care established before the date of the exclusion, (A) The Secretary shall specify, in the notice of exclusion under paragraph (1) and the written notice under section 1320a–7a of this title, the minimum period (or, in the case of an exclusion of an individual under subsection (b)(12) or in the case described in subparagraph (G), the period) of the exclusion. (B) Subject to subparagraph (G), in the case of an exclusion under subsection (a), the minimum period of exclusion shall be not less than five years, except that, upon the request of the administrator of a Federal health care program (as defined in section 1320a–7b(f) of this title) who determines that the exclusion would impose a hardship on beneficiaries (as defined in section 1320a–7a(i)(5) of this title) of that program, the Secretary may, after consulting with the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, waive the exclusion under subsection (a)(1), (a)(3), or (a)(4) with respect to that program in the case of an individual or entity that is the sole community physician or sole source of essential specialized services in a community. The Secretary’s decision whether to waive the exclusion shall not be reviewable. (C) In the case of an exclusion of an individual under subsection (b)(12), the period of the exclusion shall be equal to the sum of— (i) the length of the period in which the individual failed to grant the immediate access described in that subsection, and (ii) an additional period, not to exceed 90 days, set by the Secretary. (D) Subject to subparagraph (G), in the case of an exclusion of an individual or entity under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subsection (b), the period of the exclusion shall be 3 years, unless the Secretary determines in accordance with published regulations that a shorter period is appropriate because of mitigating circumstances or that a longer period is appropriate because of aggravating circumstances. (E) In the case of an exclusion of an individual or entity under subsection (b)(4) or (b)(5), the period of the exclusion shall not be less than the period during which the individual’s or entity’s license to provide health care is revoked, suspended, or surrendered, or the individual or the entity is excluded or suspended from a Federal or State health care program. (F) In the case of an exclusion of an individual or entity under subsection (b)(6)(B), the period of the exclusion shall be not less than 1 year. (G) In the case of an exclusion of an individual under subsection (a) based on a conviction occurring on or after August 5, 1997, if the individual has (before, on, or after August 5, 1997) been convicted— (i) on one previous occasion of one or more offenses for which an exclusion may be effected under such subsection, the period of the exclusion shall be not less than 10 years, or (ii) on 2 or more previous occasions of one or more offenses for which an exclusion may be effected under such subsection, the period of the exclusion shall be permanent. (1) Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary shall exercise the authority under this section and section 1320a–7a of this title in a manner that results in an individual’s or entity’s exclusion from all the programs under subchapter XVIII and all the State health care programs in which the individual or entity may otherwise participate. (2) The Secretary shall promptly notify each appropriate State agency administering or supervising the administration of each State health care program (and, in the case of an exclusion effected pursuant to subsection (a) and to which section 824(a)(5) of title 21 may apply, the Attorney General)— (A) of the fact and circumstances of each exclusion effected against an individual or entity under this section or section 1320a–7a of this title, and (B) of the period (described in paragraph (3)) for which the State agency is directed to exclude the individual or entity from participation in the State health care program. (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the period of the exclusion under a State health care program under paragraph (2) shall be the same as any period of exclusion under subchapter XVIII. (i) The Secretary may waive an individual’s or entity’s exclusion under a State health care program under paragraph (2) if the Secretary receives and approves a request for the waiver with respect to the individual or entity from the State agency administering or supervising the administration of the program. (ii) A State health care program may provide for a period of exclusion which is longer than the period of exclusion under subchapter XVIII. (e) The Secretary shall— (1) promptly notify the appropriate State or local agency or authority having responsibility for the licensing or certification of an individual or entity excluded (or directed to be excluded) from participation under this section or section 1320a–7a of this title, of the fact and circumstances of the exclusion, (2) request that appropriate investigations be made and sanctions invoked in accordance with applicable State law and policy, and (3) request that the State or local agency or authority keep the Secretary and the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services fully and currently informed with respect to any actions taken in response to the request. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), any individual or entity that is excluded (or directed to be excluded) from participation under this section is entitled to reasonable notice and opportunity for a hearing thereon by the Secretary to the same extent as is provided in section 405(b) of this title, and to judicial review of the Secretary’s final decision after such hearing as is provided in section 405(g) of this title, except that, in so applying such sections and section 405(l) of this title, any reference therein to the Commissioner of Social Security or the Social Security Administration shall be considered a reference to the Secretary or the Department of Health and Human Services, respectively. (2) Unless the Secretary determines that the health or safety of individuals receiving services warrants the exclusion taking effect earlier, any individual or entity that is the subject of an adverse determination under subsection (b)(7) shall be entitled to a hearing by an administrative law judge (as provided under section 405(b) of this title) on the determination under subsection (b)(7) before any exclusion based upon the determination takes effect. (3) The provisions of section 405(h) of this title shall apply with respect to this section and sections 1320a–7a, 1320a–8, and 1320c–5 of this title to the same extent as it is applicable with respect to subchapter II, except that, in so applying such section and section 405(l) of this title, any reference therein to the Commissioner of Social Security shall be considered a reference to the Secretary. (4) The provisions of subsections (d) and (e) of section 405 of this title shall apply with respect to this section to the same extent as they are applicable with respect to subchapter II. The Secretary may delegate the authority granted by section 405(d) of this title (as made applicable to this section) to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services for purposes of any investigation under this section. (1) An individual or entity excluded (or directed to be excluded) from participation under this section or section 1320a–7a of this title may apply to the Secretary, in the manner specified by the Secretary in regulations and at the end of the minimum period of exclusion provided under subsection (c)(3) and at such other times as the Secretary may provide, for termination of the exclusion effected under this section or section 1320a–7a of this title. (2) The Secretary may terminate the exclusion if the Secretary determines, on the basis of the conduct of the applicant which occurred after the date of the notice of exclusion or which was unknown to the Secretary at the time of the exclusion, that— (A) there is no basis under subsection (a) or (b) or section 1320a–7a(a) of this title for a continuation of the exclusion, and (B) there are reasonable assurances that the types of actions which formed the basis for the original exclusion have not recurred and will not recur. (3) The Secretary shall promptly notify each appropriate State agency administering or supervising the administration of each State health care program (and, in the case of an exclusion effected pursuant to subsection (a) and to which section 824(a)(5) of title 21 may apply, the Attorney General) of the fact and circumstances of each termination of exclusion made under this subsection. (h) For purposes of this section and sections 1320a–7a and 1320a–7b of this title, the term “State health care program” means— (1) a State plan approved under subchapter XIX, (2) any program receiving funds under subchapter V or from an allotment to a State under such subchapter, (3) of subchapter XX or from an allotment to a State under such division, or (4) a State child health plan approved under subchapter XXI. (i) For purposes of subsections (a) and (b), an individual or entity is considered to have been “convicted” of a criminal offense— (1) when a judgment of conviction has been entered against the individual or entity by a Federal, State, or local court, regardless of whether there is an appeal pending or whether the judgment of conviction or other record relating to criminal conduct has been expunged; (2) when there has been a finding of guilt against the individual or entity by a Federal, State, or local court; (3) when a plea of guilty or nolo contendere by the individual or entity has been accepted by a Federal, State, or local court; or (4) when the individual or entity has entered into participation in a first offender, deferred adjudication, or other arrangement or program where judgment of conviction has been withheld. (j) For purposes of subsection (b)(8)(A)(iii): (1) The term “immediate family member” means, with respect to a person— (A) the husband or wife of the person; (B) the natural or adoptive parent, child, or sibling of the person; (C) the stepparent, stepchild, stepbrother, or stepsister of the person; (D) the father-, mother-, daughter-, son-, brother-, or sister-in-law of the person; (E) the grandparent or grandchild of the person; and (F) the spouse of a grandparent or grandchild of the person. (2) The term “member of the household” means, with respect to any person, any individual sharing a common abode as part of a single family unit with the person, including domestic employees and others who live together as a family unit, but not including a roomer or boarder.