What are some examples of possible kickbacks?
A hospital may demand that radiologists pay excessive transcription costs, for which the hospital is reimbursed under Medicare Part A. The radiologists either have to pay an amount that exceeds what Medicare pays for the service (e.g., fair market value) or risk losing the contract to provide radiologic services for the hospital. Although the radiologists would not be subject to anti-kickback liability if they declined to pay, the hospital would be liable because it solicited the excessive payment in return for continuing to refer to the radiologists federal program business. Members of a hospital-based radiology department may be coerced by the hospital to become employees of a multispecialty clinic from which physicians refer patients to the hospital. Professional revenues generated at the hospital then flow to clinic physicians and serve as an inducement for them to refer patients to the hospital. Purchased interpretations by nonradiologists obtained from radiologists for amounts si
