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Health Law Highlights

“Stark” Differences: DOJ’s Renewed Focus on Stand-Alone Stark Law Violations

From Arnold & Porter, by Murad Hussain, Allison W. Shuren, Loreli (Lori) Wright:

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently increased enforcement of the False Claims Act (FCA) based on the Stark Law, also known as the Physician Self-Referral Law. This law focuses on financial relationships between physicians and health care entities, particularly when compensation exceeds fair market value (FMV) or varies with the volume or value of referrals. Violations of Stark Law can lead to FCA claims, requiring less proof than Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS)-based FCA claims. This trend has been evident in a series of new FCA enforcement actions and resolutions involving large health care providers since early 2023.