On Wednesday, December 2, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published final rules implementing many of the Stark Law changes first proposed in October 2019 (the Final Rules).
These changes have been adopted to address the shift to a value-based and coordinated healthcare environment. The Final Rules represent CMS’s recognition that the healthcare delivery and payment environment has changed from the “fee-for-service” model under which the Stark Law was developed, and that, in its current form, the Stark Law can impede the development of value-based relationships. In connection with this change, the Final Rules introduce new Stark Law exceptions and revise or re-evaluate many existing Stark Law exceptions and definitions.
