Browse Advisory Opinions

Favorable opinion regarding: (i) the use of a health technology company’s online health care directory by Federal health care program beneficiaries to search for and book medical appointments with providers and the display of sponsored advertisements to Federal health care program beneficiaries on the directory and certain third-party websites; and (ii) certain proposed changes to the functionality of the directory.

Regarding a charitable organization's proposal to purchase or receive donations of unpaid medical debt owed by qualifying patients from certain types of health care providers and then forgive that debt.

Favorable opinion regarding a proposal to provide a prepaid card to certain individuals, including Federal health care program beneficiaries, to encourage those individuals to return the sample collection kit associated with a colorectal cancer screening test.

Favorable opinion regarding a program to provide a drug for free, for a limited time, to patients who experience a delay in their insurance approval process for the drug.

Favorable opinion regarding financial assistance for transportation, lodging, and meals provided by a drug manufacturer to financially needy pediatric patients and their caregiver(s) in connection with treatment with the manufacturer’s drug.

Regarding a pharmaceutical manufacturer’s proposal to provide up to a specified number of trial units of a long-acting antipsychotic drug to certain hospitals for inpatient use.

Regarding an arrangement in which a county and its department of public health’s emergency medical services division sublease certain space and lease certain furniture and equipment to a private ambulance company that has been granted an exclusive contract for the provision of emergency ambulance transports in certain parts of the county.

Regarding a hospital’s utilization of its employed nurse practitioners to perform services that traditionally have been performed by a patient’s attending physician in certain medical units.

Regarding a proposal whereby certain pharmaceutical manufacturers would: (i) fund, through Requestor, cost-sharing subsidies for the manufacturers’ Part D oncology drugs; (ii) fund, through Requestor, specified programs and eligible beneficiaries’ health insurance premiums; and (iii) finance Requestor’s operating costs.

Regarding the use of a "preferred hospital" network as part of Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance ("Medigap") policies, whereby an insurance company would contract with a preferred hospital organization to provide discounts on the otherwise-applicable Medicare inpatient deductibles for its policyholders and, in turn, would provide a premium credit of $100 off the next renewal premium to policyholders who use a network hospital for an inpatient stay.

Regarding a proposed restructuring of financial relationships, which includes the forgiveness of debt, between a health system and a nearby clinic.

Regarding the provision of a gift card to certain Medicare Advantage plan enrollees who complete specific steps in an online patient education program.

Regarding a proposal to use donations to cover: (i) specialized care furnished to veterans who meet certain criteria; and (ii) certain out-of-pocket expenses related to that specialized care.

Regarding an ophthalmology practice’s proposed continuing education programs for local optometrists and four financing options to fund the programs.

Regarding a durable medical equipment manufacturer’s arrangements with two financial institutions to make zero-interest financing available to qualified customers.

Regarding financial assistance for travel, lodging, and other expenses provided by a pharmaceutical manufacturer to certain patients prescribed the manufacturer's drug.

Regarding the use of a "preferred hospital" network as part of Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance ("Medigap") policies, whereby an insurance company would contract with a preferred hospital organization to provide discounts on the otherwise-applicable Medicare inpatient deductibles for its policyholders and, in turn, would provide a premium credit of $100 off the next renewal premium to policyholders who use a network hospital for an inpatient stay.

Regarding its proposal to employ an individual who is excluded from participation in Federal health care programs to perform marketing tasks relating to workers’ compensation programs.

Regarding a non-profit, tax-exempt, charitable organization's program to help financially needy patients, including Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, obtain magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis or ongoing evaluation of [disease state redacted] (the "Arrangement").

Regarding (i) a modification to OIG Advisory Opinion 15-14, issued to the requestor on November 13, 2015, to include within the scope of that opinion, the requestor’s proposal to provide financial assistance for certain past magnetic resonance imaging tests; and (ii) a second arrangement regarding the distribution of certain cooling and mobility items, ancillary to the arrangement addressed in OIG Advisory Opinion 15-14.