New and clarified safe harbors may ease certain provider transactions.

The recent final rule issued by the Office of Inspector General adds eight new safe harbors to the Federal antikickback statute to the 13 currently in force. This final rule also clarifies six of the original 11 safe harbors published in 1991. In general, safe-harbor provisions to the antikickback statute specify payments that will not provide a basis for criminal prosecution or for exclusion from the Medicare or state healthcare programs. While safe harbors are very narrow and transactions must meet each requirement of an applicable safe harbor to be protected, the new final rule should help facilitate certain financial arrangements between provider organizations. It may, however, prohibit other arrangements.