What the Stark II phase III rules mean for you

In August, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the third, and final, version of the Stark II rules. Under the Stark II rules, Medicare patients cannot be referred to facilities in which a physician has a financial interest-unless the financial arrangement meets one of a number of exceptions.

While the final rule does not make sweeping changes to the existing prohibitions, nor does it include any new exceptions for physicians and others, CMS has tried to make the rule more flexible. According to American Medical News (9/24/2007), the final rule: