CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES ISSUES NOTICE: MEDICARE PROGRAM; ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR AN EXCEPTION FROM THE PROHIBITION ON EXPANSION OF FACILITY CAPACITY UNDER THE HOSPITAL OWNERSHIP AND RURAL PROVIDER EXCEPTIONS TO THE PHYSICIAN SELF-REFERRAL PROHIBITION

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a notice called: Medicare Program; Announcement of Request for an Exception From the Prohibition on Expansion of Facility Capacity Under the Hospital Ownership and Rural Provider Exceptions to the Physician Self-Referral Prohibition.

The notice was published in the Federal Register on Feb. 11 by Vanessa Garcia, Federal Register Liaison, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Summary: The Social Security Act prohibits a hospital with physician ownership that relies on the exception to the physician self-referral law for hospitals outside of Puerto Rico or for rural providers from expanding its facility capacity unless the Secretary of the Department of Health and...