OIG & GSA

Info Cubic specializes in pre-employment screening and drug screening for the Healthcare Industry. Info Cubic understands the healthcare industry’s background needs and obligations to pre-screen applicants before they can be accepted into a healthcare education program or to work at a JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) and/or HFAP (Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program) certified facilities.

Info Cubic’s extensive experience and knowledge of the healthcare industry’s unique and stringent background check requirements allows our clients to screen potential and existing employees with confidence. Info Cubic takes tremendous pride in providing world-class customer service, industry-leading turnaround times and the most cost-effective pricing available.

The OIG & GSA search utilizes the US Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Office of Inspector General's database for individuals and businesses excluded or sanctioned from participating in Medicare, Medicaid, or other Federally funded programs. If an organization employs an individual on these sanctioned lists they may be forced to pay back all Federal funds received via these programs going back to the date the person was employed. Therefore, the OIG and GSA search is vital for healthcare industries.

The search is comprised of the following components: OIG (Office of Inspector General), GSA (General Services Administration), FDA (Food and Drug Administration), DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) and action taken by licensing boards in all 50 states.

For many years the Congress of the United States has worked diligently to protect the health and welfare of the nation's elderly and poor by implementing legislation to prevent certain individuals and businesses from participating in Federally-funded health care programs. The OIG, under this Congressional mandate, established a program to exclude individuals and entities affected by these various legal authorities, contained in sections 1128 and 1156 of the Social Security Act, and maintains a list of all currently excluded parties called the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities.

Bases for exclusion include convictions for program-related fraud and patient abuse, licensing board actions and default on Health Education Assistance Loans.

The effect of an exclusion (not being able to participate) is:

• No payment will be made by any Federal health care program for any items or services furnished, ordered, or prescribed by an excluded individual or entity. Federal health care programs include Medicare, Medicaid, and all other plans and programs that provide health benefits funded directly or indirectly by the United States (other than the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan). For exclusions implemented prior to August 4, 1997, the exclusion covers the following Federal health care programs: Medicare (Title XVIII), Medicaid (Title XIX), Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant (Title V), Block Grants to States for Social Services (Title XX) and State Children's Health Insurance (Title XXI) programs.
  
• No program payment will be made for anything that an excluded person furnishes, orders, or prescribes. This payment prohibition applies to the excluded person, anyone who employs or contracts with the excluded person, any hospital or other provider where the excluded person provides services, and anyone else. The exclusion applies regardless of who submits the claims and applies to all administrative and management services furnished by the excluded person.
  
• There is a limited exception to exclusions for the provision of certain emergency items or services not provided in a hospital emergency room. See regulations at 42 CFR 1001.1901(c)

Additional information is available in the Special Advisory Bulletin on the Effect of an Exclusion.