Marketing for Services

[lgrone]

I'm working with a practice and they are thinking about sending out a mailer and offering a free ultrasound to get people in to hopefully get business for vein ablations and schlerotherapy.

Since they would most likely be going through patient’s insurance for the actual vein ablation, are we able to give a free ultrasound and follow up appt and not bill the insurance? I know there are so many restrictions with the insurance contract but have no idea how this would work. I see advertisements but don’t know if it Is okay.

Any feed back anyone can give would be greatly appreciated or if someone could point me in the right direction on where to get an answer for this. 

[PMRNC]

If you are a billing company you need to stay away and out of all marketing related services as it's considered illegal under anti-kickback statutes and fee splitting regulations.. anything that brings patient's into the practice has to remain OUT of your hands and separate.  On the issue of advising them, i always tell them to consult their attorney, I don't think they can do such an offer unless they fully outline the disclosure because they can't do it for Medicare, Medicaid, and any contract managed care plans.

[Michele]

Linda is right, if you are a billing service you need to stay out and not even advise.  I've seen providers who have done something similar and the one thing that I want to point out is if they advertise "free ultrasound" it needs to be just that.  Not free  - unless you have an insurance that will pay.  Also, if they bill the insurance and the patient has a copay or coinsurance, did they plan on charging them for it?  Because if they don't that's a breech of contract with the insurance carrier (usually) and if they do, then it wasn't free.  The point I'm making is anyone with insurance can go to a provider and get services paid for by their insurance.  If the provider is trying to "drum up" business by offering a free service, it needs to be free.  JMO

[PMRNC]

There are many cases of office managers actually being sued in ADDITION to the provider because it's considered a ''kickback"!!  for example.. Doctor says to staff.. I want a coupon designed, I need more patient's!  Staff advises, designs or whatever and bam..they just became a moving target! Such a fine line with the anti-kickback statute!! NO grey areas.. I actually have a friend who's sister got FIRED (rightfully so and fully legal) for accepting a gift on behalf of the office, from a patient! When I first heard it I was stunned but it only took a minute to research and find the provider was not only in the right for firing her but he was legally protecting himself as well.   If my provider's approach me with anything such as marketing or any other service they want/need to drum up business I tell them they need to hire a marketing firm, there are many marketing firm's who deal strictly with physicians on this issue.