Healthcare Sanctions Background Checks

OFAC, SAM, OIG and More

Healthcare providers working in the US are required to conduct regular sanction screening of contractors, workforce members, volunteers, vendors, and new hires. This screening is done to identify the entities and people excluded from participating in federal healthcare programs.

During the screening process, the last, middle and first names of the parties who need to be screened are collected. The Social Security Numbers, license numbers, and dates of birth are also collected. These details are screened against the information and names of the excluded entities and people listed in the federal and state exclusion databases, including:

  • The General Services Administration System Database for Award Management
  • The Office of Inspector General Database of Excluded Entities and Individuals
  • The Medicaid Database
  • The FDA Debarment List
  • The Administrative Cases Against Doctors Database
  • The Drug Enforcement Agency Database
  • The Criminal Cases Against Doctors Database

The entities and individuals listed on these databases are healthcare providers who have been involved in unethical or illegal misconduct such as fraud, waste, or abuse. According to federal law, these people should not work as healthcare providers.

It is crucial to address these issues before they even begin to ensure that healthcare centers are safe for patients, providers, and customers. That way, healthcare organizations avoid the risks associated with working or hiring individuals who have been sanctioned.

 

What Are Healthcare Sanctions?

Healthcare sanctions are disciplinary actions imposed against an entity or a person who holds a medical license. Their licenses are either revoked or suspended depending on the number and severity of infractions. They are usually imposed by licensing boards such as state licensing boards. These sanctions can make healthcare professionals or organizations be inhibited from participating in healthcare programs. They can also damage the operations, reputation, and finances of an organization. 

Individuals can be on the US Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) Exclusion List for a number of reasons, including:

  • Patient neglect/abuse
  • Conviction of Medicaid/Medicare fraud
  • Felony convictions involving financial misconduct, fraud, or theft in the healthcare field
  • Felony convictions involving controlled substances (illegal manufacturer, distribution, prescription, and/or dispensation)

Check for healthcare sanctions instantly.

Add a healthcare sanctions check to any package for only $12.50 and get results back immediately.

 

What Shows up on a Healthcare Sanction Screening?

Sanction screening is done to discover a sanction on a medical license. This screening is mostly done when medical practitioners are being employed. Some of the things that show up during this screening include:

  • The name of the licensing board that imposed the disciplinary action
  • The date on which the disciplinary action was imposed. This date will help you know whether the disciplinary action is still active or not.
  • Reason for the imposition of disciplinary action

The Benefits of Healthcare Sanction Screenings 

  • Sanction checks will help your business avoid OIG penalties, which can be up to $10,000/day the individual worked.
  • Maintain Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal program eligibility.
  • Avoid violation of state/federal laws.
  • Retain the reputation of your healthcare organization.
  • Prevent patient neglect or abuse and reduce risk to staff.