Offering Free Transportation to Your Therapy Patients

I have received several questions from therapists in private practice as well as therapists that practice in a hospital setting regarding providing free transportation to Medicare beneficiaries so they can receive outpatient therapy services at their private practice or hospital. They want to know is this legal or would this free transportation service violate the anti-kickback statute?

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has released several advisory opinions on this topic. If this is a service you are considering providing or are already providing to your Medicare beneficiaries, I would strongly encourage you to read these opinions as well as consult with your attorney to ensure you are in compliance.

Below, I have pasted two OIG Advisory Opinions for your reference as well as a final rule that was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that addresses free transportation: