The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a proposed rule that would institute several changes to the health care program civil monetary penalty (CMP) regulations. Under the proposed rule, which is analyzed in a client alert prepared by Reed Smith lawyers Paul Pitts, Joe Metro, and Susan Edwards, the OIG would have the expanded authority to enforce significant CMPs on providers and suppliers in a variety of scenarios.

In addition, the rule proposes a reorganization and clarification of current CMP regulations, including the methods used to determine when and how a CMP should be issued and how a CMP should be calculated. The OIG estimates that enforcement of the proposed rule would result in an increase in CMP collections by the government. Comments on the rule are due by July 11, 2014.