Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) provide important help to patients of limited means who do not have insurance coverage for drugs and need assistance covering drug costs, often for chronic illnesses. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services has now issued an advisory bulletin, dated May 21, 2014, intended to expand existing OIG guidelines related to PAPs, which can give rise to anti-kickback statute issues in some circumstances.
The new advisory bulletin, which is summarized in a client alert by Reed Smith partner Joe Metro and summer associate Peter Vogel, focuses specifically on Independent Charity PAPs. Among the issues discussed are the relationship between donors and Independent Charity PAPs, Independent Charity PAPs' definitions of disease funds and eligible recipients, and the potential illegality of donor actions in relation to support for their own products. The OIG has stated that it will be working with PAPs that previously received advisory opinions to identify potential changes that could provide some clarity to these issues.
This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice.
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