Is that Hospital Food Pantry an Illegal Patient Inducement? Analysis of Health Care Fraud Laws as Barriers to Food and Nutrition Security Interventions.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Landauer, Rachel; Seligman, Hilary; Pomeranz, Jennifer L.; Hager, Kurt; Mozaffarian, Dariush
- Source
- Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics; Winter2023, Vol. 51 Issue 4, p889-899, 11p
- Subject
- Basic needs
Legislation
Medical care laws
Fraud prevention
Hospital food service
Social determinants of health
Medical quality control
Food security
Health care reform
Fraud
Hospital laws
Nutrition
Government regulation
Law
United States
- Language
- ISSN
- 10731105
The complex regulatory framework governing the U.S. health care system can be an obstacle to programming that address health-related social needs. In particular, health care fraud and abuse law is a pernicious barrier as health care organizations may minimize or forego programming altogether out of real and perceived concern for compliance. And because health care organizations have varying resources to navigate and resolve compliance concerns, as well as different levels of risk tolerance, fears related to the legal landscape may further entrench inequities in access to meaningful programs that improve health outcomes. This article uses food and nutrition programming as a case study to explore the complexities presented by this area of law and to highlight pathways forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]