Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 4731 | Physicians; Limited Practitioners
Section 4731.65 | Conflict of Interest Limitations on Patient Referrals Definitions.

Effective: September 29, 2017
Latest Legislation: House Bill 49 - 132nd General Assembly
As used in sections 4731.65 to 4731.71 of the Revised Code:
(A)(1) "Clinical laboratory services" means either of the following:
(a) Any examination of materials derived from the human body for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment or for the assessment of health;
(b) Procedures to determine, measure, or otherwise describe the presence or absence of various substances or organisms in the body.
(2) "Clinical laboratory services" does not include the mere collection or preparation of specimens.
(B) "Designated health services" means any of the following:
(1) Clinical laboratory services;
(2) Home health care services;
(3) Outpatient prescription drugs.
(C) "Fair market value" means the value in arms-length transactions, consistent with general market value and:
(1) With respect to rentals or leases, the value of rental property for general commercial purposes, not taking into account its intended use;
(2) With respect to a lease of space, not adjusted to reflect the additional value the prospective lessee or lessor would attribute to the proximity or convenience to the lessor if the lessor is a potential source of referrals to the lessee.
(D) "Governmental health care program" means any program providing health care benefits that is administered by the federal government, this state, or a political subdivision of this state, including the medicare program, health care coverage for public employees, health care benefits administered by the bureau of workers' compensation, and the medicaid program.
(E)(1) "Group practice" means a group of two or more holders of licenses or certificates under this chapter legally organized as a partnership, professional corporation or association, limited liability company, foundation, nonprofit corporation, faculty practice plan, or similar group practice entity, including an organization comprised of a nonprofit medical clinic that contracts with a professional corporation or association of physicians to provide medical services exclusively to patients of the clinic in order to comply with section 1701.03 of the Revised Code and including a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or professional association described in division (B) of section 4731.226 of the Revised Code formed for the purpose of providing a combination of the professional services of optometrists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice optometry under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code, chiropractors who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice chiropractic or acupuncture under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code, psychologists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice psychology under Chapter 4732. of the Revised Code, registered or licensed practical nurses who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice nursing under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, pharmacists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice pharmacy under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code, physical therapists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice physical therapy under sections 4755.40 to 4755.56 of the Revised Code, occupational therapists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice occupational therapy under sections 4755.04 to 4755.13 of the Revised Code, mechanotherapists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized to practice mechanotherapy under section 4731.151 of the Revised Code, and doctors of medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized for their respective practices under this chapter, and licensed professional clinical counselors, licensed professional counselors, independent social workers, social workers, independent marriage and family therapists, or marriage and family therapists who are licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized for their respective practices under Chapter 4757. of the Revised Code to which all of the following apply:
(a) Each physician who is a member of the group practice provides substantially the full range of services that the physician routinely provides, including medical care, consultation, diagnosis, or treatment, through the joint use of shared office space, facilities, equipment, and personnel.
(b) Substantially all of the services of the members of the group are provided through the group and are billed in the name of the group and amounts so received are treated as receipts of the group.
(c) The overhead expenses of and the income from the practice are distributed in accordance with methods previously determined by members of the group.
(d) The group practice meets any other requirements that the state medical board applies in rules adopted under section 4731.70 of the Revised Code.
(2) In the case of a faculty practice plan associated with a hospital with a medical residency training program in which physician members may provide a variety of specialty services and provide professional services both within and outside the group, as well as perform other tasks such as research, the criteria in division (E)(1) of this section apply only with respect to services rendered within the faculty practice plan.
(F) "Home health care services" and "immediate family" have the same meanings as in the rules adopted under section 4731.70 of the Revised Code.
(G) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in section 3727.01 of the Revised Code.
(H) A "referral" includes both of the following:
(1) A request by a holder of a license or certificate under this chapter for an item or service, including a request for a consultation with another physician and any test or procedure ordered by or to be performed by or under the supervision of the other physician;
(2) A request for or establishment of a plan of care by a license or certificate holder that includes the provision of designated health services.
(I) "Third-party payer" has the same meaning as in section 3901.38 of the Revised Code.

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