(1) As used in this section, the term “kickback” means a remuneration or payment, by or on behalf of a provider of health care services or items, to any person as an incentive or inducement to refer patients for past or future services or items, when the payment is not tax deductible as an ordinary and necessary expense.

(2) It is unlawful for any health care provider or any provider of health care services to offer, pay, solicit, or receive a kickback, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, for referring or soliciting patients.

(3)(a) It is unlawful for any person or any entity to pay or receive, directly or indirectly, a commission, bonus, kickback, or rebate from, or to engage in any form of a split-fee arrangement with, a dialysis facility, health care practitioner, surgeon, person, or entity for referring patients to a clinical laboratory as defined in s. 483.803.

(b) It is unlawful for any clinical laboratory to:

1. Provide personnel to perform any functions or duties in a health care practitioner’s office or dialysis facility for any purpose, including for the collection or handling of specimens, directly or indirectly through an employee, contractor, independent staffing company, lease agreement, or otherwise, unless the laboratory and the practitioner’s office, or dialysis facility, are wholly owned and operated by the same entity.

2. Lease space within any part of a health care practitioner’s office or dialysis facility for any purpose, including for the purpose of establishing a collection station where materials or specimens are collected or drawn from patients.

(4) Violations of this section shall be considered patient brokering and shall be punishable as provided in s. 817.505.

History.—s. 8, ch. 92-178; s. 2, ch. 96-152; s. 79, ch. 97-261; s. 8, ch. 99-204; s. 78, ch. 2000-160; s. 6, ch. 2006-305; s. 91, ch. 2018-24.

Note.—Former s. 455.237; s. 455.657.