§ 5-48.1-3. Prohibited acts. (a) Whoever knowingly and willfully solicits or receives any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate) directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind: (1) In return for referring an individual to a person for the furnishing, or arranging for the furnishing, of any healthcare service or item; or (2) In return for purchasing, leasing, ordering, or arranging for or recommending purchasing, leasing, or ordering, any healthcare good, facility, service, or item is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

(b) Whoever knowingly and willfully offers or pays any remuneration (including any kickback, bribe, or rebate) directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind, to any person to induce that person: (1) To refer an individual to a person for the furnishing, or arranging for the furnishing, of any healthcare item or service; or (2) To purchase, lease, order, or arrange for or recommend purchasing, leasing, or ordering any healthcare good, facility, service, or item is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

(c) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to:

(1) A discount or other reduction in price obtained by a provider of services or other entity if the reduction in price is properly disclosed and appropriately reflected in the costs claimed or charges made by the provider;

(2) Any amount paid by an employer to an employee (who has a bona fide employment relationship with the employer) for employment in the provision of healthcare services;

(3) Any amount paid by a vendor of goods or services to a person authorized to act as a purchasing agent for a group of individuals or entities who are furnishing healthcare services, if:

(i) The person has a written contract, with each individual or entity, that specifies the amount to be paid the person, which amount may be a fixed amount or a fixed percentage of the value of the purchases made by each individual or entity under the contract; and

(ii) In the case of an entity that is a provider of services, the person shall disclose (in the form and manner that the director requires) to the entity and, upon request, to the director, the amount received from each vendor with respect to purchases made by or on behalf of the entity;

(4) A waiver of any coinsurance under part B of title XVIII, 42 U.S.C. § 1395j et seq., by a federally qualified healthcare center with respect to an individual who qualifies for subsidized services under a provision of the Public Health Service Act;

(5) Any payment practice specified in regulations promulgated pursuant to § 14(a) of the Medicare and Medicaid Patient and Program Protection Act of 1987 (see 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b), or to chapter 66.2 of title 42 relating to pharmaceutical assistance to the elderly;

(6) A discount or other reduction in price on a healthcare item or a limited-time free supply of such item that is made available to an individual, if such item is provided through a "point-of-sale" or "mail-in" coupon or through other similar means.

History of Section. (P.L. 1993, ch. 107, § 1; P.L. 2003, ch. 390, § 1.)