What is prohibited by the Anti-Kickback Statute?

The Anti-Kickback Statute is a federal law aimed at preventing corruption in healthcare services. It specifically prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving inducements to generate referrals for services or items covered by federal healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid. This statute is designed to eliminate financial motivations that could undermine the integrity of medical decision-making, ensuring that healthcare decisions are made based on patient need rather than financial gain.

In contrast, options related to collaboration among healthcare providers may fall under legitimate business practices if they are done transparently and in compliance with regulations. Accepting payments for promotional services also can be acceptable within certain guidelines and without any intent to induce referrals. Referral incentives for patients could potentially be seen as permissible as long as they do not violate the spirit of the law or result in illegal kickbacks. However, inducements specifically intended to drive referrals are clearly prohibited by the Anti-Kickback Statute, which is why this choice is the correct answer.