Which legislation prohibits offering free or discounted services to referring physicians?

The Anti-Kickback Statute is the legislation that specifically addresses the prohibition of offering free or discounted services to referring physicians. This statute aims to prevent healthcare providers from engaging in fraudulent practices that could lead to unnecessary services being rendered or increased costs to federal healthcare programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. Offering free or discounted services to physicians who refer patients can create a conflict of interest, potentially encouraging overutilization of healthcare services, which the statute intends to curtail.

While the False Claims Act does deal with fraud in healthcare, it primarily focuses on the submission of false claims to government programs and does not specifically address the issue of financial relationships with referring physicians. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Medicare Modernization Act have different scopes and purposes and also do not directly prohibit such practices. Therefore, the correct legislation in this context is the Anti-Kickback Statute, highlighting its critical role in maintaining ethical standards in medical referrals and services.