Beginning in CPT 2004, the star (*) symbol was deleted.

This symbol (*) was deleted beginning in CPT 2004.

Legislation introduced by U.S. Representative Pete Stark and passed as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1993. Its purpose was to save Medicare dollars by preventing overuse of medical services. Stark I prohibits physicians from referring a patient to a clinical laboratory in which the doctor or a member of his or her family has a financial interest, except in specific situations. This differs from anti-kickback laws because it has to do with self-referral instead of referring to another physician. Sometimes referred to as antikickback act or antikickback statute .

Amendment to Stark I as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1993. Its purpose was to prevent a physician from referring a Medicare or Medicaid patient to a facility in which the physician has a financial interest. It prohibits any payment paid directly or indirectly to providers. A facility might have services such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology and other diagnostic services, radiation therapy, durable medical equipment, parenteral and enteral nutrition, equipment and supplies, prosthetics and orthotics, home health services, outpatient prescription drugs, and inpatient or outpatient hospital services. This law encouraged doctors to form groups and join health systems as employees. Sometimes referred to as antikickback act or antikickback statute .

Medical term derived from the Latin word statim . It is commonly used and means “immediately.”

Fee for immediate test results. Also called rush charge .

In Medicare, inspections of Medicare provider facilities to ensure compliance with federal health, safety, and program standards.

Free or low-cost state child health program that operates with federal grant support under Titles V and XXI of the Social Security Act. It is for uninsured children younger than age 19 whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but do not have enough resources to get private coverage. In some states this program may be known as Maternal and Child Health Program (MCHP) or Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) . In California it is called Healthy Families in California .

Type of workers compensation program in which the state appoints an agency to act as the insurance company to cover industrial claims.