This subpart implements sections 1124, 1126, 1902(a)(38), 1903(i)(2), and 1903(n) of the Social Security Act. It sets forth State plan requirements regarding—

(a) Disclosure by providers and fiscal agents of ownership and control information; and

(b) Disclosure of information on a provider's owners and other persons convicted of criminal offenses against Medicare, Medicaid, or the title XX services program.

The subpart also specifies conditions under which the Administrator will deny Federal financial participation for services furnished by providers or fiscal agents who fail to comply with the disclosure requirements.

Additional disclosable party means, with respect to a nursing facility defined in section 1919(a) of the Act, any person or entity who—

(1) Exercises operational, financial, or managerial control over the facility or a part thereof, or provides policies or procedures for any of the operations of the facility, or provides financial or cash management services to the facility;

(2) Leases or subleases real property to the facility, or owns a whole or part interest equal to or exceeding 5 percent of the total value of such real property; or

(3) Provides management or administrative services, management or clinical consulting services, or accounting or financial services to the facility.

Affiliation means, for purposes of applying § 455.107, any of the following:

(1) A 5 percent or greater direct or indirect ownership interest that an individual or entity has in another organization.

(2) A general or limited partnership interest (regardless of the percentage) that an individual or entity has in another organization.

(3) An interest in which an individual or entity exercises operational or managerial control over, or directly or indirectly conducts, the day-to-day operations of another organization (including, for purposes of this paragraph (3), sole proprietorships), either under contract or through some other arrangement, regardless of whether or not the managing individual or entity is a W-2 employee of the organization.

(4) An interest in which an individual is acting as an officer or director of a corporation.

(5) Any payment assignment relationship under § 447.10(g) of this chapter.

Agent means any person who has been delegated the authority to obligate or act on behalf of a provider.

Disclosable event means, for purposes of § 455.107, any of the following:

(1) Currently has an uncollected debt to Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, regardless of—

(i) The amount of the debt;

(ii) Whether the debt is currently being repaid (for example, as part of a repayment plan); or

(iii) Whether the debt is currently being appealed;

(2) Has been or is subject to a payment suspension under a federal health care program (as that latter term is defined in section 1128B(f) of the Act), regardless of when the payment suspension occurred or was imposed;

(3) Has been or is excluded by the OIG from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, regardless of whether the exclusion is currently being appealed or when the exclusion occurred or was imposed; or

(4) Has had its Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP enrollment denied, revoked or terminated, regardless of—

(i) The reason for the denial, revocation, or termination;

(ii) Whether the denial, revocation, or termination is currently being appealed; or

(iii) When the denial, revocation, or termination occurred or was imposed.

Disclosing entity means a Medicaid provider (other than an individual practitioner or group of practitioners), or a fiscal agent.

Other disclosing entity means any other Medicaid disclosing entity and any entity that does not participate in Medicaid, but is required to disclose certain ownership and control information because of participation in any of the programs established under title V, XVIII, or XX of the Act. This includes:

(a) Any hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency, independent clinical laboratory, renal disease facility, rural health clinic, or health maintenance organization that participates in Medicare (title XVIII);

(b) Any Medicare intermediary or carrier; and

(c) Any entity (other than an individual practitioner or group of practitioners) that furnishes, or arranges for the furnishing of, health-related services for which it claims payment under any plan or program established under title V or title XX of the Act.

Fiscal agent means a contractor that processes or pays vendor claims on behalf of the Medicaid agency.

Group of practitioners means two or more health care practitioners who practice their profession at a common location (whether or not they share common facilities, common supporting staff, or common equipment).

Health insuring organization (HIO) has the meaning specified in § 438.2.

Indirect ownership interest means an ownership interest in an entity that has an ownership interest in the disclosing entity. This term includes an ownership interest in any entity that has an indirect ownership interest in the disclosing entity.

Managed care entity (MCE) means managed care organizations (MCOs), PIHPs, PAHPs, PCCMs, and HIOs.

Managing employee means—

(1) A general manager, business manager, administrator, director, or other individual who exercises operational or managerial control over, or who directly or indirectly conducts, the day-to-day operation of an institution, organization, or agency, either under contract or through some other arrangement, whether or not the individual is a W-2 employee of the institution, organization, or agency; or

(2) With respect to the additional requirements at § 455.104(e) for a nursing facility defined in section 1919(a) of the Act, an individual, including a general manager, business manager, administrator, director, or consultant, who directly or indirectly manages, advises, or supervises any element of the practices, finances, or operations of the facility.

Organizational structure means, with respect to a nursing facility defined in section 1919(a) of the Act, in the case of any of the following:

(1) A corporation. The officers, directors, and shareholders of the corporation who have an ownership interest in the corporation which is equal to or exceeds 5 percent.

(2) A limited liability company. The members and managers of the limited liability company including, as applicable, what percentage each member and manager has of the ownership interest in the limited liability company.

(3) A general partnership. The partners of the general partnership.

(4) A limited partnership. The general partners and any limited partners of the limited partnership who have an ownership interest in the limited partnership which is equal to or exceeds 10 percent.

(5) A trust. The trustees of the trust.

(6) An individual. Contact information for the individual.

Ownership interest means the possession of equity in the capital, the stock, or the profits of the disclosing entity.

Person with an ownership or control interest means a person or corporation that—

(a) Has an ownership interest totaling 5 percent or more in a disclosing entity;

(b) Has an indirect ownership interest equal to 5 percent or more in a disclosing entity;

(c) Has a combination of direct and indirect ownership interests equal to 5 percent or more in a disclosing entity;

(d) Owns an interest of 5 percent or more in any mortgage, deed of trust, note, or other obligation secured by the disclosing entity if that interest equals at least 5 percent of the value of the property or assets of the disclosing entity;

(e) Is an officer or director of a disclosing entity that is organized as a corporation; or

(f) Is a partner in a disclosing entity that is organized as a partnership.

Prepaid ambulatory health plan (PAHP) has the meaning specified in § 438.2.

Prepaid inpatient health plan (PIHP) has the meaning specified in § 438.2.

Primary care case manager (PCCM) has the meaning specified in § 438.2.

Significant business transaction means any business transaction or series of transactions that, during any one fiscal year, exceed the lesser of $25,000 and 5 percent of a provider's total operating expenses.

Subcontractor means—

(a) An individual, agency, or organization to which a disclosing entity has contracted or delegated some of its management functions or responsibilities of providing medical care to its patients; or

(b) An individual, agency, or organization with which a fiscal agent has entered into a contract, agreement, purchase order, or lease (or leases of real property) to obtain space, supplies, equipment, or services provided under the Medicaid agreement.

Supplier means an individual, agency, or organization from which a provider purchases goods and services used in carrying out its responsibilities under Medicaid (e.g., a commercial laundry, a manufacturer of hospital beds, or a pharmaceutical firm).

Termination means—

(1) For a—

(i) Medicaid or CHIP provider, a State Medicaid program or CHIP has taken an action to revoke the provider's billing privileges, and the provider has exhausted all applicable appeal rights or the timeline for appeal has expired; and

(ii) Medicare provider, supplier or eligible professional, the Medicare program has revoked the provider or supplier's billing privileges, and the provider has exhausted all applicable appeal rights or the timeline for appeal has expired.

(2)(i) In all three programs, there is no expectation on the part of the provider or supplier or the State or Medicare program that the revocation is temporary.

(ii) The provider, supplier, or eligible professional will be required to reenroll with the applicable program if they wish billing privileges to be reinstated.

(3) The requirement for termination applies in cases where providers, suppliers, or eligible professionals were terminated or had their billing privileges revoked for cause which may include, but is not limited to—

(i) Fraud;

(ii) Integrity; or

(iii) Quality.

Wholly owned supplier means a supplier whose total ownership interest is held by a provider or by a person, persons, or other entity with an ownership or control interest in a provider.

[44 FR 41644, July 17, 1979, as amended at 51 FR 34788, Sept. 30, 1986; 76 FR 5967, Feb. 2, 2011; 84 FR 47856, Sept. 10, 2019; 88 FR 80168, Nov. 17, 2023]

(a) Indirect ownership interest. The amount of indirect ownership interest is determined by multiplying the percentages of ownership in each entity. For example, if A owns 10 percent of the stock in a corporation which owns 80 percent of the stock of the disclosing entity, A's interest equates to an 8 percent indirect ownership interest in the disclosing entity and must be reported. Conversely, if B owns 80 percent of the stock of a corporation which owns 5 percent of the stock of the disclosing entity, B's interest equates to a 4 percent indirect ownership interest in the disclosing entity and need not be reported.

(b) Person with an ownership or control interest. In order to determine percentage of ownership, mortgage, deed of trust, note, or other obligation, the percentage of interest owned in the obligation is multiplied by the percentage of the disclosing entity's assets used to secure the obligation. For example, if A owns 10 percent of a note secured by 60 percent of the provider's assets, A's interest in the provider's assets equates to 6 percent and must be reported. Conversely, if B owns 40 percent of a note secured by 10 percent of the provider's assets, B's interest in the provider's assets equates to 4 percent and need not be reported.

A State plan must provide that the requirements of §§ 455.104 through 455.107 are met.

[84 FR 47856, Sept. 10, 2019]

(a) Who must provide disclosures. The Medicaid agency must obtain disclosures from disclosing entities, fiscal agents, and managed care entities.

(b) What disclosures must be provided. The Medicaid agency must require that disclosing entities, fiscal agents, and managed care entities provide the following disclosures:

(1)(i) The name and address of any person (individual or corporation) with an ownership or control interest in the disclosing entity, fiscal agent, or managed care entity. The address for corporate entities must include as applicable primary business address, every business location, and P.O. Box address.

(ii) Date of birth and Social Security Number (in the case of an individual).

(iii) Other tax identification number (in the case of a corporation) with an ownership or control interest in the disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity) or in any subcontractor in which the disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity) has a 5 percent or more interest.

(2) Whether the person (individual or corporation) with an ownership or control interest in the disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity) is related to another person with ownership or control interest in the disclosing entity as a spouse, parent, child, or sibling; or whether the person (individual or corporation) with an ownership or control interest in any subcontractor in which the disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity) has a 5 percent or more interest is related to another person with ownership or control interest in the disclosing entity as a spouse, parent, child, or sibling.

(3) The name of any other disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity) in which an owner of the disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity) has an ownership or control interest.

(4) The name, address, date of birth, and Social Security Number of any managing employee of the disclosing entity (or fiscal agent or managed care entity).

(c) When the disclosures must be provided—(1) Disclosures from providers or disclosing entities. Disclosure from any provider or disclosing entity is due at any of the following times:

(i) Upon the provider or disclosing entity submitting the provider application.

(ii) Upon the provider or disclosing entity executing the provider agreement.

(iii) Upon request of the Medicaid agency during the re-validation of enrollment process under § 455.414.

(iv) Within 35 days after any change in ownership of the disclosing entity.

(2) Disclosures from fiscal agents. Disclosures from fiscal agents are due at any of the following times:

(i) Upon the fiscal agent submitting the proposal in accordance with the State's procurement process.

(ii) Upon the fiscal agent executing the contract with the State.

(iii) Upon renewal or extension of the contract.

(iv) Within 35 days after any change in ownership of the fiscal agent.

(3) Disclosures from managed care entities. Disclosures from managed care entities (MCOs, PIHPs, PAHPs, and HIOs), except PCCMs are due at any of the following times:

(i) Upon the managed care entity submitting the proposal in accordance with the State's procurement process.

(ii) Upon the managed care entity executing the contract with the State.

(iii) Upon renewal or extension of the contract.

(iv) Within 35 days after any change in ownership of the managed care entity.

(4) Disclosures from PCCMs. PCCMs will comply with disclosure requirements under paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(d) To whom must the disclosures be provided. All disclosures must be provided to the Medicaid agency.

(e) Nursing facilities. (1) In addition to all other applicable reporting requirements in this subpart, a nursing facility (as defined in section 1919(a) of the Act) must disclose upon initial enrollment and revalidation the following information:

(i) Each member of the governing body of the facility, including the name, title, and period of service for each such member.

(ii) Each person or entity who is an officer, director, member, partner, trustee, or managing employee (as defined in § 455.101) of the facility, including the name, title, and period of service of each such person or entity.

(iii) Each person or entity who is an additional disclosable party of the facility (as defined in § 455.101).

(iv) The organizational structure (as defined in § 455.101) of each additional disclosable party of the facility and a description of the relationship of each such additional disclosable party to the facility and to one another.

(2) The State need not require the facility to disclose the same information described in this paragraph (e) more than once on the same enrollment application submission.

(f) Consequences for failure to provide required disclosures. Federal financial participation (FFP) is not available in payments made to a disclosing entity that fails to disclose ownership or control information as required by this section.

[76 FR 5967, Feb. 2, 2011, as amended at 88 FR 80169, Nov. 17, 2023]

(a) Provider agreements. A Medicaid agency must enter into an agreement with each provider under which the provider agrees to furnish to it or to the Secretary on request, information related to business transactions in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Information that must be submitted. A provider must submit, within 35 days of the date on a request by the Secretary or the Medicaid agency, full and complete information about—

(1) The ownership of any subcontractor with whom the provider has had business transactions totaling more than $25,000 during the 12-month period ending on the date of the request; and

(2) Any significant business transactions between the provider and any wholly owned supplier, or between the provider and any subcontractor, during the 5-year period ending on the date of the request.

(c) Denial of Federal financial participation (FFP). (1) FFP is not available in expenditures for services furnished by providers who fail to comply with a request made by the Secretary or the Medicaid agency under paragraph (b) of this section or under § 420.205 of this chapter (Medicare requirements for disclosure).

(2) FFP will be denied in expenditures for services furnished during the period beginning on the day following the date the information was due to the Secretary or the Medicaid agency and ending on the day before the date on which the information was supplied.

(a) Information that must be disclosed. Before the Medicaid agency enters into or renews a provider agreement, or at any time upon written request by the Medicaid agency, the provider must disclose to the Medicaid agency the identity of any person who:

(1) Has ownership or control interest in the provider, or is an agent or managing employee of the provider; and

(2) Has been convicted of a criminal offense related to that person's involvement in any program under Medicare, Medicaid, or the title XX services program since the inception of those programs.

(b) Notification to Inspector General. (1) The Medicaid agency must notify the Inspector General of the Department of any disclosures made under paragraph (a) of this section within 20 working days from the date it receives the information.

(2) The agency must also promptly notify the Inspector General of the Department of any action it takes on the provider's application for participation in the program.

(c) Denial or termination of provider participation. (1) The Medicaid agency may refuse to enter into or renew an agreement with a provider if any person who has an ownership or control interest in the provider, or who is an agent or managing employee of the provider, has been convicted of a criminal offense related to that person's involvement in any program established under Medicare, Medicaid or the title XX Services Program.

(2) The Medicaid agency may refuse to enter into or may terminate a provider agreement if it determines that the provider did not fully and accurately make any disclosure required under paragraph (a) of this section.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section only, the following terms apply to the definition of disclosable event in § 455.101:

(1) “Uncollected debt” only applies to the following:

(i) Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP overpayments for which CMS or the State has sent notice of the debt to the affiliated provider or supplier.

(ii) Civil money penalties imposed under this title.

(iii) Assessments imposed under this title.

(2) “Revoked,” “Revocation,” “Terminated,” and “Termination” include situations where the affiliated provider or supplier voluntarily terminated its Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP enrollment to avoid a potential revocation or termination.

(b) General. (1)(i) Selection of option. A State, in consultation with CMS, must select one of the two options identified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section for requiring the disclosure of affiliation information.

(ii) Change of selection. A State may, in consultation with CMS, change its selection after it has been made from the option in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section to that in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section.

(2)(i) First option. In a State that has selected the option in this paragraph (b)(2)(i), a provider that is not enrolled in Medicare but is initially enrolling in Medicaid or CHIP (or is revalidating its Medicaid or CHIP enrollment information) must disclose any and all affiliations that it or any of its owning or managing employees or organizations (consistent with the terms “person with an ownership or control interest” and “managing employee” as defined in § 455.101) has or, within the previous 5 years, had with a currently or formerly enrolled Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP provider or supplier that has a disclosable event (as defined in § 455.101).

(ii) Second option. In a State that has selected the option in this paragraph (b)(2)(ii), and upon request by the State, a provider that is not enrolled in Medicare but is initially enrolling in Medicaid or CHIP (or is revalidating its Medicaid or CHIP enrollment information) must disclose any and all affiliations that it or any of its owning or managing employees or organizations (consistent with the terms “person with an ownership or control interest” and “managing employee” as defined in § 455.101) has or, within the previous 5 years, had with a currently or formerly enrolled Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP provider or supplier that has a disclosable event (as defined in § 455.101). The State will request such disclosures when it, in consultation with CMS, has determined that the initially enrolling or revalidating provider may have at least one such affiliation.

(c) Information. The initially enrolling or revalidating provider must disclose the following information about each affiliation:

(1) General identifying information about the affiliated provider or supplier, which includes the following:

(i) Legal name as reported to the Internal Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration (if the affiliated provider or supplier is an individual).

(ii) “Doing business as” name (if applicable).

(iii) Tax identification number.

(iv) National Provider Identifier (NPI).

(2) Reason for disclosing the affiliated provider or supplier.

(3) Specific data regarding the affiliation relationship, including the following:

(i) Length of the relationship.

(ii) Type of relationship.

(iii) Degree of affiliation.

(4) If the affiliation has ended, the reason for the termination.

(d) Mechanism. The information described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section must be furnished to the State in a manner prescribed by the State in consultation with the Secretary.

(e) Denial or termination. The failure of the provider to fully and completely report the information required in this section when the provider knew or should reasonably have known of this information may result in, as applicable, the denial of the provider's initial enrollment application or the termination of the provider's enrollment in Medicaid or CHIP.

(f) Undue risk. Upon receipt of the information described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the State, in consultation with CMS, determines whether any of the disclosed affiliations poses an undue risk of fraud, waste, or abuse by considering the following factors:

(1) The duration of the affiliation.

(2) Whether the affiliation still exists and, if not, how long ago the affiliation ended.

(3) The degree and extent of the affiliation.

(4) If applicable, the reason for the termination of the affiliation.

(5) Regarding the affiliated provider's or supplier's disclosable event under paragraph (b) of this section, all of the following:

(i) The type of disclosable event.

(ii) When the disclosable event occurred or was imposed.

(iii) Whether the affiliation existed when the disclosable event occurred or was imposed.

(iv) If the disclosable event is an uncollected debt—

(A) The amount of the debt;

(B) Whether the affiliated provider or supplier is repaying the debt; and

(C) To whom the debt is owed.

(v) If a denial, revocation, termination, exclusion, or payment suspension is involved, the reason for the disclosable event.

(6) Any other evidence that the State, in consultation with CMS, deems relevant to its determination.

(g) Determination of undue risk. A determination by the State, in consultation with CMS, that a particular affiliation poses an undue risk of fraud, waste, or abuse will result in, as applicable, the denial of the provider's initial enrollment in Medicaid or CHIP or the termination of the provider's enrollment in Medicaid or CHIP.

(h) Undisclosed affiliations. The State, in consultation with CMS, may apply paragraph (g) of this section to situations where a reportable affiliation (as described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section) poses an undue risk of fraud, waste, or abuse, but the provider has not yet disclosed or is not required at that time to disclose the affiliation to the State.

[84 FR 47856, Sept. 10, 2019, as amended at 87 FR 70249, Nov. 18, 2022]