Office of Inspector General (OIG-LEIE) Search

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) maintains the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE). This search is a mandatory compliance step for healthcare organizations, identifying individuals and businesses that are legally prohibited from participating in federal healthcare programs.

What Does the Search Cover?

The federal government prohibits organizations that receive healthcare funding from hiring or contracting with anyone on the LEIE. This search checks the active database to see if your candidate has been sanctioned and excluded for reasons including:

• Healthcare Fraud: Convictions related to Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP fraud.
• Patient Abuse: Convictions related to the abuse or neglect of patients.
• Licensing Board Actions: Revocation, suspension, or surrender of a medical license due to issues of professional competence or financial integrity.
• Financial Misconduct: Felony convictions related to healthcare theft, financial misconduct, or controlled substances.

How Does the Search Work?

Our team processes these searches directly through the official HHS OIG database.

1. Direct Search: We query the live LEIE database using your candidate's name to locate any potential exclusion records. (Note: Individuals who have successfully petitioned for reinstatement are removed from the active LEIE and will not appear as excluded).
2. Identity Verification: Any potential matches are carefully reviewed and verified. The database uses unique identifiers, such as a Social Security Number (SSN) for individuals or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for entities, to confirm the match is definitively your candidate.
3. Record Delivery: If a record is confirmed as an accurate match, the details of the OIG exclusion are made available directly in the attachments section of your Verified First report.

Who Needs This Search?

This search is critical for:

• Hospitals, clinics, and private medical practices.
• Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home healthcare agencies.
• Pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers.
• Any organization that receives funding or reimbursement from Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or other federal healthcare programs

Why Make This Part of Your Screening Process?

• Avoid Catastrophic Fines: Employing an excluded individual, even in an administrative, non-clinical, or unpaid volunteer role, can trigger massive Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) and force your organization to repay all federal healthcare funds received during their employment.
• Protect Patient Safety: This search helps foster the quality and safety of your healthcare services by flagging individuals with a documented history of patient abuse or professional negligence.
• Fight Fraud and Waste: Ensure you are building a team with strong financial and professional integrity by filtering out candidates with a history of healthcare-related financial misconduct.

FAQ

Can Verified First provide more details about the conviction or the specific reason a candidate was placed on the exclusion list? No. The PDF included in your final report contains the full extent of the information provided by the primary source. However, the PDF typically includes an "Exclusion Type," which should provide a general idea of the reason. If you need more specific details, we recommend discussing the matter directly with your candidate.

The information and opinions expressed are for educational purposes only and are based 
on current practice, industry related knowledge and business expertise. The information
provided shall not be construed as legal advice, express or implied. 

If you have any further questions, or need a product enabled on your account, 
please contact Verified First Client Services for assistance.

Call 844-709-2708 or email clientservices@verifiedfirst.com