Public Health Law Map - Beta 5 - Medical and Public Health Law Site

RICO The common abbreviation for state
or federal racketeering laws.
Safe Harbor
Regulations
The legal regulations governing the
involvement of physicians in medical
businesses. They are termed “safe
harbor regulations” because they
describe what practices are legal
under laws prohibiting self- referral
arrangements.
Self-Referral The practice of sending patients to a
medical business because the
physician referring the patient has an
interest in the business or is given a
benefit by the business for patient
referrals. Self-referrals create a
conflict of interest, violating the
physician’s fiduciary duty to the
patient. Self-referrals are also
criminal conduct under federal and
some state laws.
Service of Process Notification to persons named as
defendants in a lawsuit that a suit has
been filed against them. Made by an
agent of the court, either in person or
by mail.
Slander Defamation by spoken words.
SSI Supplemental Security Income. A
disability program for the poor
managed by the Social Security
Administration.
Standing The required status, based on a party
having a personal stake in the
outcome of a suit, to raise a
particular issue in court. The critical
issue in many constitutional law
cases is who has standing to bring an
issue before the court. Standing is
always at issue when physicians
bring lawsuits over issues such as
Medicare funding where patients are
the intended beneficiary of the
litigation.
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