Family Practice Management Journal
The final Stark III regulations, which went into effect on Dec. 4, hardly justify the panic that preceded their release. On the other hand, they do raise significant issues for physicians in group practices and for relationships between physicians and hospitals by clarifying and refining matters that were addressed in the interim final regulations published in 2004, known as "Stark II, Phase II." This article is the first in a two-part series on Stark III. This first article addresses the significant issues for physicians in group practices. The second article, to be published in a future edition of FPM, will address the issues that arise from relationships between hospitals and physicians.