Sec. 32.039. DAMAGES AND PENALTIES

(a) In this section:

(1) "Claim" means an application for payment of health care services under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act that is submitted by a person who is under a contract or provider agreement with the department.

(1-a) "Inducement" includes a service, cash in any amount, entertainment, or any item of value.

(2) "Managed care organization" means any entity or person that is authorized or otherwise permitted by law to arrange for or provide a managed care plan.

(3) "Managed care plan" means a plan under which a person undertakes to provide, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any part of the cost of any health care service. A part of the plan must consist of arranging for or providing health care services as distinguished from indemnification against the cost of those services on a prepaid basis through insurance or otherwise. The term does not include a plan that indemnifies a person for the cost of health care services through insurance.

(4) A person "should know" or "should have known" information to be false if the person acts in deliberate ignorance of the truth or falsity of the information or in reckless disregard of the truth or falsity of the information, and proof of the person's specific intent to defraud is not required.

(b) A person commits a violation if the person:

(1) presents or causes to be presented to the department a claim that contains a statement or representation the person knows or should know to be false;

(1-a) engages in conduct that violates Section 102.001, Occupations Code;

(1-b) solicits or receives, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly any remuneration, including any kickback, bribe, or rebate, in cash or in kind for referring an individual to a person for the furnishing of, or for arranging the furnishing of, any item or service for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under the medical assistance program, provided that this subdivision does not prohibit the referral of a patient to another practitioner within a multispecialty group or university medical services research and development plan (practice plan) for medically necessary services;

(1-c) solicits or receives, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly any remuneration, including any kickback, bribe, or rebate, in cash or in kind for purchasing, leasing, or ordering, or arranging for or recommending the purchasing, leasing, or ordering of, any good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under the medical assistance program;

(1-d) offers or pays, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly any remuneration, including any kickback, bribe, or rebate, in cash or in kind to induce a person to refer an individual to another person for the furnishing of, or for arranging the furnishing of, any item or service for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under the medical assistance program, provided that this subdivision does not prohibit the referral of a patient to another practitioner within a multispecialty group or university medical services research and development plan (practice plan) for medically necessary services;

(1-e) offers or pays, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly any remuneration, including any kickback, bribe, or rebate, in cash or in kind to induce a person to purchase, lease, or order, or arrange for or recommend the purchase, lease, or order of, any good, facility, service, or item for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under the medical assistance program;

(1-f) provides, offers, or receives an inducement in a manner or for a purpose not otherwise prohibited by this section or Section 102.001, Occupations Code, to or from a person, including a recipient, provider, employee or agent of a provider, third-party vendor, or public servant, for the purpose of influencing or being influenced in a decision regarding:

(A) selection of a provider or receipt of a good or service under the medical assistance program;

(B) the use of goods or services provided under the medical assistance program; or

(C) the inclusion or exclusion of goods or services available under the medical assistance program;

(2) is a managed care organization that contracts with the department to provide or arrange to provide health care benefits or services to individuals eligible for medical assistance and:

(A) fails to provide to an individual a health care benefit or service that the organization is required to provide under the contract with the department;

(B) fails to provide to the department information required to be provided by law, department rule, or contractual provision;

(C) engages in a fraudulent activity in connection with the enrollment in the organization's managed care plan of an individual eligible for medical assistance or in connection with marketing the organization's services to an individual eligible for medical assistance; or

(D) engages in actions that indicate a pattern of:

(i) wrongful denial of payment for a health care benefit or service that the organization is required to provide under the contract with the department; or

(ii) wrongful delay of at least 45 days or a longer period specified in the contract with the department, not to exceed 60 days, in making payment for a health care benefit or service that the organization is required to provide under the contract with the department; or

(3) fails to maintain documentation to support a claim for payment in accordance with the requirements specified by department rule or medical assistance program policy or engages in any other conduct that a department rule has defined as a violation of the medical assistance program.

(b-1) A person who commits a violation described by Subsection (b)(3) is liable to the department for either the amount paid in response to the claim for payment or the payment of an administrative penalty in an amount not to exceed $500 for each violation, as determined by the department.

(c) A person who commits a violation under Subsection (b) is liable to the department for:

(1) the amount paid, if any, as a result of the violation and interest on that amount determined at the rate provided by law for legal judgments and accruing from the date on which the payment was made; and

(2) payment of an administrative penalty of an amount not to exceed twice the amount paid, if any, as a result of the violation, plus an amount:

(A) not less than $5,000 or more than $15,000 for each violation that results in injury to an elderly person, as defined by Section 48.002(1), a disabled person, as defined by Section 48.002(8)(A), or a person younger than 18 years of age; or

(B) not more than $10,000 for each violation that does not result in injury to a person described by Paragraph (A).

(d) Unless the provider submitted information to the department for use in preparing a voucher that the provider knew or should have known was false or failed to correct information that the provider knew or should have known was false when provided an opportunity to do so, this section does not apply to a claim based on the voucher if the department calculated and printed the amount of the claim on the voucher and then submitted the voucher to the provider for the provider's signature. In addition, the provider's signature on the voucher does not constitute fraud. The department shall adopt rules that establish a grace period during which errors contained in a voucher prepared by the department may be corrected without penalty to the provider.

(e) In determining the amount of the penalty to be assessed under Subsection (c)(2), the department shall consider:

(1) the seriousness of the violation;

(2) whether the person had previously committed a violation; and

(3) the amount necessary to deter the person from committing future violations.

(f) If after an examination of the facts the department concludes that the person committed a violation, the department may issue a preliminary report stating the facts on which it based its conclusion, recommending that an administrative penalty under this section be imposed and recommending the amount of the proposed penalty.

(g) The department shall give written notice of the report to the person charged with committing the violation. The notice must include a brief summary of the facts, a statement of the amount of the recommended penalty, and a statement of the person's right to an informal review of the alleged violation, the amount of the penalty, or both the alleged violation and the amount of the penalty.

(h) Not later than the 10th day after the date on which the person charged with committing the violation receives the notice, the person may either give the department written consent to the report, including the recommended penalty, or make a written request for an informal review by the department.

(i) If the person charged with committing the violation consents to the penalty recommended by the department or fails to timely request an informal review, the department shall assess the penalty. The department shall give the person written notice of its action. The person shall pay the penalty not later than the 30th day after the date on which the person receives the notice.

(j) If the person charged with committing the violation requests an informal review as provided by Subsection (h), the department shall conduct the review. The department shall give the person written notice of the results of the review.

(k) Not later than the 10th day after the date on which the person charged with committing the violation receives the notice prescribed by Subsection (j), the person may make to the department a written request for a hearing. The hearing must be conducted in accordance with Chapter 2001, Government Code.

(l) If, after informal review, a person who has been ordered to pay a penalty fails to request a formal hearing in a timely manner, the department shall assess the penalty. The department shall give the person written notice of its action. The person shall pay the penalty not later than the 30th day after the date on which the person receives the notice.

(m) Within 30 days after the date on which the board's order issued after a hearing under Subsection (k) becomes final as provided by Section 2001.144, Government Code, the person shall:

(1) pay the amount of the penalty;

(2) pay the amount of the penalty and file a petition for judicial review contesting the occurrence of the violation, the amount of the penalty, or both the occurrence of the violation and the amount of the penalty; or

(3) without paying the amount of the penalty, file a petition for judicial review contesting the occurrence of the violation, the amount of the penalty, or both the occurrence of the violation and the amount of the penalty.

(n) A person who acts under Subsection (m)(3) within the 30-day period may:

(1) stay enforcement of the penalty by:

(A) paying the amount of the penalty to the court for placement in an escrow account; or

(B) giving to the court a supersedeas bond that is approved by the court for the amount of the penalty and that is effective until all judicial review of the department's order is final; or

(2) request the court to stay enforcement of the penalty by:

(A) filing with the court a sworn affidavit of the person stating that the person is financially unable to pay the amount of the penalty and is financially unable to give the supersedeas bond; and

(B) giving a copy of the affidavit to the commissioner by certified mail.

(o) If the commissioner receives a copy of an affidavit under Subsection (n)(2), the commissioner may file with the court, within five days after the date the copy is received, a contest to the affidavit. The court shall hold a hearing on the facts alleged in the affidavit as soon as practicable and shall stay the enforcement of the penalty on finding that the alleged facts are true. The person who files an affidavit has the burden of proving that the person is financially unable to pay the amount of the penalty and to give a supersedeas bond.

(p) If the person charged does not pay the amount of the penalty and the enforcement of the penalty is not stayed, the department may forward the matter to the attorney general for enforcement of the penalty and interest as provided by law for legal judgments. An action to enforce a penalty order under this section must be initiated in a court of competent jurisdiction in Travis County or in the county in which the violation was committed.

(q) Judicial review of a department order or review under this section assessing a penalty is under the substantial evidence rule. A suit may be initiated by filing a petition with a district court in Travis County, as provided by Subchapter G, Chapter 2001, Government Code.

(r) If a penalty is reduced or not assessed, the department shall remit to the person the appropriate amount plus accrued interest if the penalty has been paid or shall execute a release of the bond if a supersedeas bond has been posted. The accrued interest on amounts remitted by the department under this subsection shall be paid at a rate equal to the rate provided by law for legal judgments and shall be paid for the period beginning on the date the penalty is paid to the department under this section and ending on the date the penalty is remitted.

(s) A damage, cost, or penalty collected under this section is not an allowable expense in a claim or cost report that is or could be used to determine a rate or payment under the medical assistance program.

(t) All funds collected under this section shall be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the General Revenue Fund.

(u) Except as provided by Subsection (w), a person found liable for a violation under Subsection (c) that resulted in injury to an elderly person, as defined by Section 48.002(a)(1), a disabled person, as defined by Section 48.002(a)(8)(A), or a person younger than 18 years of age may not provide or arrange to provide health care services under the medical assistance program for a period of 10 years. The department by rule may provide for a period of ineligibility longer than 10 years. The period of ineligibility begins on the date on which the determination that the person is liable becomes final.

(v) Except as provided by Subsection (w), a person found liable for a violation under Subsection (c) that did not result in injury to an elderly person, as defined by Section 48.002(a)(1), a disabled person, as defined by Section 48.002(a)(8)(A), or a person younger than 18 years of age may not provide or arrange to provide health care services under the medical assistance program for a period of three years. The department by rule may provide for a period of ineligibility longer than three years. The period of ineligibility begins on the date on which the determination that the person is liable becomes final.

(w) The department by rule may prescribe criteria under which a person described by Subsection (u) or (v) is not prohibited from providing or arranging to provide health care services under the medical assistance program. The criteria may include consideration of:

(1) the person's knowledge of the violation;

(2) the likelihood that education provided to the person would be sufficient to prevent future violations;

(3) the potential impact on availability of services in the community served by the person; and

(4) any other reasonable factor identified by the department.

(x) Subsections (b)(1-b) through (1-f) do not prohibit a person from engaging in:

(1) generally accepted business practices, as determined by department rule, including:

(A) conducting a marketing campaign;

(B) providing token items of minimal value that advertise the person's trade name; and

(C) providing complimentary refreshments at an informational meeting promoting the person's goods or services;

(2) the provision of a value-added service if the person is a managed care organization; or

(3) other conduct specifically authorized by law, including conduct authorized by federal safe harbor regulations (42 C.F.R. Section 1001.952).

Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1052, Sec. 2.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(49), (53), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1153, Sec. 3.01(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 12, Sec. 1, 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 257, Sec. 4, 5, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 127 , Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 879 , Sec. 3.16, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 980 , Sec. 29, eff. September 1, 2011.