Washington An Office of Inspector General Special Fraud Alert warning physicians of their liability in submitting certificates of medical necessity could be an aid to providers, who often have difficulty getting medical doctors to fill out the forms necessary for reimbursement, an industry official said.

"It clarified the doctors' role and brings home to them that they can't put the issue on the providers' shoulders and walk away from it," said Asela Cuervo, assistant vice president of regulatory affairs for the National Association for Medical Equipment Services.

In the alert published in the Federal Register, physicians were cautioned against prescribing services and items without first making a determination of medical necessity; knowingly or recklessly signing false or misleading certifications; and accepting kickbacks in return for their signature.

Inspector General June Gibbs Brown said in the alert that physicians would not be personally liable for erroneous claims due to mistakes or simple negligence, but warned that "knowingly signing a false or misleading certification or signing with reckless disregard for the truth can lead to serious criminal and administrative penalties for physicians and fines as high as $10,000 per false claim plus treble damages.

"While physician fraud in this area is infrequent," Brown said, "physician laxity in reviewing and completing certifications of medical necessity is a problem that can contribute to fraudulent and abusive practices by unscrupulous suppliers and home health providers."

The alert follows lobbying of the Health Care Financing Administration by NAMES to encourage physician cooperation in processing CMNs, which are required for home care providers to receive Medicare reimbursement.

Cuervo said she hopes the alert makes it clear to physicians that certain parts of the CMN must be filled out by physicians-not providers. She added that she did not believe the threat of penalties would further discourage physician cooperation.

"If that happened," she said, "the beneficiary would be hurt the most."-K.G.

WHO: Permobil Inc.

WHERE: http://members.aol.com/permobil

WHAT: Waves of blue highlight the World Wide Web site of Permobil Inc., the U.S. branch of the Swedish wheelchair maker Permobil AB. Floating on the ocean-like backdrop is a selection of links to colorful product photos and a wealth of information. The Permobil Dealers page features links to the home pages of home medical equipment providers that sell and service Permobil products. Providers needing tips on product maintenance can access the Tech Tips link to get general ideas and guidelines for basic trouble-shooting.

The manual wheelchair branch of the company, Anaheim, Calif. based Colours by Permobil, can be accessed through the Permobil home page or directly at its Web site (www.coloursbypermobil.com). This site has a funky flair reflecting that shown in its products. To find out more about the company and the people behind its creation, click on the Vision link.