The AKS and Stark apply to medical providers who receive money through federal health care programs. The federal government has three major health care programs: Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare.
Medicare is a federal program that provides health care to individuals who are at least 65 years old, or to individuals with certain disabilities. Medicare is further split into two types of coverage: Part A and Part B. Part A covers charges for services such as inpatient hospital stays. Part B covers outpatient charges that do not require an overnight stay at a hospital, such as doctors’ visits, lab work, MRIs, and CAT scans.
Medicaid is a federal and state program that provides health care to individuals and families with limited incomes.
Tricare is a federal program that provides health care to active duty military personnel, veterans, and their dependents.