N.Y. governor cracking down on patient brokering

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the state’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers of New York State (ASAP) recently launched a campaign designed to crack down on patient brokering in the state.

The campaign, announced in December, encourages New Yorkers to report suspected patient brokering activities to OASAS.

“I believe that reporting patient brokering is essential to stopping this insidious practice that is among the most egregious and harmful practices hurting people and harming our profession,” Marvin Ventrell, executive director of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), tells Behavioral Healthcare Executive in an email. “The policy concept is a good one.”

Campaign posters are available for download and will be distributed to providers across the state. New York residents can report suspicious activity by phone at 1-800-553-5790 or email at stoptreatmentfraud@oasas.ny.gov.

OASAS recently issued a separate directive to target patient brokering, requiring referrals to be delivered by professionals who are credentialed and certified by OASAS. Those who refer are also prohibited from receiving fees.