OIG exclusion search

Each name is compared with every individual on the current OIG exclusion list (the LEIE), which OIG publishes as a downloadable file each month, and with the individuals on SAM.gov's daily exclusions extract. It is a free OIG exclusion check for your whole list, not five names at a time.

Spelling differences, nicknames (Bill for William), swapped first and last names and added suffixes are caught. The date of birth then decides: the LEIE lists one for almost every person, so two people who share a name are told apart instead of flagged.

Results come back in four kinds: a match (name and date of birth agree), verify (a name match the list can't settle), same name but a different person, and not on the lists.

Treat it as a potential match until you confirm it. OIG's own LEIE search can verify an individual against the Social Security number it holds; SAM.gov records list the excluding agency to contact.

Keep a record of each check and how you resolved every potential match. Plans keep that record for you, with a dated report each month.

Anyone who bills Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health care programs is exposed when an excluded person furnishes items or services they bill for, whether as an employee or a contractor. OIG warns that anyone who hires an excluded individual or entity may face civil monetary penalties, and recommends checking before hiring or contracting and periodically after; because it updates the list monthly, it says monthly screening best minimizes that liability. Many state Medicaid programs require providers to check every month. See monthly exclusion screening.