OIG okays gift cards.

The Health and Human Services Department has granted permission to an unnamed health care system to manage and resolve patient complaints by offering dissatisfied patients $10 gift cards. The health system, which includes three hospitals, 22 clinics, a skilled nursing facility, and a health plan, had asked the HHS Office of Inspector General if it could offer gift cards for local restaurants and theater chains, the OIG said. The health system had suggested using the gift cards to resolve complaints about excessive wait times; cancelled appointments; delayed meals; excess noise; housekeeping or dietary concerns; equipment problems in hospital rooms; or loss of personal items, the OIG said. The OIG concluded in its opinion that the gift cards would not be considered illegal kick-backs to patients.