(a) Any person who solicits or receives any remuneration, including, but not restricted to, any kickback, bribe, or rebate, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in valuable consideration of any kind, either:
(1) In return for the referral, or promised referral, of any individual to a person for the furnishing or arranging for the furnishing of any service or merchandise for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under this chapter or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200); or
(2) In return for the purchasing, leasing, ordering, or arranging for or recommending the purchasing, leasing, or ordering of any goods, facility, service or merchandise for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under this chapter or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200), is punishable upon a first conviction by imprisonment in a county jail for not longer than one year or imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine. A second or subsequent conviction shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code.
(b) Any person who offers or pays any remuneration, including, but not restricted to, any kickback, bribe, or rebate, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in valuable consideration of any kind, either:
(1) To refer any individual to a person for the furnishing or arranging for furnishing of any service or merchandise for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under this chapter or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200); or
(2) To purchase, lease, order, or arrange for or recommend the purchasing, leasing, or ordering of any goods, facility, service, or merchandise for which payment may be made, in whole or in part, under this chapter or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200), is punishable upon a first conviction by imprisonment in a county jail for not longer than one year or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine. A second or subsequent conviction shall be punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code.
(c) Subdivisions (a) and (b) shall not apply to the following:
(1) Any amount paid by an employer to an employee, who has a bona fide employment relationship with that employer, for employment with provision of covered items or services.
(2) A discount or other reduction in price obtained by a provider of services or other entity under this chapter or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200), if the reduction in price is properly disclosed and reflected in the costs claimed or charges made by the provider or entity under this chapter or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 14200). This paragraph shall not apply to consultant pharmaceutical services rendered to nursing facilities nor to all categories of intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled.
(3) The practices or transactions between a federally qualified health center, as defined in Section 1396d(l)(2)(B) of Title 42 of the United States Code, and any individual or entity shall be permitted only to the extent sanctioned or permitted by federal law.
(4) The provision of nonmonetary remuneration in the form of hardware, software, or information technology and training services, as described in subsections (x) and (y) of Section 1001.952 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as amended October 4, 2007, as published in the Federal Register (72 Fed. Reg. 56631, 56644), and subsequently amended versions.
(d) For purposes of this section, “kickback” means a rebate or anything of value or advantage, present or prospective, or any promise or undertaking to give any rebate or thing of value or advantage, with a corrupt intent to unlawfully influence the person to whom it is given in actions undertaken by that person in his or her public, professional, or official capacity.
(e) The enforcement remedies provided under this section are not exclusive and shall not preclude the use of any other criminal or civil remedy.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 630. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018