Medicare and state health care programs: fraud and abuse; issuance of advisory opinions by the OIG--HHS. Interim final rule with comment period.

In accordance with section 205 of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, this final rule establishes a new part 1008 in 42 CFR chapter V to address the new OIG advisory opinion process. Specifically, these regulations set forth the specific procedures by which the Office of Inspector General, in consultation with the Department of Justice, will issue advisory opinions to outside parties regarding the interpretation and applicability of certain statutes relating to the Medicare and State health care programs.