[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR402.111]

[Page 34-35]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 402_CIVIL MONEY PENALTIES, ASSESSMENTS, AND EXCLUSIONS--Table of 
Contents
 
             Subpart B_Civil Money Penalties and Assessments
 
Sec.  402.111  Factors considered in determinations regarding the amount 
of penalties and assessments.

    (a) Basic factors. In determining the amount of any penalty or 
assessment, CMS or OIG takes into account the following:
    (1) The nature of the claim, request for payment, or information 
given and the circumstances under which it was presented or given.
    (2) The degree of culpability, history of prior offenses, and 
financial condition of the person submitting the claim or request for 
payment or giving the information.
    (3) The resources available to the person submitting the claim or 
request for payment or giving the information.
    (4) Such other matters as justice may require.

[[Page 35]]

    (b) Criteria to be considered. As guidelines for taking into account 
the factors listed in paragraph (a) of this section, CMS or OIG 
considers the following circumstances:
    (1) Aggravating circumstances of the incident. An aggravating 
circumstance is any of the following:
    (i) The services or incidents were of several types, occurring over 
a lengthy period of time.
    (ii) There were many of these services or incidents or the nature 
and circumstances indicate a pattern of claims or requests for payment 
for these services or a pattern of incidents.
    (iii) The amount claimed or requested for these services was 
substantial.
    (iv) Before the incident or presentation of any claim or request for 
payment subject to imposition of a civil money penalty, the respondent 
was held liable for criminal, civil, or administrative sanctions in 
connection with a program covered by this part or any other public or 
private program of payment for medical services.
    (v) There is proof that a respondent engaged in wrongful conduct, 
other than the specific conduct upon which liability is based, relating 
to government programs or in connection with the delivery of a health 
care service. (The statute of limitations governing civil money penalty 
proceedings does not apply to proof of other wrongful conduct as an 
aggravating circumstance.)
    (2) Mitigating circumstances. The following circumstances are 
mitigating circumstances:
    (i) All the services or incidents subject to a civil money penalty 
were few in number and of the same type, occurred within a short period 
of time, and the total amount claimed or requested for the services was 
less than $1,000.
    (ii) The claim or request for payment for the service was the result 
of an unintentional and unrecognized error in the process of presenting 
claims or requesting payment and the respondent took corrective steps 
promptly after discovering the error.
    (iii) Imposition of the penalty or assessment without reduction 
would jeopardize the ability of the respondent to continue as a health 
care provider.
    (3) Other matters as justice may require. Other circumstances of an 
aggravating or mitigating nature are taken into account if, in the 
interests of justice, they require either a reduction of the penalty or 
assessment or an increase in order to ensure the achievement of the 
purposes of this part.
    (c) Effect of aggravating or mitigating circumstances. In 
determining the amount of the penalty and assessment to be imposed for 
every service or incident subject to a determination under Sec.  
402.1(c)--
    (1) If there are substantial or several mitigating circumstances, 
the aggregate amount of the penalty and assessment is set at an amount 
sufficiently below the maximum permitted by Sec.  Sec.  402.105(a) and 
402.107 to reflect that fact.
    (2) If there are substantial or several aggravating circumstances, 
the aggregate amount of the penalty and assessment is set at an amount 
at or sufficiently close to the maximum permitted by Sec.  Sec.  
402.105(a) and 402.107 to reflect that fact.
    (d)(1) The standards set forth in this section are binding, except 
to the extent that their application would result in imposition of an 
amount that would exceed limits imposed by the United States 
Constitution.
    (2) The amount imposed is not less than the approximate amount 
required to fully compensate the United States, or any State, for its 
damages and costs, tangible and intangible, including but not limited to 
the costs attributable to the investigation, prosecution, and 
administrative review of the case.
    (3) Nothing in this section limits the authority of CMS or OIG to 
settle any issue or case as provided by Sec.  402.19 or to compromise 
any penalty and assessment as provided by Sec.  402.115.