Gifts to patients for referrals

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Does anyone out there know if there is any problem with Medicare if we want to

give a small gift ie dinner for 2, or a gift card or a tube of Biofreeze, if our

patients talk to their friends or family telling them how PT has helped them and

that maybe we could help them too and get them to come in for an evaluation for

us to determine if PT would be appropriate and beneficial. We are talking with

our staff and asking them to ask their patients if they know anyone who could

use our help, and out of fear of Medicare, they are worried there is a problem

so don't want to try to help more people and the business until I have a

definitive answer.

Please help me with this.

Thanks

Lydia Radosevich,PT

New Mexico