OIG Publishes Interim Final Rule on Advisory Opinion Process

On March 26, 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General (OIG) published an interim final rule (with comment period) in the Federal Register revising the process for submitting payments for advisory opinion costs. According to the interim final rule, the OIG will no longer require that requestors submit an initial deposit payment of $250 for each advisory opinion request.  Instead, the OIG will require that requestors make payment for advisory opinion costs via electronic funds transfer. The interim final rule is effective on April 25, 2008. However, the OIG may implement the process before that date.