Final answer:
The Stark self-referral laws, or Stark Law, do apply to referrals of patients by a hospital to a home health agency that the hospital owns, which makes the statement true. Specific details and exceptions could alter the applicability in individual cases, particularly involving different types of hospitals or agencies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Stark self-referral laws, also known as the Stark Law, generally prohibit a physician from referring patients to receive “designated health services” payable by Medicare or Medicaid from entities with which the physician or an immediate family member has a financial relationship, unless an exception applies. This can include a relationship where the hospital owns a home health agency. The intent of the law is to prevent conflicts of interest in patient referrals.
So, if a hospital refers patients to a home health agency that the hospital owns, it could be subjected to the Stark Law, which would make the assertion true, provided that the physician who made the referral or their immediate family has a financial relationship with the hospital. However, there are numerous exceptions and details that must be carefully examined in each case, such as services provided by a nonprofit health organization, services by a private hospital, or services tied to a governmental agency like Health and Social Services.