Patient incentives are broadly recognized as important tools to promote healthy behaviors, increase visits for primary and preventive services, and encourage participation in research studies. Despite these benefits, certain federal laws have long posed a challenge to health centers seeking to implement patient incentive programs. The purpose of this Issue Brief is to describe federal laws implicated by patient incentive programs and to identify potential ways that health centers can structure patient incentive programs to reduce the risk of violating those laws.
This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $6,625,000 with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.