Corporate Compliance Program Code of Ethics & Business Conduct

Quick Contact Information

• Compliance Officer: Peiman Saadat, 718-290-9799 (peiman.saadat@rendrcare.com)
• Email Compliance Hotline: Compliance@rendrcare.com

Quick Contact Information

Rendr Care Physicians supports its medical practices so as to enable them to offer the highest quality medical care to their patients. The high standards of ethics and conduct embodied in this Code apply to all of our interactions with our health care provider; companies that we do business with; government entities to whom we report; and the public and private entities that we seek reimbursement from.
Rendr Care Physicians will not tolerate unlawful or unethical behavior by anyone associated with our organization, and each one of us is expected to be law-abiding, honest, trustworthy, and fair in all of our business dealings.

General Standards

Everyone associated with Rendr Care Physicians– Board Members, officers, employed staff, consultants and contractors– is expected to follow the ethical standards set out in this Code. No one at Rendr Care Physicians should take an action that is believed to be in violation of any law or the Code. If you are unsure whether an action is lawful you should check with your supervisor or the Compliance Officer. When in doubt, you should ask before taking action.

Rendr Care Physicians, through its compliance efforts, seeks to:

• Create a culture that promotes prevention, detection and resolution of instances of conduct that do not conform to applicable laws, regulations, or any other health care compliance requirements.
• Ensure internal controls in the reimbursement and payment areas are firmly in place, as claims and billing operations are often the source of fraud and abuse concerns.
• Our Compliance Program includes the eight (8) core elements below that are based on the expectations of the federal and state government.

Element 1

Written Policies & Procedures

Our Compliance Program is, in part, a statement of Rendr Care Physicians’ overarching principles and values and defines the framework for compliance policies and procedures. It describes expectations that all employees conduct themselves in an ethical manner; that issues of noncompliance and potential illegal conduct are reported through appropriate mechanisms; and that reported issues are addressed and corrected. At Rendr Care Physicians compliance is everyone’s responsibility.

Policies & Procedures

Our policies and procedures (“P&Ps”) are detailed and specific and describe the operation of the Compliance Program. They address issues such as how to report compliance concerns; training requirements; the operation of our Compliance Hotline; and how suspected, detected or reported issues are investigated and addressed. Compliance P&Ps are reviewed and approved by the Executive Compliance Committee.

Distribution

Upon hire, employees are required to acknowledge receipt of the Compliance Program/Code of Ethics & Business Conduct and to agree to abide by its standards.

Updates and Revisions

The compliance P&Ps are reviewed and updated as necessary to incorporate any relevant changes in applicable laws, regulations and other requirements. Proposed revisions are developed under the direction of the Compliance Officer and presented to the Executive Compliance Committee for review and approval.

Element 2

High-Level Oversight, Including a Compliance Officer and Compliance Committee

Board of Managers (“Board”) & Practice Owners

The Board of the Practice is ultimately accountable for oversight of the Compliance Program and conducts that oversight through the Board’s Compliance Committee.

Board Compliance Committee

The Board Compliance Committee is composed of members of the Board with senior management as invited guests. The Board’s Compliance Committee receives training and education on the structure and operation of the Compliance Program, and its members are expected to be knowledgeable about compliance risks and strategies.

Compliance Officer

The Rendr Care Physicians Compliance Officer has the responsibility to implement the required elements of the Compliance Program and oversee the day-to-day operations of the program. The Compliance Officer is responsible for ensuring that processes are in place to monitor and oversee activities by key business units; compliance issues are properly addressed as they arise; and that appropriate compliance assurance reviews and inquiries are conducted.

Executive Compliance Committee

Rendr Care Physicians also has in place an Executive Compliance Committee comprised primarily of senior management. This committee meets on at least a quarterly basis and has overall responsibility for the continued improvement of the performance of the Compliance Program. The Executive Compliance Committee, among other things, ensures that necessary policies and procedures and compliance education are in place.

Element 3

Training and Education

The Compliance Officer, working with the Human Resources Department, develops and oversees compliance training and education for all stakeholders of Rendr Care Physicians. Managers at practice sites are responsible for ensuring that assigned compliance education is completed by their teams.

Annual Training

On an annual basis, all employees are required to complete online modules on Corporate Compliance and HIPAA Privacy and Security.

Specific Education

Employees also receive compliance education specific to their functions and as well as warranted by the implementation of new operational processes or corrective actions.

Element 4

Effective Lines of Communication

If you have a compliance issue or questions you are encouraged to raise the issue or question with your supervisor or another management staff member. If you are uncomfortable raising the issue with a supervisor or management, or the issue is not resolved, you should contact the Compliance Officer. Your failure to report a compliance issue may result in disciplinary action against you for failing to report.`

Reporting Methods

Anyone may report instances of perceived non-compliant conduct through any of the following:

• Direct supervisor or other management
• Compliance Officer: Peiman Saadat (peiman.saadat@rendrcare.com)
• Senior Management
• Email Compliance Hotline: compliance@rendrcare.com
• Compliance Helpline: To report concerns anonymously call 1-800-461-9330 or report your concern by selecting  Rendr Help Line

Email Compliance Hotline

The electronic Compliance Hotline (“Hotline”) is a resource available to employees and other interested individuals to report compliance violations, concerns, or questions. You can email your concern at any time and it will be reviewed and investigated.

Confidentiality

All employee concerns are handled and investigated in a confidential manner, and confidentiality will be preserved to the extent circumstances and the law allow.

Non-Retaliation and Anonymous Reporting

Reports can be made in good faith without fear of retribution or adverse consequences. As detailed in the Rendr Care Physicians’ Non Retaliation Policy, any form of retaliation against any employee who makes a report in good faith or otherwise participates in the Compliance Program is strictly prohibited. Retaliation of any sort will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment for the individual who engages in retaliation.

Element 5

Well-Publicized Disciplinary Standards

Rendr Care Physicians’ P&Ps include guidance regarding disciplinary action for those who have failed to comply with our policies and procedures, the Code or federal and state laws. Any individual who fails to participate in the Compliance Program as required, including engaging in or failing to report noncompliance or violations of the Code or policies and procedures, is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Enforcement

Rendr Care Physicians encourages the highest standards of ethical conduct. When suspected non-compliance is determined to exist, the Compliance Officer is required to ensure an investigation is performed and determine whether a violation of law or policy has occurred. If an investigation reveals that a violation has occurred, the Compliance Officer will provide management with recommendations to correct the violation, and may recommend disciplinary action and education/training to prevent recurrence of the issue. It is the responsibility of management to implement corrective actions for any identified noncompliance.

Disciplinary Records

If disciplinary action is initiated, management works with Human Resources to make sure that the disciplinary action is reflected in the employee’s personnel file. Documentation of disciplinary action serves as proof of the effectiveness of the Compliance Program by demonstrating that compliance is taken seriously within the organization.

Element 6

Effective System for Routine Monitoring, Auditing and Identification of Compliance Risks

Auditing and monitoring and self-assessments assist organizations in identifying and acting on real or potential issues before they become liabilities. To prevent and detect non-compliance, Rendr Care Physicians conducts monitoring of key systems and processes.

Compliance Monitoring

Monitoring involves daily, weekly, or other periodic spot checks to verify that essential functions are being adequately performed and that processes are working effectively. Departments may be required to report the results of their monitoring effort to the Compliance Officer and/or the Executive Compliance Committee.

Compliance Audits

Compliance audits are conducted in a systematic and structured approach. The process involves identifying a risk area; researching applicable regulatory guidelines; determining the key objectives; detailing the scope and methodology to be utilized; selecting a sample; and producing a written report of findings, recommendations and management responses to those findings and recommendations.

Compliance Work Plan

The Compliance Officer, in conjunction with members of management, assesses the risks of the business on a continuous basis. Annually, the Compliance Officer compiles a Compliance Work Plan that is reviewed and signed off on by the Executive Compliance Committee. The Compliance Work Plan identifies specific risk areas that are to be reviewed during the upcoming year. Throughout the year, the Compliance Officer reports progress on these reviews to the Executive Compliance Committee and to the Board Compliance Committee.

Sanctions Screening

Rendr Care Physicians will not hire, contract or retain any employee or company to perform services if that employee or company is excluded from participation in any federal or state-funded healthcare program. To that end, in accordance with the Rendr Care Physicians Exclusion Check Policy, all employees and vendors are checked on a monthly basis against applicable exclusion lists. If it is confirmed that any employee or vendor is excluded from participation in federal or state-funded healthcare programs, Rendr Care Physicians will ensure that that employee or vendor does not provide services related to such programs.

Element 7

Procedures and System for Prompt Response to Noncompliance

Any noncompliance threatens our reputation as reliable, honest, and trustworthy. Rendr Care Physicians is therefore committed to correcting any identified noncompliance and implementing necessary steps to prevent its recurrence.

Investigating Compliance Issues

Upon notice of possible noncompliance, the Compliance Officer will promptly initiate an investigation into the issue to determine whether a compliance issue exists, or if there has been a violation of the Code, P&Ps or applicable laws. If a compliance issue or violation does exist, then the investigation will attempt to determine its cause so that appropriate and effective corrective action can be implemented.

Corrective Action Plans

In the event that noncompliance is identified, the non-compliant activity will be stopped as soon as feasible. An investigation into the extent and root cause of the noncompliance will be conducted to examine, among other issues:

• existing workflows and processes;
• relevant policies and procedures;
• training and education of staff involved; and
• the effectiveness of monitoring systems, if any.

When all the relevant facts have been determined, a corrective action plan (“CAP”) to correct and prevent the recurrence of the noncompliance will be developed and implemented. The CAP will include detailed steps to be taken and a timeline for implementation of those steps.

Element 8

Policy of Non-Intimidation and Non-Retaliation

Rendr Care Physicians’ non-intimidation and Non Retaliation Policy provides that anyone who makes a report, complaint, or inquiry in good faith, will be protected from retaliatory action. We have a no-tolerance policy for intimidation of, or retaliation taken against, individuals making such good faith reports, complaints or inquiries, and will take disciplinary action against individuals who have intimidated or retaliated against such individuals.

Claims Development and Submission

The Code is regularly reviewed and updated to incorporate changes in applicable laws and other compliance program requirements. It is approved by the Executive Compliance Committee of the Practice and the Management Company. Together with our policies and procedures, the Compliance Program serves as a reference guide that describes Rendr Care Physicians’ standards of conduct, including our core values and cultural attributes.

Financial Accounting Records: Integrity and Accuracy

All financial reports, accounting records, expense accounts, and other financial documents shall accurately represent the performance of operations.

Compliance with Licensure and Competency Requirements

All physicians and other providers of Rendr Care Physicians represents must be properly licensed pursuant to applicable state requirements. We will not knowingly submit any bill to a third-party payor for services provided by a physician or other provider who is not properly licensed.

Gifts, Payments, Loans and Entertainment

It is the policy of Rendr Care Physicians to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct in its relationships with clients, suppliers and others. The solicitation of gifts, gratuities, favors or kickbacks by an employee is strictly prohibited. No employee will make or offer to make any payment or provide any other thing of value to another person with the understanding or intention that such payment is to be used to influence the referral of patients.

Billing & Coding

To reduce fraud, waste and abuse in the billing of claims, Rendr Care Physicians has identified the following potential risk areas:

• Billing for items or services not rendered or not provided as claimed;
• Submitting claims for supplies and services that are not reasonably necessary;
• Double billing;
• Billing for non-covered services as if such services are covered;
• Knowing misuse of provider identification numbers, which results in improper billing;
• Unbundling (billing for each component of the service instead of billing or using an all- inclusive code);
• Failure to properly use coding modifiers;
• Failure to correctly identify services ordered;
• Upcoding the level of service provided.

Medical Necessity and Quality of Care

Rendr Care Physicians will not knowingly submit claims to a payor for services that are not medically necessary or that were ordered by a physician or other individual who was not properly credentialed.

Overpayments or Underpayments

In connection with Rendr Care Physicians’ review of coding and billing, Rendr Care Physicians reviews payment remitted to ensure compensation reflects services rendered and, will work with the client medical practice to timely refunds to payors as appropriate.

Documentation

Billing procedures must always be based on adequate documentation of the medical justification for the services rendered or test conducted and for the bill submitted, and this medical documentation must comport with all applicable regulations.

General Business Practices

Rendr Care Physicians will not make any unethical or illegal payments to anyone to induce the use of our services. In addition, management must ensure that all of Rendr Care Physicians’ business records are accurate and truthful, with no material omissions; that the assets and liabilities of the Practice and the management company are accounted for properly in compliance with all tax and financial reporting requirements, and that no false records are made. Similarly, all reports submitted to governmental agencies, insurance carries, or other entities must be accurately and honestly made.

Purchasing Policy

All purchasing decisions must be made with the purpose of obtaining the highest quality product or service at the most reasonable price. No purchasing decision may be made based on any consideration that any employee, officer or partner – or any family member or friend of any of them – will benefit by the transaction. Rather, the sole criteria behind all purchasing decisions must be only the best interests of the Practice. Nor can any service or item be purchased in return for a referral of patients from another or with a view towards inducing another to refer patients.

Trade Practices/Antitrust

Antitrust laws are designed to preserve and foster fair and honest competition for businesses. To accomplish this goal, the language of these laws is deliberately broad, prohibiting such activities as “unfair methods of competition” and agreements “in restraint of trade.” This type of language gives enforcement agencies the right to examine many different business activities to judge the effect on competition.

Compliance with Anti-Kickback Laws

Both federal and state laws specifically prohibit any form of kickback, bribe or rebate made directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in kind to induce the purchase, recommendation to purchase or referral of any kind of healthcare goods, services or items paid for by Medicare or the Medicaid program. The term “kickback” means the giving of anything of value in exchange for patient referrals. Any question concerning these laws or any business arrangement subject to anti-kickback or anti-referral laws should be directed to the Compliance Officer.

Marketing Activities and Patient Referrals

We are committed to the delivery of high-quality medical care and relies on the quality of that care in marketing its services to attorneys, patients, physicians, and others. All marketing activities and advertising by personnel must be truthful and not misleading and must be consistent with regulations on physician practice advertising.

Environment, Health and Safety

In the course of medical practice operations, hazardous materials and infectious wastes may be used or generated. Rendr Care Physicians must ensure the proper handling and disposal of these materials.

Pharmaceuticals, Prescription Drugs, Controlled Substances

Many of Rendr Care Physicians employees have access to prescription drugs, controlled substances, hypodermic needles, drug samples and other regulated pharmaceuticals. It is Rendr Care Physicians’ policy that all employees be both diligent and vigilant in carrying out their obligations to handle and dispense drugs and related medical supplies and in preventing unauthorized access to them.

HIPAA and Other Confidential or Protected Information

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) provides federal protections for protected health information (“PHI”) held by Rendr Care Physicians and provides patients an array of rights with respect to that information. At the same time, the law is balanced so that it permits the disclosure of protected health information needed for patient care and other important purposes. The HIPAA Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for Rendr Care Physicians to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information.

Information Owned by Others

Like Rendr Care Physicians, other organizations have intellectual property they want to protect. So do individuals. These other parties are sometimes willing to disclose their confidential information for a particular purpose. If you receive another party’s confidential information, you must proceed with caution to prevent any accusations that you or Rendr Care Physicians misappropriated or misused the information.

Records Retention/Destruction

The Practice and the Management Company are required by law to maintain certain types of medical and business records, usually for a specified period of time. Failure to retain such documents for such minimum period could subject our businesses to penalties and fines.

Government Investigations

All dealings with governmental agencies must be truthful and accurate.

Having a government agent come to a practice site or business location can be intimidating. Below are some steps you should follow:

• If a governmental agent comes to a site or the corporate offices and seeks information, you should contact your supervisor immediately.
• Do not consent to a search or review. Unless the governmental agent has a Warrant, that agent may not enter the site or review documentation.
• Do not provide statements to the agent.
• Make photo copies of the agent’s business cards and send to the Compliance Officer.
• Any staff member who receives an official governmental request for information must notify their supervisor and the Compliance Officer immediately.

Human Resources

Rendr Care Physicians recognizes that its greatest strength lies in the talent and ability of its employees. Accordingly, Rendr Care Physicians has developed and implemented numerous human resources policies and has published for staff members.