What is Stark II?

Stark II is Phase II of the law named after California Rep. Pete Stark who authored this legislation.The purpose of the law is to prohibit physician self-referrals. Basically, the law applies to any physician who provides care to Medicare, Medicaid or other federal health program recipients and says that the physician cannot refer the patient for certain designated health services to any entity with which the physician has a financial interest. That is, unless one of Stark's exceptions apply.