Also known as: OIG exclusion list, OIG exclusions database, OIG excluded providers
Key facts
- Maintained by
- HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG)
- Legal basis
- Sections 1128 and 1156 of the Social Security Act
- Mandatory exclusion minimum
- 5 years
- Updates
- Monthly downloadable file plus an online search tool
- Reinstatement
- Not automatic; the excluded party must apply to OIG
What is the LEIE?
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services can exclude individuals and entities from federal health care programs. The LEIE is the public list of everyone currently excluded. It covers physicians, nurses, pharmacists, other clinicians, owners and managers, and businesses such as pharmacies, labs and suppliers.
An exclusion means federal health care programs will not pay for any item or service the excluded party furnishes, orders or prescribes. The ban follows the person, not a job: it applies to any employer or contractor that bills a federal program.
Mandatory and permissive exclusions
OIG exclusions fall into two groups:
- Mandatory exclusions under Section 1128(a), for convictions such as Medicare or Medicaid fraud, patient abuse or neglect, and certain felony health care fraud or controlled substance offenses. The minimum period is 5 years.
- Permissive exclusions under Section 1128(b), where OIG has discretion, for reasons such as misdemeanor fraud convictions, license revocation or suspension, and defaulting on health education loans.
Why the LEIE matters
Hospitals, health plans, pharmacies and staffing firms screen employees and contractors against the LEIE, usually monthly, because employing or contracting with an excluded party can lead to civil monetary penalties and repayment of claims. State Medicaid programs require the same checks.
Matching is the hard part. Older LEIE records often lack an NPI, so screening relies on name, date of birth, address and specialty. Data teams that join the LEIE to provider directories need careful entity resolution to avoid both missed matches and false alarms on common names.
LEIE vs SAM.gov
The LEIE covers health care program exclusions by HHS OIG. The System for Award Management (SAM.gov) lists exclusions across all federal agencies, including debarments from federal contracts. Compliance programs typically check both, plus any state Medicaid exclusion lists.