This guide helps ensure compliance by verifying that individuals and entities are not excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs (Medicare, Medicaid, etc.) using the OIG’s online lookup tool. This guide also dives deep into how a provider can screen the OIG’s look up tool on their own when necessary and the limitations of the online search tool. Our recommendation is to use a screening provider to screen other lists for best practice.
Step-by-Step Guide: Check OIG Exclusions using the OIG’s Online Search Tool
Access the Lookup Tool on the Officer of Inspector General (OIG)’s Website https://exclusions.oig.hhs.gov. You’ll see two search options in the Exclusions Database. The federal exclusion list is maintained and updated monthly by the OIG, known as the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE). The LEIE is the primary federal online searchable database for healthcare providers to check exclusion statuses.
Online Searchable Database
Providers can manually input names of the entity or the individual they suspect into the website for searching, but they are typically limited (e.g., to 5 individuals or 4 entities at a time).
Providers can download the entire LEIE list in Excel format from the OIG’s website. This method presents significant challenges for many providers, especially mid-sized or large organizations. Providers would need to compare the list of your employees, vendors, and contractors against the downloaded LEIE spreadsheet, however this method is cumbersome and prone to errors. There are cross-referencing challenges with the nearly 79,000 entries in the LEIE (as of February 2024). Comparing your internal list of names to a list of this size, and attempting to verify matches, can be difficult and time-consuming. The LEIE also has limits when it comes to verification. When two names are the same or very close, matches can only be verified individually on the OIG website by Social Security Number.
Using the entire downloadable list requires technical expertise to compare lists, particularly when names do not result in “perfect matches”.
The Online Searchable Database
The Online Searchable Database is a lookup tool on the OIG website that helps ensure compliance. You can search by individual and entity.
Individual
Use the person’s first and last name
- The last name is required
- The first is recommended for accuracy
- You can add City, State, or UPIN/NPI (if available)
Entity
When screening entities (businesses, clinics, vendors, etc.) against the OIG’s List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE), name variations are a common source of missed matches.
Use the business or organization name, and try to use the most accurate legal name spelling. The OIG’s online search tool does not automatically detect alternate spellings or abbreviations — so you must account for them manually. If no results appear but you suspect possible exclusion, check for
- Abbreviations
- Acronyms
- Punctuation
- Plural and singular
- ‘&’ and ‘and’
- Entity designators like ‘llc’, ‘inc’, etc
- Spacing Differences like “MedCare” vs “Med Care”
- Hyphenation Differences like “Health-Care” vs “Healthcare”
- Word Order Changes like “Rehab Solutions of Texas” vs “Texas Rehab Solutions”
- Nicknames / Shortened Names “John Hopkins Hosp.” vs “JH Hospital”
- Parent/Subsidiary Names like ABC Medical Group” vs “ABC Holdings
Start broad with a keyword and slowly narrow it down using optional metrics like NPI, City, and/or State to the entity that you suspect for more accuracy.
To ensure thoroughness, check:
- The entity’s corporate filings or state license registry (for legal vs. trade name)
- Contracts, invoices, or tax documents (for alternative names)
- NPI Registry (to confirm spelling and location)
- Parent company or DBA (Doing Business As) listings
Search Results
No Results Found
The person/entity is not currently excluded.
Results Found
Make sure to confirm that the individual or entity has been excluded by confirming details like name, address/State, specialty or business type, and exclusion type and effective date. We have an article that addresses what to do when you have a confirmed match that goes into detail what to do. If there’s a possible match, click the name for more details.
You can confirm or rule out a match by comparing the last four digits of the social security number (SSN), or the Employer Identification Number (EIN) if available. If you are still uncertain you can submit a verification request to confirm using their verification form on the same page.
Document Your Screening
Keep records for compliance audits. Your documentation should include:
- Date of search
- Name(s) searched
- Search result (screenshot or PDF printout)
- Person performing the search
- Any follow-up actions taken
Tip: Save the confirmation or “No Results Found” page as a PDF for your files.
The OIG guidance outlines how healthcare providers or entities can self-disclose when they discover that they employed or contracted with an excluded individual or entity and received payment from a federal healthcare program as a result.
The Self-Disclosure Protocol (SDP) provides a pathway to resolve potential liability under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law. For additional information, visit our article on the SDP.
Re-Screen Regularly
The OIG enforces exclusion screening to keep providers accountable for screening the exclusion status of their employees and vendors. To prevent risks when providers employ or do business with excluded parties it is important to be thorough and cover all bases when screening.
OIG recommends checking:
- Before hire, upon hire, or at the start of the relationship
- Monthly thereafter for ongoing employees, vendors, and contractors.
This is also consistent with the OIG’s Updated Special Advisory Bulletin on the Effect of Exclusion Participation in Federal Health Care Programs issued May 8, 2013. It is also advisable that providers exercise caution if they choose to selectively screen direct employees and providers.
Limitations of the OIG’s Online Search Tool (LEIE Lookup)
Although a helpful tool for quick screening, there are the limitations to the OIG’s Online Exclusions Search Tool (LEIE lookup) that are crucial for compliance accuracy.
Limited Search Fields and Verification Capability
You can only search by name for both individual and entity with a few optional filters to confirm like city, state, and NPI/UPIN. You can only use SSN for verification but not for searching. The LEIE does not allow searching by Social Security Number (SSN) or full Tax Identification Number (TIN/EIN) for privacy reasons.
On the Results page, there are only partial identifiers (like the last 4 digits).
If multiple people share similar names this can lead to false positives and if your search yields a possible match, the tool itself doesn’t confirm identity. You must manually compare identifiers or use OIG’s Verification Form to confirm if your subject and the listed individual/entity are the same. There is also no audit trail built in, meaning there is no save and log of your searches. You must manually capture and document results (screenshots or printouts) for compliance evidence.
Misspelling and Variations
The system does not automatically correct spelling errors. It requires exact or near-exact matches. Searching for name variations (e.g., “Jon” vs. “John,” “O’Connor” vs. “OConnor”) may be necessary to ensure thorough results.
Database Scope
The LEIE database only has individuals and entities excluded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General.
It is important to also screen the 45 separate Medicaid exclusion lists, published by 44 states. This includes Washington, D.C, and the two separate 2 state lists from Washington State. CMS Preclusion List, SAM.gov (System for Award Management) exclusions, and other federal or private sanctions lists.
Update Frequency
The LEIE is updated monthly (usually around the first week of each month). Searches only reflect the most recent update. Someone excluded after the last update won’t appear until the next release.
No Historical Search Function
The online tool shows current exclusions only. If someone was previously excluded but reinstated, that history won’t appear in a standard search. To see reinstatement or historical data, you must use the Downloadable LEIE database or contact OIG directly.
No Bulk or Automated Screening
The online tool is designed for one-at-a-time searches only. It’s not suitable for large-scale batch screening (e.g., hundreds of employees). For large scale screening, use the Downloadable LEIE Database or a third-party compliance screening service.
Conclusion
To check OIG exclusions using OIG’s LEIE list, providers need to be incredibly thorough and cover all bases like verification and documentation. When providers also need to screen state medicaid lists, the formats vary widely (some are unsearchable PDFs or Word documents), and combining the LEIE download with state data for a comprehensive screen becomes virtually impossible for providers to handle on their own.
As experts who understand the difficulties of screening for providers, we simplify the complexities of screening and compliance so you can focus on what matters most—your patients. Get in touch to learn more.
