The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today in the federal register that it will delay publication of the much anticipated Phase III final Stark self-referral regulations (which were due out by today) until March 23, 2008. According to CMS, the delay is necessary in order to allow time to review and consider the extensive public comments on the Interim Final regulations (Phase II) of the regulations which were published in 2004. Until publication of Phase II, the Phase II rules will remain in place.
