Provider Signals™What is the LEIE (OIG exclusion list)?
The LEIE — the OIG's List of Excluded Individuals and Entities — names every person and organization barred from federal health care programs. Here's what it is, who's on it, why, and what it means for anyone who bills Medicare or Medicaid.
What does LEIE stand for?
LEIE stands for the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities, maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG). It is the authoritative federal database of providers, suppliers, and organizations excluded from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal health care programs.
When a person or entity is excluded, federal health care programs will not pay for any items or services they furnish, order, or prescribe — directly or indirectly. The OIG publishes the full LEIE as a downloadable file and a public search tool, and updates it monthly.
Why are providers excluded?
Exclusions fall into two categories:
- Mandatory exclusions — the OIG must exclude individuals convicted of: Medicare/Medicaid fraud, patient abuse or neglect, felony health care fraud, or felony controlled-substance offenses. Minimum five years.
- Permissive exclusions — the OIG may exclude for things like misdemeanor fraud, license revocation or suspension, default on health-education loans, or providing unnecessary/substandard care.
In practice, license revocation or suspension is the single most common reason, accounting for nearly 40% of the 83,000-plus entries as of May 2026. Because this is a state licensing board action — not a federal criminal proceeding — it will not appear in most background check systems. The second-largest category is program-related crime convictions at roughly 31%, followed by patient abuse or neglect at 10%. For the complete breakdown by exclusion type, state, and specialty, see the LEIE statistics page.
| Category | Basis | Share of LEIE |
|---|---|---|
| License revoked / suspended | Permissive — §1128(b)(4) | ~40% |
| Program-related crime conviction | Mandatory — §1128(a)(1) | ~31% |
| Patient abuse or neglect | Mandatory — §1128(a)(2) | ~10% |
| All other reasons | Various mandatory + permissive | ~19% |
What a LEIE record contains
Each entry includes the excluded party's name, provider type, the legal basis for the exclusion (the citation, e.g., 1128(a)(1)), the exclusion date, and — where available — identifying details such as an address, NPI, or date of birth used to confirm a true match. Matching on name alone is risky; you verify against these identifiers before acting.
How long does an exclusion last — and reinstatement
Exclusions are not automatically lifted when the term ends. An excluded party must apply for reinstatement, and is not eligible to bill federal programs until the OIG grants it in writing. That is why the list contains both active exclusions and historical reinstatements — and why screening has to be ongoing, not one-time.
How to check the LEIE
You can search one name at a time on the free OIG site, or download the full monthly file. For an organization with more than a handful of providers, manual lookups don't scale and leave gaps between checks. Continuous OIG exclusion screening re-checks your whole roster against each monthly LEIE update automatically and alerts you the moment a match appears.
Frequently asked questions
What does LEIE stand for?
LEIE stands for the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities — the OIG's federal database of people and organizations excluded from Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs.
Who is on the LEIE?
Providers, suppliers, and entities the OIG has excluded — most commonly for health care fraud, patient abuse or neglect, felony drug offenses, or license loss. Federal programs won't pay for items or services they provide.
How long does an OIG exclusion last?
Mandatory exclusions carry a minimum of five years, but the term varies by case. An exclusion is not lifted automatically — the individual must apply for reinstatement and be approved by the OIG before billing federal programs again.
How often is the LEIE updated?
The OIG updates the LEIE monthly, which is why OIG guidance is to screen employees, contractors, and vendors against it every month.
Data & methodology
Sources: OIG LEIE, CMS NPPES. This page is informational and does not constitute legal or compliance advice.
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