Healthcare Exclusion Lookup
The OIG exclusion list download: screening many names at once
Last updated · Starry Night
OIG's online search checks up to five names at a time. For a staff roster, vendor list or credentialing file of a few hundred names, OIG points to its downloadable database instead. Here is what is in that file, how to screen against it, and where a plain spreadsheet lookup falls short.
What OIG says to use for many names
"For searching a large number, consider downloading the entire list via the LEIE Downloadable Database and using a spreadsheet or database program to perform searches."
HHS-OIG, Exclusions FAQ
The full file is UPDATED.csv on the LEIE downloads page. It lists every exclusion currently in effect. OIG also posts monthly supplement files with that month's new exclusions and reinstatements, so you can either re-download the full file each month or apply the supplements to your copy.
What is in the file
Each row is one excluded person or business, with these columns: last, first and middle name, business name, a general category and specialty, UPIN, NPI, date of birth, address, city, state, ZIP, the exclusion type (the legal authority, such as 1128a1), the exclusion date, and reinstatement and waiver fields.
What the file does not have matters as much:
- No SSNs or EINs. OIG's FAQ explains that the Privacy Act prohibits disclosing SSNs. To confirm a possible match, you go to OIG's online search and use its verify step with the person's SSN or the business's EIN.
- Few NPIs. Most records have no NPI, so an NPI that is not in the file does not clear anyone; screen the name.
- Names as of the exclusion. The file holds the name OIG knew at the time, so former names have to be screened as well.
Screening a roster against the file
- Prepare your list. One row per person or business: full name, any former names as extra rows, and state if you have it. For businesses, include the legal name and any trade name.
- Download the current UPDATED.csv. Note the date on the downloads page so you know which month's data you used.
- Match names. In a spreadsheet, an exact lookup on "LAST, FIRST" is the simplest approach. Expect to add variants by hand: middle names and initials, suffixes, swapped first and last names, hyphenated surnames under each part, and business names with and without LLC, Inc or PC.
- Review every hit. Compare state, specialty, date of birth (if you have it) and exclusion date. Common names will produce several candidates.
- Verify on OIG's online search with the SSN or EIN, and print the verification with its Print Search Results button.
- Record the run: the file date, the list you screened, the method, the hits and what you concluded.
Where an exact spreadsheet match falls short
Exact lookups miss near matches: "Bill" for William, a one-letter typo in either your roster or the LEIE, a middle name used as a first name, or a business name the LEIE cut off (its business names are limited to 30 characters). Looser matching finds those, at the cost of more candidates to review. Whatever method you use, the review and SSN or EIN step is what turns a candidate into a confirmed match or a cleared one.
A faster way to do the same thing
Screen up to 500 names without building a spreadsheet
The screening record page screens up to 500 names at once against the LEIE and 11 state Medicaid lists (NY, CA, TX, MI, GA, MD, LA, AR, KY, NC, WA), with name matching that handles word order, middle names, nicknames and small typos, and builds a dated PDF record of the run. On-screen results and a PDF marked PREVIEW are free; a $19 one-time unlock removes the watermark for 24 hours. Names are not stored.
The page reads a pasted list or a CSV with name, state, NPI and date of birth columns, and the PDF lists the version of each list used (for the LEIE, OIG's update date, the month the data covers and the SHA-256 of OIG's file), the threshold and every result. It does not replace OIG's verify step: confirm each possible match on OIG's online search.
Checking a few names while you work in Claude? The free Healthcare Exclusion Lookup connector screens names or NPIs against the LEIE from a chat. No sign-up with Starry Night is needed.
Limits to keep in mind
- The LEIE covers HHS-OIG exclusions only. State Medicaid lists and SAM.gov are separate; see state lists and LEIE vs SAM.gov.
- OIG updates both the online search and the download file monthly (generally by the middle of the month, per its FAQ), so a copy you downloaded earlier misses the newest actions. Re-download the file each month or apply the monthly supplements.
Questions
How many names can OIG's online search check at once?
Up to five names per search, according to OIG's FAQ and quick tips. For a large number of names OIG suggests downloading the full database.
How often is the LEIE download file updated?
Monthly. OIG's FAQ says both versions of the LEIE are generally updated by the middle of each month with the prior month's actions; its quick tips page says by the 10th. You can re-download the full file or apply the monthly supplements.
Is there an API for the LEIE?
OIG's quick tips page says there are no plans for a public API. The download file and the online search are the two formats OIG offers.
This guide explains public rules and OIG guidance in plain English. It is not legal advice; for a decision about a specific person or claim, talk to your health care counsel. Healthcare Exclusion Lookup is published by Starry Night and is not affiliated with HHS-OIG, CMS or any state agency.