The fraud and abuse section of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act now includes a provision using the phrase "knowingly." By including this phrase, an individual is not required to have actual knowledge of the law or specific intent to violate it. Consequently, a person who knowingly commits fraud or abuse, regardless of his or her knowledge of the law, would meet the statute's intent requirement.

Additionally, the fraud and abuse section has enhanced penalties for the following: false statements on provider or supplier enrollment applications; submission of false statements material to a false claim; delaying inspections for the purposes of audits, investigations, evaluations, or other statutory functions performed by the Office of Inspector General; individuals excluded from program participation; and obstruction of program audits. The penalties are $50,000.