8.385%criticalSTRONG GO

ExclusionGuard

Automated exclusion screening platform that continuously monitors OIG, SAM, and state-level exclusion lists for healthcare organizations.

FinanceCompliance teams at mid-sized healthcare organizations (500-5000 providers/ve...
The Gap

Mid-sized healthcare orgs manually screen thousands of providers and vendors against federal/state exclusion lists using spreadsheets, leading to dangerous gaps, false positives, and compliance risk.

Solution

A SaaS platform that ingests your provider/vendor roster, continuously monitors all relevant exclusion databases (OIG LEIE, SAM, state Medicaid lists), auto-resolves false positives using NPI and other identifiers, and provides a single compliance dashboard with audit-ready reporting.

Revenue Model

Subscription tiered by number of entities screened (e.g., $500/mo for up to 1,000 entities, $1,200/mo for 5,000) with add-ons for state-level list coverage and API access for EHR/credentialing system integration.

Feasibility Scores
Pain Intensity9/10

This is a compliance obligation with real legal and financial consequences. Employing an excluded individual can result in CMPs of $100K+ per occurrence, treble damages, and program exclusion. The Reddit thread language ('ticking clock', 'stop trusting your own process', 'close calls') signals genuine fear and urgency. This isn't a nice-to-have — it's a must-have that's currently being done badly.

Market Size7/10

TAM estimate: ~15,000 mid-sized healthcare orgs in the US (outpatient networks, community hospital systems, managed care orgs) × ~$8,000 avg annual contract value = ~$120M addressable. Broader healthcare compliance TAM is $3B+. This is a solid niche — not massive, but enough for a very profitable SaaS business. Expansion into payers, pharma, and long-term care extends it further.

Willingness to Pay9/10

Compliance spend is non-discretionary. Orgs already employ full-time compliance staff ($70K-$120K/year) doing this manually. $500-$1,200/month is trivially justified vs. a single CMP ($100K+), vs. even one FTE's time. Budget exists in compliance departments. This is the rare B2B scenario where the ROI argument writes itself. The Reddit thread shows orgs are actively looking for solutions.

Technical Feasibility7/10

OIG LEIE and SAM.gov have downloadable data files and APIs. The core matching engine (name + NPI + DOB fuzzy matching with false positive scoring) is well-understood. State lists are the hard part — ~50 different formats, varying update frequencies, some only available as PDFs. A solo dev can build a working MVP covering federal lists + top 10 states in 6-8 weeks. Full 50-state coverage is a longer tail. The matching/deduplication logic needs to be solid but isn't novel.

Competition Gap8/10

Enterprise players (ProviderTrust, Verisys) serve large health systems at enterprise prices. The mid-market (500-5,000 entities) is stuck between expensive enterprise tools and DIY spreadsheets. No one owns the 'Stripe for exclusion screening' position — simple, self-serve, well-priced, modern UX, strong API. Streamline Verify is closest but lacks robust false positive resolution and state coverage. The gap is clear and validated by the Reddit thread.

Recurring Potential10/10

This is inherently continuous monitoring — exclusion lists update monthly, providers/vendors change constantly, and compliance is ongoing. No one buys this once. Churn risk is very low because switching costs are high (audit trail history, integration setup) and the alternative is going back to spreadsheets. This is textbook sticky SaaS.

Strengths
  • +Regulatory tailwind — OIG enforcement is increasing, not decreasing, making this more urgent every year
  • +Clear mid-market gap between enterprise tools ($5K+/mo) and DIY spreadsheets ($0 but dangerous)
  • +Non-discretionary spend with obvious ROI ($500/mo vs. $100K+ CMP penalties)
  • +Extremely sticky — continuous monitoring with audit trail history creates high switching costs
  • +Pain signals are loud, specific, and from the exact target buyer persona
  • +Well-defined, automatable problem with accessible data sources (OIG/SAM APIs)
Risks
  • !State-level exclusion list ingestion is a long tail of scraping/parsing work across 50 states with varying formats — this is the unsexy moat but also the operational burden
  • !Enterprise incumbents (ProviderTrust, Verisys) could move down-market with a self-serve tier if they see traction
  • !Selling to healthcare compliance teams means long-ish sales cycles (1-3 months) and potential procurement/security review hurdles even at mid-market
  • !Accuracy liability — a missed exclusion match could expose the platform to blame even if the org is ultimately responsible; need strong terms of service and E&O insurance
  • !Market is niche enough that growth ceiling exists without expanding into adjacent compliance workflows (credentialing, licensure monitoring, sanctions screening)
Competition
ProviderTrust (Exclusion Screening)

Continuous automated exclusion monitoring against OIG LEIE, SAM, state Medicaid lists, and other sanctions databases. Offers identity resolution, workforce and vendor screening, and compliance dashboards with audit trails.

Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing, typically $3,000-$10,000+/mo depending on volume. Not publicly listed. Targets larger orgs.
Gap: Expensive and enterprise-focused — mid-sized orgs (500-5,000 entities) are often priced out or over-served. Long sales cycles. Setup can take weeks. UI feels dated per user feedback. Limited self-service onboarding.
Streamline Verify

Cloud-based exclusion screening and monitoring service checking OIG, SAM, state exclusion lists, and FDA debarment lists. Focuses on simplicity and automation for healthcare compliance teams.

Pricing: Tiered by volume, roughly $200-$2,000/mo. More transparent pricing than enterprise competitors. Per-entity pricing model available.
Gap: State-level list coverage is inconsistent — not all 50 states. Identity resolution/false positive handling is basic (name-matching without robust NPI cross-referencing). Limited API/integration options for EHR systems. Lacks advanced analytics.
Verisys (Checkmedic / Exclusion Screening)

Part of a broader provider data management platform. Screens against OIG, SAM, state lists, and integrates with credentialing workflows. Owned by Verisys, a major provider data company.

Pricing: Enterprise pricing, generally $5,000-$15,000+/mo for mid-to-large health systems. Bundled with credentialing products.
Gap: Overkill for orgs that just need exclusion screening — forces bundled purchasing. Very expensive for mid-sized orgs. Clunky legacy UX. Poor fit for outpatient networks or smaller managed care orgs. Long implementation timelines.
Healthicity (Compliance Manager / Exclusion Screening module)

Exclusion screening module within a broader healthcare compliance management suite. Checks OIG and SAM lists, provides basic monitoring and reporting capabilities.

Pricing: Part of Healthicity Compliance suite, ~$500-$3,000/mo depending on org size and modules selected. Exclusion screening is an add-on.
Gap: Exclusion screening feels like a bolt-on, not the core product. State-level list coverage is limited. False positive resolution is manual and clunky. No real-time continuous monitoring — typically batch monthly. Weak API story.
SAM.gov + OIG LEIE (Manual/DIY with free government databases)

Free federal databases

Pricing: Free (but massive hidden labor costs — estimated 20-40+ hours/month for a mid-sized org
Gap: Everything. No automation, no continuous monitoring, no false positive resolution, no state list aggregation, no audit trail, no dashboard, no alerts. Relies entirely on human diligence. This is the incumbent that most mid-sized orgs are stuck on — and it's exactly what the Reddit thread describes.
MVP Suggestion

Web app where a compliance officer uploads a CSV of providers/vendors (name, NPI, DOB, state). System matches against OIG LEIE and SAM.gov databases nightly. Dashboard shows: clear, flagged (needs review), and confirmed matches. Auto-resolve obvious false positives using NPI match. Email digest alerts on new matches. Exportable audit report (PDF) showing screening date, source checked, result. Start with federal lists only + 5-10 highest-volume states. Skip API/EHR integration for MVP — CSV upload and manual export is fine for v1.

Monetization Path

Free trial (screen up to 100 entities, federal lists only) → Starter at $500/mo (up to 1,000 entities, federal + top 10 states) → Pro at $1,200/mo (5,000 entities, all states, priority support) → Enterprise custom pricing (API access, EHR/credentialing integration, SSO, dedicated account manager). Add-on revenue from state-list expansion packs and API access. Upsell to adjacent compliance modules (licensure monitoring, sanctions screening) over time.

Time to Revenue

8-12 weeks to first paying customer. Weeks 1-6: build MVP (federal list matching, dashboard, CSV upload, basic alerts). Weeks 6-8: beta with 3-5 compliance officers from Reddit/LinkedIn outreach. Weeks 8-12: iterate on feedback, add top state lists, launch with $500/mo starter tier. Healthcare compliance buyers move faster than typical enterprise because the pain is acute and the risk is quantifiable.

What people are saying
  • compliance team is still doing a lot of exclusion screening manually
  • once you are dealing with a few thousand providers + vendors things get messy fast
  • We have had a couple close calls recently where someone slipped through longer than they should have
  • different spreadsheets & different people responsible so no real system
  • we have to clear 400 false positives because half the provider directory shares the same three last names
  • Feels like a ticking clock sometimes