For doulas, independent PTs and OTs, lactation consultants, midwives, peer mentors, support-group leaders, and content-creating nurses with their own practices: how the partnership program works, who qualifies, and the legal lines we’re careful about.
The Care Team Partner program is for independent practitioners — doulas, private-practice PTs and OTs, lactation consultants, midwives, peer mentors, support-group leaders, and independent content-creating nurses — who recommend recovery clothing to their clients. Partners earn 10% commission on every sale through their personal code, get a 15% discount code for their clients, and receive a free sample kit. Hospital-employed nurses cannot receive commissions (federal Anti-Kickback Statute) and instead get free educational materials. Below: who qualifies, how to apply, what the program does and doesn’t cover.
Why we built this
The first time someone going through cancer treatment, dialysis, or post-mastectomy recovery is told about recovery clothing, it’s usually from someone they trust — a doula, a private-practice nurse, a peer mentor, a support-group leader. Those independent practitioners are the people patients actually listen to. We wanted a clean way to compensate them for that work without crossing any of the legal lines that govern healthcare referrals.
The result is the Care Team Partner program. It’s modeled on professional referral programs in adjacent industries, scoped to be compatible with US healthcare law, and designed to be low-friction for the practitioner.
Who qualifies — and who doesn’t
Independent practitioners (private practice or self-employed)
Doulas, midwives, certified lactation consultants, private-practice physical therapists and occupational therapists, peer mentors, certified patient navigators, recovery doulas, postpartum doulas, faith-community care leaders, independent patient advocates, and content-creating nurses or RNs running their own businesses (not employed by a hospital or healthcare system).
Hospital-employed nurses, social workers, and clinical staff
Per the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (42 USC § 1320a-7b), people who participate in patient-care decisions while employed by entities that bill federal health programs cannot receive payment for product referrals — including ours. We don’t push that line. Hospital-employed staff get a different version of the program: free printed care guides they can hand to patients, free recovery checklists for discharge packets, and access to bulk-order pricing for the institution itself. No codes, no commissions, no tracking.
— HHS Office of Inspector General on the Anti-Kickback Statute
What partners get
| Item | Independent partner | Hospital-employed staff |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on sales | 10% per closed sale | None (legal) |
| Client discount code | 15% off (their personal code) | Not applicable |
| Sample kit | Free, 2-3 pieces from main collections | Available at bulk pricing for the institution |
| Recommended-by listing | Yes, optional, in our directory | Not applicable |
| Educational materials | Yes — print and digital | Yes — print and digital, free, for patient handouts |
| Bulk order discount for clinic / hospital | Available | Available |
| Co-branded content | Optional, case-by-case | Available for institutional partnerships |
What partners actually do
Recommend recovery clothing in a real client conversation
A doula working with a client preparing for a Cesarean might recommend front-closing recovery tops. A private-practice PT working with a hip-replacement patient might recommend tearaway pants. A breast cancer peer mentor might recommend the mastectomy recovery PJ set as part of a “what to pack” conversation. The recommendation comes naturally in the course of the consultation; the partner shares their personal code or links to a curated page; the client buys what they want when they want.
Mention products in published content
Independent nurses, doulas, and PTs who post on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube can mention specific products with their affiliate code. Standard disclosure rules apply (FTC’s social-media influencer disclosure guide): #ad or “I’m an Inspired Comforts partner” in the caption. We provide example language.
What partners do NOT do
The legal architecture
Three federal laws shape this program:
- The Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). Federal law. Prohibits paying someone to induce referrals for items or services covered by federal healthcare programs. Why we don’t pay hospital-employed staff. OIG explainer.
- The Stark Law (Physician Self-Referral Law). Prohibits physician self-referral specifically. Mostly relevant to physicians, not the practitioner types we partner with — but a reason we don’t recruit physicians directly. CMS overview.
- FTC disclosure rules. Apply to all affiliate-marketing relationships, including this one. Partners disclose the relationship in any public-facing content. FTC guide.
If you’re an independent practitioner and you’re unsure whether you qualify under your specific employment arrangement, ask. We err on the side of caution — if there’s any chance your situation falls under AKS or Stark, we offer the educational-materials version of the program rather than commissions.
How to apply
- Visit /pages/care-team-partners and fill in the application form. Takes 5 minutes.
- We verify your independent-practitioner status. Usually 2-3 business days. We may ask for licensure, business registration, or similar documentation.
- You receive your partner kit: personal commission code, client 15%-off code, 2-3 sample products, optional partner badge for your website, and a one-page summary of what to disclose to clients.
- You start using the codes with clients in whatever way fits your practice. Track sales through the partner dashboard.
- Commissions are paid monthly via the payment method you choose at signup.
If you’re an independent practitioner
Apply to the Care Team Partner program. Most applications are reviewed within 2-3 business days. If you have questions before applying, email partners@inspiredcomforts.com.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- HHS Office of Inspector General — Anti-Kickback Statute and physician education
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — Physician Self-Referral (Stark Law)
- Federal Trade Commission — Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers
- Inspired Comforts internal partner program documentation.
