Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
PROGRAM MEMO ROUNDUP
The interest rate for Medicare overpayments has sunk to 10.75 percent, the lowest level in years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services declared in a Feb. 11 program memorandum (AB-03-019; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/AB03019.pdf). That’s down from the 11.25-percent rate that held from last November to early 2003, and the 12.625 percent of a year ago. The new rate went into effect Feb. 11.
In other recent program memoranda, CMS:
• corrects claims processing policies for medical nutrition therapy provided to beneficiaries with diabetes or renal disease (A-03-009; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/A03009.pdf);
• issues a series of instructions on the Provider Enrollment Chain Ownership System (B-03-013; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/B03013.pdf, B-03-014; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/B03014.pdf, B-03-015; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/B03015.pdf and B-03-016; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/B03016.pdf);
• implements the National Drug Code for processing claims for prescription drugs at durable medical equipment regional carriers (B-03-012;http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/B03012.pdf);
• clarifies earlier contractor instructions relating to the single drug pricer (AB-03-014; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/AB03014.pdf);
• schedules release dates for certain software programs and pricing/coding files (AB-03-017; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/AB03017.pdf); and
• answers contractor questions relating to the common working file (AB-03-016; http://cms.hhs.gov/manuals/pm_trans/AB03016.pdf).
Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
- Reimbursement:
PHYSICIANS SCORE BIG IN OMNIBUS BILL
Physicians will get a 1.6-percent pay increase from Medicare, rather than a 4.4-percent decrease, under [...] - Home Health:
HOPE FOR 2003 RELIEF DIES WITH SENATE PROVISION
Despite the vocal support of many members of Congress, it appears there will be no [...] - Physicians:
FEE SCHEDULE HEADACHES ABOUND
This summer, Medicare carriers will be doling out checks to physicians whose January and February [...] - HIPAA:
CMS UNVEILS LONG-AWAITED HIPAA SECURITY RULE
After months of delays, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Feb. 13 finally unveiled [...] - False Claims Act:
CONTRACTORS DON'T HOLD THE BAG FOR PROVIDER FALSE CLAIMS
Whistleblowers can’t sic the False Claims Act on Medicare contractors simply for approving payments that [...] - Advisory Opinions:
CMS POLICY TRUMPS STRICT ANTI-KICKBACK ANALYSIS
A recent issuance from the HHS Office of Inspector General illustrates that the anti-kickback statute [...] - Advisory Opinions:
OIG NIXES COPAY SUBSIDY
Drugmakers can’t use Medicare to subsidize patient assistance programs for financially needy beneficiaries, the HHS [...] - Enforcement:
NORTHWESTERN CLOSES BOOK ON RESEARCH GRANT QUI TAM
An ex-employee of Northwestern University will collect more than $900,000 of a False Claims Act [...] - Medicaid:
IMD BILLING CAN STILL VEX STATES
Texas and California are the focus of the HHS Office of Inspector General’s latest reckonings [...] - Long-Term Care:
STAFFING, NOT POLICING, KEY ON ELDER ABUSE, SAYS AHCA
Legislation to decrease abuse of the elderly would be better if it focused on the [...] - Reimbursement:
CMS EXPANDS BAD DEBT PAYMENT CUT
A 30-percent cut to bad debt reimbursement would apply to all eligible providers — not [...] - SCHIP:
SCHIP ENROLLMENT RISES
During fiscal year 2002, 5.3 million children were enrolled in the State Children’s Health Insurance [...] - Enforcement:
MSP BLUES
The Department of Justice Feb. 11 partially intervened in a whistleblower suit accusing Pittsburgh, PA-based [...] - BILL WATCH
The following Senate bills were introduced: S. 343. A bill to amend title XVIII of [...] - REGISTER WATCH
Who’s having difficulty accessing physicians? CMS wants to know. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid [...] - PROGRAM MEMO ROUNDUP
The interest rate for Medicare overpayments has sunk to 10.75 percent, the lowest level in [...]
