Medicaid, Medicare and Overpayment - Health Care Compliance Brief

Retrieving Billions in Overpayments by CMS

Healthcare IT Today

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Amid swirling accusations that Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) are overbilling the U.S. government and calls for better oversight , the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced in early February that it would investigate overbilling by those plans. How can such overpayments be uncovered?

Overpayments

Overpayments Overpayment COVID-19 Medicare

CMS Issues Long-Awaited Medicare Advantage RADV Final Rule

Healthcare Law Blog

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

On January 30, 2023 , the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the long-delayed final rule on risk adjustment data validation (“RADV”) audits of Medicare Advantage (“MA”) organizations (the “Final Rule”). One thing that is certain, CMS can expect further challenges to its RADV audit methodology.

Medicare

Medicare Advantage Overpayments: Are You Ready for RADV Audits?

Innovaare Compliance

DECEMBER 14, 2023

In recent news, the healthcare industry has been abuzz with significant developments that carry vital lessons for Medicare Advantage plans, particularly in the areas of compliance and risk assessment. CMS’s Role and the RADV Audits Program Medicare Advantage overpayments have become alarmingly problematic in the private payer program.

Overpayment

CMS’s Final Rule on Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Data Validation

Health Law Advisor

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

On February 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule outlining its audit methodology and related policies for its Medicare Advantage (MA) Risk Adjustment Data Validation (RADV) program. The final rule codifies long-awaited regulations first proposed by CMS in 2018.

Medicare

New York Medicaid Providers Now Have Two Pathways to Self-Disclose Overpayments to the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General

Healthcare Law Blog

AUGUST 25, 2023

On August 21, 2023, the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) announced updates to the Medicaid overpayment self-disclosure program, which now includes an abbreviated process for reporting and explaining overpayments that are considered routine or transactional in nature and have been already voided and adjusted.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments Medicaid Medicaid

CMS To Relax Medicare 60-Day Overpayment Rule

The Health Law Firm

FEBRUARY 15, 2016

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health On February 11, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule which eased requirements for health care providers to return overpayments within 60 days to avoid False Claims Act (FCA) liability. Indest III, J.D.,

Overpayment

The Supreme Court Denies Petition Challenging CMS’s Overpayment Rule

Health Care Law Brief

JUNE 26, 2022

With this denial, the Overpayment Rule remains in full force and effect, and UnitedHealthcare, among other MA plans, must comply or potentially face False Claims Act (FCA) liability. Congress also required CMS to use the “same methodology” to calculate the costliness of insuring a beneficiary in the MA program and in FFS Medicare.

Overpayment

Will CMS’s Proposed Rule on “Identified Overpayments” Increase Reverse FCA Cases?

Healthcare Law Today

JANUARY 2, 2023

As written, the proposed rule would remove the existing “reasonable diligence” standard for identification of overpayments, and add the “knowing” and “knowingly” FCA definition. And, a provider is required to refund overpayments it is obliged to refund within 60 days of such identified overpayment.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments ACA Medicare

CMS Proposes to Drastically Change Overpayment Refund Rule

Hall Render

JANUARY 12, 2023

On December 27, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published a proposed rule that could potentially have a significant impact on enrollees’ obligations under the “60-day” overpayment rule. It is not until after this six-month investigation period that the 60 days to report starts to run.

Overpayment

Healthcare Professionals: You Must Challenge Overpayment Demands from Medicare and Medicaid Audits

The Health Law Firm

JANUARY 30, 2020

We have gotten calls from healthcare professionals, including physicians, dentists, pharmacists, mental health counselors, and assisted living facilities (ALFs) who have been placed on prepayment review after failing to challenge Medicare or Medicaid audit results. Some providers are even forced out of business as a result.

Medicaid

Medicaid Medicaid Overpayments Overpayment

Posthospital SNF Care in Indiana Generally Met Medicare Level-of-Care Requirements

Healthcare Compliance Blog

APRIL 14, 2022

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) released their findings of an audit they conducted to determine if hospital admissions of Indiana skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid (dually eligible beneficiaries) were potentially avoidable, and if level-of-care requirements for Medicare were met.

Medicare

CMS Publishes RADV Audit Methodology and Intent to Recover Overpayments

Hall Render

FEBRUARY 14, 2023

billion in overpayments from MAOs for payment years 2011 through 2017. billion in overpayments from MAOs for payment years 2011 through 2017. Further, CMS estimates that beginning with payment year 2018, it will identify approximately $479 million per audit year in overpayments to MAOs.

Overpayment

2024 Final Rule: CMS Announces More Changes to Medicare Advantage but Declines to Reform the “60 Day Rule”

Health Care Law Brief

APRIL 12, 2023

On April 5, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the 2024 Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Benefit Programs Final Rule (“Final Rule”), which will be codified at 42 C.F.R. The SRFs include low-income subsidy, dual eligibility (meaning eligible for Medicare and Medicaid) and disability.

Medicare

Medicare Advantage 2024 Rate Announcement – Further Impacts to Risk Adjustment

Health Care Law Brief

APRIL 3, 2023

On Friday, March 31, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies ( Rate Announcement ). 1395w-23): Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) are paid a base rate by CMS. Risk Adjustment.

Medicare

Monitor Improper Payments for Part C and Part D with Medicare Audit and Monitoring Software

Innovaare Compliance

MARCH 1, 2022

The monthly premium for Medicare Part B rose 14.5%, from $148.50 By law, the Medicare Part B monthly premium must equal 25% of the estimated total Part B costs for enrollees age 65 and over. [1] By law, the Medicare Part B monthly premium must equal 25% of the estimated total Part B costs for enrollees age 65 and over. [1]

Medicare

Malnutrition Diagnosis Codes: The Compliance Danger You’re Not Taking Seriously Enough

McBrayer Law Blog

NOVEMBER 18, 2020

The estimated overpayment as a result of these coding errors is a reported $1 billion. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") also plans to implement review practices for malnutrition coding on a sample of inpatient claims.

Compliance

Compliance Overpayment Overpayments Medicare

Centene Reaches $166 Million Settlement With Texas Over Its Medicaid Drug Pricing

The Health Law Firm Blog

JANUARY 12, 2024

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The nation's largest Medicaid insurer, Centene, has agreed to pay $165.6 million to Texas to resolve claims that it overcharged the state’s Medicaid program for pharmacy services. By George F. Indest III, J.D., The deal was signed on July 11, 2022, but wasn’t publicly [.]

Medicaid

Medicaid Medicaid Overpayments Overpayment

AI Provider Anomaly Launches Tech to Predict Claims Denials with 97% Accuracy

HIT Consultant

AUGUST 22, 2022

Smart Response complements Anomaly’s planned suite of products powered by its AI claim prediction engine, including overpayment prediction, which enables payers to predict and prevent overpayments by learning from previously overpaid claims, and instant payments, which will enable providers to immediately get paid upon claim submission.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments Medicaid Medicaid

Medicare Advantage RADV Audit Final Rule Challenged in Court

Healthcare Law Blog

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the final rule on risk adjustment data validation (“RADV”) audits of Medicare Advantage (“MA”) organizations (the “Final Rule”) on January 30, 2023. MAOs will be required to remit improper payments identified during RADV audits in a manner specified by CMS.

Medicare

Medicare Medicare Overpayments Overpayment

Centene Reaches $166 Million Settlement With Texas Over Its Medicaid Drug Pricing

The Health Law Firm Blog

OCTOBER 18, 2022

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The nation's largest Medicaid insurer, Centene, has agreed to pay $165.6 million to Texas to resolve claims that it overcharged the state’s Medicaid program for pharmacy services. By George F. Indest III, J.D., The deal was signed on July 11, 2022, but wasn’t publicly [.].

Medicaid

Medicaid Medicaid Overpayments Overpayment

The Trebling Effect of (Some) False Claims Act Trials

Health Law RX

MARCH 30, 2023

Setting aside the incalculable impact that litigation can have on business operations, the statute itself anticipates repayment of the proven overpayment, treble damages, and exposure to a civil statutory penalty equal to a range between $13,508 and $27,018 per false claim. The defendants disagreed.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments Fraud Governance

Doctor Indicted in $1.3 Million Medicare Fraud Kickback Case Seeks Reinstatement of Medicare Billing Privileges

The Health Law Firm Blog

JUNE 10, 2023

million Medicare fraud scheme asked a New Jersey court to eliminate a bail condition. Indest III, J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2021, a doctor and his wife who had been indicted for their roles in a $1.3 The doctor argued that the [.]

Fraud

Fraud Medicare Medicare Doctors

Doctor Indicted in $1.3 Million Medicare Fraud Kickback Case Seeks Reinstatement of Medicare Billing Privileges

The Health Law Firm Blog

MARCH 16, 2022

million Medicare fraud scheme asked a New Jersey court to eliminate a bail condition. Indest III, J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2021, a doctor and his wife who had been indicted for their roles in a $1.3 The doctor argued that the.

Fraud

Fraud Medicare Medicare Doctors

Pennsylvania Man Excluded from All Federal Healthcare Programs for 22 Years

Healthcare Compliance Blog

JUNE 9, 2022

Between 2017 and 2019, the man, through a group of pain clinics he controlled, caused the submission of false claims for payment to Medicare. HHS-OIG will continue to work with the US Attorney’s Office to ensure the integrity of the Medicare Trust Fund.”. He is awaiting sentencing on those charges.

US Department of Health and Human Services

US Department of Health and Human Services Overpayments Overpayment Medicare

Navigating CMS UPIC Audits: A Guide for Healthcare Organizations

Compliancy Group

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

This is because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have ramped up their efforts to identify organizations that have improperly billed for medical services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created UPIC audits to identify and stop fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid.

Fraud

Fraud Compliance Medicare Medicare

Finding Success Amid Complexity: 3 Payer Strategies for Better Risk Adjustment Results

HIT Consultant

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

Increasingly rigorous oversight from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Office of the Inspector General (OIG) are calling for better diligence, planning and administrative oversight for effective risk adjustment. billion in overpayments to MA plans with this new audit methodology over the next ten years.

Overpayment

Florida Man Agrees to Plead Guilty in $110 Million Telemedicine Medicare Fraud Scheme

The Health Law Firm Blog

APRIL 15, 2024

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 16, 2024, a Parkland, Florida, man agreed to plead guilty to organizing a Medicare fraud scheme worth $110 million. By: George F. Indest III, J.D., The federal prosecution is taking place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Fraud

Fraud Medicare Medicare Telemedicine

Florida Man Agrees to Plead Guilty in $110 Million Telemedicine Medicare Fraud Scheme

The Health Law Firm Blog

MARCH 25, 2024

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On February 16, 2024, a Parkland, Florida, man agreed to plead guilty to organizing a Medicare fraud scheme worth $110 million. By: George F. Indest III, J.D., The federal prosecution is taking place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Fraud

Fraud Medicare Medicare Telemedicine

Conducting Internal Risk Adjustment Coding Audits

AIHC

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Medicare & the OIG are performing Risk Adjustment audits, are you? This was originally mandated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) back in 1997 and implemented in 2004. HealthAssurance, through CVS Health, disagreed with the OIG’s audit methodology and overpayment estimation methodology.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments Compliance Medicare

Office of Inspector General Work Plan 2015: A Provider's Overview-Part 1

The Health Law Firm

NOVEMBER 21, 2014

This Work Plan is the general overview of how the OIG intends to carry out its mission to make the Medicare and Medicaid programs run more smoothly and efficiently in the following year. A large part of what the OIG does is review and investigate Medicare claims for overpayment.

Overpayment

Supreme Court Rules Against HHS in Hospital Medicare Reimbursement Case

The Health Law Firm Blog

AUGUST 23, 2022

Supreme Court said the federal government improperly cut more than $1 billion a year in Medicare reimbursements to hospitals. Indest III, J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On June 15, 2022, the U.S. This came in a ruling that limits regulators’ power to control what the program pays for certain [.].

Medicare

Medicare Medicare Hospitals Governance

Medicare Revocation and the Collateral Damage It Can Cause Health Care Providers

The Health Law Firm Blog

JULY 26, 2023

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many healthcare professionals are unaware of the adverse long-term collateral effects of Medicare revocation or exclusion on their careers and future employment. By George F. Indest III, J.D.,

Medicare

Medicare Revocation and the Collateral Damage It Can Cause Health Care Providers

The Health Law Firm Blog

JUNE 27, 2023

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many healthcare professionals are unaware of the adverse long-term collateral effects of Medicare revocation or exclusion on their careers and future employment. By George F. Indest III, J.D.,

Medicare

Medicare Revocation and the Collateral Damage It Can Cause Health Care Providers

The Health Law Firm Blog

JUNE 9, 2023

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many healthcare professionals are unaware of the adverse long-term collateral effects of Medicare revocation or exclusion on their careers and future employment. By George F. Indest III, J.D.,

Medicare

Medicare Revocation and the Collateral Damage It Can Cause Health Care Providers

The Health Law Firm Blog

MAY 17, 2023

Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many healthcare professionals are unaware of the adverse long-term collateral effects of Medicare revocation or exclusion on their careers and future employment. By George F. Indest III, J.D.,

Medicare

Kmart Agrees to Pay $32.3 million to Settle Whistle Blower’s False Claims Act Suit

The Health Law Firm

FEBRUARY 20, 2018

The department store chain withheld certain information from Medicare Part D, Medicaid and Tricare, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said. Indest III, J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On December 22, 2017, Kmart Corporation agreed to pay $32.3 The Whistle Blower False Claims Act (FCA) Suit.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments Medicaid Medicaid

The Power of a Quality Review: Your Best Defense Against OIG Audits

Healthcare IT Today

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

As proof, several health plans have been making headlines for coding errors and other issues that surfaced during audits: In just the third quarter of 2022, at least four audits have specifically targeted Medicare Advantage plans. The New York Times claimed eight of the 10 largest Medicare Advantage insurers had padded their bills.

Medicare

Medicare Medicare Overpayments Overpayment

Steps to Take If You Receive an OIG Subpoena from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

The Health Law Firm Blog

JANUARY 8, 2024

This agency investigates allegations of fraud, waste, and abuse of Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded healthcare programs. [.] Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issues investigative subpoenas through the Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

Fraud

Fraud Medicaid Medicaid Medicare

OIG Posts False Claims Act Settlements for FY 2022 Q1–Q4 on the Risk Spectrum

Med-Net Compliance

OCTOBER 21, 2022

Issue: Providers must ensure that the claims they submit to Medicare and Medicaid are true and accurate. If a provider identifies billing mistakes in the course of those audits, the provider must repay overpayments to Medicare and Medicaid within 60 days to avoid False Claims Act liability.

Fraud

Fraud Compliance Medicare Medicare

OIG Revises Self-Disclosure Protocol

Florida Health Care Law Firm

DECEMBER 2, 2021

The OIG clarified that using the SDP may mitigate potential exposure under Medicare and Medicaid 60-day reporting and returning requirements for overpayments. Any overpayment retained after this period may create liability under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law and the False Claims Act.

Overpayment

Overpayment Overpayments Fraud Medicare

Closing Care Gaps Through Prospective Risk Adjustment

HIT Consultant

MARCH 20, 2024

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) estimated that for payment year 2018 alone , it will recover $428.4 To address these concerns and other matters, CMS announced significant regulatory changes to the Medicare Advantage (MA) program beginning in 2024. million (net) and $4.7

Overpayment