As we have previously reported, RAC auditors are prohibited from investigating overpayments arising from any clinical or administrative issues that were not on the table during the 3-year RAC demonstration project. One by one, the collection agencies that hold RAC contracts have been adding to the list of issues, applying for and getting CMS approval for issues not addressed during the demonstration. From time to time, we will provide updated lists of approved issues. As you will see from this week’s list, RACs are not looking at home care yet.
Home care and hospice can breathe easy for a while, but only about this one issue. Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) are limited in the issues they can use to recoup funds from Medicare providers. It is important that all providers learn what those issues are and keep themselves updated as they change. Initially, RACs may […]
Recovery Audit Contractors (RAC) are expected to turn their attention to home health care providers sometime next year, looking for reasons to recoup PPS episode payments received as far back as October, 2007. If, as is anticipated once they get started, they use the same reasons Regional Home Health Intermediaries (RHHI), Qualified Independent Contractors (QIC) […]
This is the fourth and last in our series based on our July interview with NAHC attorney Denise Bonn and her presentation to the NAHC Financial Managers meeting.
Achieving and maintaining compliance has always been high on the goal statements of every legitimate home care agency. Today, compliance is quickly becoming a survival issue. To help readers sort through current challenges, we traveled to Boston to interview Denise Bonn, Deputy Director of NAHC’s Center for Healthcare law, and sit in on her comprehensive […]
The first component of the P-E-M approach for dealing with Recovery Audit Contractors is to prepare. Preparation for RACs includes conducting a baseline compliance audit to assess a hospice’s vulnerability and risk. It also includes getting ready for “RAC attacks” by making certain appropriate personnel are assigned key responsibilities essential to building a RAC infrastructure. This may already be in […]
