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...more
On December 27, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule (Proposed Rule) which proposes certain policy and technical changes to Medicare regulations, including a notable change to the...more
This past week, the Supreme Court of the United States (Supreme Court) denied UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company’s (UnitedHealthcare) petition for a writ of certiorari (Petition) challenging, in part, the Centers for Medicare...more
On August 13, 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (“D.C. Circuit”), in a much-anticipated decision, unanimously reversed rulings by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia...more
Report on Medicare Compliance 29, no. 30 (August 24, 2020) - Mission Home Health of San Diego Inc. was overpaid $61,718 in 2015 and 2016, which was extrapolated to $5.9 million, according to the latest Medicare home health...more
Report on Medicare Compliance 29, no. 13 (April 6, 2020) - During the coronavirus pandemic, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) is “trying to minimize the burdens on providers,” said Christi Grimm, principal deputy...more
The Affordable Care Act requires any person who has received an overpayment from certain defined government health programs to report and return the overpayment within 60 days after the overpayment is identified. If an...more
On December 31, 2018, the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services issued a notice indicating that CMS was altering its prior audit guidance for Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) audits that had previously been...more
The 60-Day Overpayment Refund Rule (60-Day Rule) was enacted as Section 6402 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on March 23, 2010. ...more
A recent ruling by a federal district court could have a significant impact on how certain health insurers, specifically those providing coverage pursuant to Medicare Parts C (i.e., Medicare Advantage insurers) and D (i.e.,...more
The Situation: In 2016, several Medicare Advantage ("MA") organizations challenged a 2014 final rule promulgated by the Center for Medicare Services ("CMS") that broadly subjected MA organizations to potential liability under...more
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia handed down a major victory to Medicare Advantage issuers on September 7, 2018, vacating a 2014 CMS regulation relating to Medicare Advantage overpayments. ...more
In recent years, many Medicare providers who have received significant overpayment determinations from Medicare contractors have gone out of business while waiting to be heard before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) for a...more
The Department of Justice (DOJ) imposed False Claims Act penalties against First Coast Cardiovascular Institute (FCCI) for failing to work credit balances and repay overpayments to federal health care programs. On October 13,...more
On October 13, 2017, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced a settlement for over $440,000 with First Coast Cardiovascular Institute, P.A. (“First Coast”), a large cardiovascular physician...more
The False Claims Act has a scienter requirement: it makes it illegal to knowingly present a false claim to the government. So if a company innocently presents a false claim, it can’t be guilty of violating the Act, right?...more
If the summer of 2017 demonstrated anything, it is that health care remains a complex and contentious industry. One of its many complications stems from the natural tension between health care providers and health care...more
It has now been a number of years since the enactment of Section 6402(a) of the Affordable Care Act ("ACA"), which requires among other things that any recipient of a Medicare or Medicaid overpayment report and return it...more
Overpayments to healthcare providers receiving Medicare reimbursements are at risk of civil and criminal enforcement action if not attuned to a particular reimbursement rule and diligent in compliance with the rule’s...more
The 60-day repayment rule adopted as part of the Affordable Care Act is a very strong arrow in the quiver of federal enforcement agencies. Under the 60-day rule a known overpayment can become a False Claim if it is not repaid...more
We hear a lot about potential liability under the False Claims Act (FCA) for the failure to repay overpayments within 60 days of discovery. Focus on the 60-day rule has taken focus away from the potential for criminal charges...more
Bass, Berry & Sims is pleased to announce the release of its fifth annual Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Review 2016. The Review, compiled by the firm’s Healthcare Fraud Task Force, is an industry-leading guide to healthcare...more
How Fraud and Abuse Cases Arise in a Medical Practice - It is no secret many doctors work very long days. Some days are worse and some are better than others. As a compliance lawyer, my job is to attempt to prevent...more
Since I began writing this year-end review in 2013, there have been some common themes – a shift to pay for quality and away from fee-for service, much of which has been brought about by the Affordable Care Act (ACA): efforts...more
DOJ, NY AG REACH SETTLEMENT WITH HOSPITALS IN LANDMARK 60 - DAY RULE CASE - On August 24, 2016, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and the New York State attorney general announced a $2.95 million...more