In This Issue:

- Fiscal Cliff Deal Lengthens Medicare Overpayment Recovery Period

- Cutting Medicaid Provider Tax May Shift Costs to States, CRS Finds

- MedPAC Finalizes Payment Recommendations, GAO Solicits Commissioner Nominations

- President Obama Signs SMART Act

- CDC Says Flu Levels 'Elevated in Most of the U.S.

- White House to Lose Key Health Advisor

- Excerpt from Fiscal Cliff Deal Lengthens Medicare Overpayment Recovery Period:

The American Taxpayer Relief Act includes a little-noticed provision that increased the government’s overpayment recovery period from three years to five years. The provision is expected to save $500 million in previously uncollected overpayments and will be used to partially offset the Medicare physician payment “doc fix.” CMS has not released guidance on the provision, but Recovery Audit Contractors are expected to be instructed to go back five years when reviewing potential overpayments. The provision is based on recommendations from the Office of Inspector General (OIG).