Update: CMS delays RAC permanent program
By now you know that CMS announced a delay in the Medicare RAC permanent program. But what you may not yet know is that the delay is a result of protests filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) by two unsuccessful RAC program bidders (PRG-Schultz USA, Inc., and Viant, Inc.).
The GAO has up to 100 days to make a decision regarding the protests. It has scheduled February 9, 2009 protest hearing for Viant and a February 11 hearing for PRG-Schultz USA, according to the GAO Web site. In the meantime, CMS has announced a delay for all educational and outreach programs scheduled through December.
Despite the delay in the process, Joseph Zebrowitz, MD, executive vice president of Executive Health Resources in Newtown Square, PA, warns facilities not to change anything in terms of preparing for a RAC visit. "Basically, this is infighting amongst CMS potential contractors who are upset that they were not awarded the RAC contract," Zebrowitz says. "[CMS] just can not start when the contractors are in doubt. Once they resolve these complaints, they will start up."
For more information, visit the CMS Web site.
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Even though the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently stopped work under the permanent Medicare recovery audit contactor (RAC) awards, CMS recently updated some of the FAQs for the Medicare RAC program. See the Medicare Update weblog’s posts at http://tinyurl.com/5mhxq9 and http://tinyurl.com/6ofz9v.
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