Medicaid audits the focus of new website

Providers and other stakeholders can learn more than ever about states’ Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) programs thanks to a new website launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The RAC program was created to recover improper payments and also identify underpayments. Medicaid is the No. 1 payer of nursing home services in the United States.

State plan amendments to their respective RAC programs have been received from every U.S. state and territory, except Washington, D.C., according to the Bureau of National Affairs. CMS has granted amendment exceptions to Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, Kansas, South Dakota and Washington, as well as Puerto Rico and three U.S. territories. A handful of states, territories and Puerto Rico have asked to be released from some or all stipulations of the Medicaid RAC program, BNA noted.

An original implementation date of April 1 for the Medicaid RAC programs has been put off until the release of the final rule, officials said. For more, see the proposed Medicaid RAC rule or the Medicaid RAC website.