A lack of uniformity among hospital coders for developing conditions is a main reason for the "point of admission" errors, according to a Monday report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
Federal officials need to provide clearer guidance and offer a more streamlined protocol for providers willing to self-disclose Medicare overpayments, a leading long-term care group says.
July 10, 2012
Many nursing facilities are not compliant with federal regulations governing residents who take atypical antipsychotic medications, a federal review released Monday reveals.
The success rate of Medicare's volunteer force of fraud-detecting beneficiaries is declining, a government report finds.
June 20, 2012
A provider group is taking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to task for improperly using Medicare audits as a means of curtailing high-intensity therapy in skilled nursing facilities.
The vast majority of the medications used by people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid can find what they need through Medicare Part D formularies, a federal report finds.
June 11, 2012
Lawmakers again hammered the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Medicare program integrity contractors Friday. The latest salvos were fueled by an agency admission that additional mistakes had been made.
May 25, 2012
Medicare recovery audit contractors have not been diligent enough in collecting previously identified overpayments, a government investigation finds.
More communication is needed between Medicare and Medicaid's respective program integrity officials, a new report suggests.
Medicare's fee-for-service error rate for fiscal 2010 would have fallen if compliance contractors had successfully obtained better claims documentation, a federal report found.
February 10, 2012
Criminal background checks have not been found to significantly limit the quantity or quality of candidates for nursing home jobs, a top nursing home advocate says. A recent government survey of nursing home administrators paints an accurate picture of what once was forecast as a contentious issues, LeadingAge Director of Advocacy Information Barbara Gay told McKnight's Wednesday.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should penalize physicians and nursing homes that continue to inappropriately prescribe and administer antipsychotic medications to dementia residents, regulators urged Wednesday.
Agreements that would let a medical supply company become an exclusive supplier to a county-run skilled nursing facility would likely violate anti-kickback statues, the Office of the Inspector General said in an advisory opinion posted Thursday.
July 22, 2011
A new federal audit has found that Medicare spending on nursing home hospice patients increased by 69% over four years. Now, regulators are recommending a reduction in payment levels for nursing home-based hospice patients.
July 18, 2011
Nursing homes that collect daily Medicare Part B payments that are more than three times the national average should be closely monitored for possible fraud and abuse, according to a new Office of the Inspector General report that was issued Friday.
