On November 28, 2016, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued an unfavorable advisory opinion (No. 16-12) that addresses the permissibility, under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS), of a laboratory’s proposal to label test tubes and collect specimen containers at no cost to, and for
Program Integrity
CMS Publishes Interim Final Rule to Address Third-Party Payment of Insurance Premiums by Medicare-certified Dialysis Providers
By A. Xavier Baker & Troy A. Barsky on
On December 14, 2016, CMS issued an interim final rule with comment period to amend Medicare’s dialysis facility conditions for coverage to require certain disclosures to patients and health insurance issuers to address widespread concerns over inappropriate steerage of dialysis patients to individual market plans. After issuing an RFI about “inappropriate steering of people eligible…
CMS Renews Focus on Third-Party Payment of Insurance Premiums Steering Medicaid & Medicare Eligibles into Marketplace Plans
By A. Xavier Baker & Troy A. Barsky on
On August 18, 2016, CMS issued a request for information on “inappropriate steering of people eligible for Medicare or Medicaid into Marketplace plans” by third parties. CMS voiced concern over “anecdotal reports” that Medicaid or Medicare eligibles received premium and cost-sharing assistance from third parties so they could enroll in Marketplace plans, enabling providers to receive higher reimbursement rates. In November 2013, CMS had issued guidance discouraging third-party payment of premiums because it has the propensity to “skew the insurance risk pool and create an unlevel field in the Marketplaces.” Almost three years later, it appears that CMS has determined that more decisive action may be necessary.
In July, UnitedHealthcare filed suit against American Renal Associates LLC in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (complaint), alleging ARA violated Florida’s deceptive and unfair trade practices act, fraud, unjust enrichment, conspiracy, and other causes of action. The suit alleges that ARA coordinated with the American Kidney Foundation to pay premiums of low-income enrollees to switch from government health care programs to private insurance coverage. The suit alleges that by steering enrollees from Medicaid and Medicare to private insurance, ARA was able to increase billing from about $300 to $4,000 for the same services. The complaint also alleges that ARA did not collect copayments or deductibles from the enrollees after covering their premiums for private insurance and so committed negligent misrepresentation and tortious interference with a contract by misrepresenting the charges of claims submitted to UnitedHealthcare.Continue Reading CMS Renews Focus on Third-Party Payment of Insurance Premiums Steering Medicaid & Medicare Eligibles into Marketplace Plans
Medicaid Managed Care Final Rule: Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
By Troy A. Barsky & Roma Sharma on
Posted in Fraud, Waste & Abuse, Medicaid
The Medicaid Managed Care Final Rule aims to align Medicaid regulations with those of other health coverage programs, modernizing the post-Affordable Care Act healthcare landscape. Among other goals, the Final Rule seeks to bolster the transparency, accountability, and integrity of Medicaid managed care by imposing and clarifying requirements meant to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse. The rule finalizes a number of changes that address two types of program integrity risks: fraud committed by Medicaid managed care plans and fraud by network providers. It also tightens standards for managed care organization (MCO) submission of certified data, information, and documentation used for program integrity oversight by state and federal agencies.
First, the Final Rule places new responsibilities on both states and managed care plans. State Medicaid programs will now be required to screen and enroll all network providers that order, refer, or furnish services to beneficiaries under the state plan unless a network provider is otherwise enrolled with the state to provide services to fee-for-service (FFS) Medicaid beneficiaries.[1] This requirement, which will take effect in July 2018, may delay the growth of provider networks; to address this concern the Final Rule allows programs to execute network provider agreements pending the outcome of the screening process of up to 120 days. However, upon notification from the state that a provider’s enrollment has been denied or terminated, or the expiration of the 120 day period without enrollment, the plan must terminate the network provider immediately and notify affected enrollees. In addition, the Final Rule requires states to periodically, but no less frequently than once every 3 years, audit patient encounter data and financial reports for accuracy, truthfulness, and completeness. States must also post on their website or otherwise publicize a range of programmatic data, including the results of past audits and information related to entity contracts.[2]
Second, beginning July 2017, managed care plans will also have to submit and certify a range of data—including data related to rate setting, compliance with Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) standards, accessibility of services, and recoveries of overpayments—to their respective states. In order to comply with this requirement, the Final Rules permits the executive leadership of an MCO to delegate the certification to an employee who reports directly to the plan’s CEO or CFO.[3]Continue Reading Medicaid Managed Care Final Rule: Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
Medicaid Managed Care Final Rule: Regulatory Convergence in a Post-ACA World, Novelty, and Modernizing Medicaid Managed Care
By Crowell & Moring on
On May 6, 2016, CMS published the Medicaid managed care final rule in the Federal Register. The Final Rule overhauls Medicaid managed care for the first time in 14 years and tracks many of the industry-wide developments that followed enactment of the ACA. Given the breadth of the rule, Crowell & Moring is covering…