CMS ANNOUNCES NEW DEMONSTRATIONS TO HELP CURB IMPROPER MEDICARE, MEDICAID PAYMENTS

In 2010, the President announced three goals for cutting improper payments by 2012: reducing overall payment errors by $50 billion, cutting the Medicare fee-for-service error rate in half, and recovering $2 billion in improper payments. To help achieve these goals, CMS has announced it will launch demonstration programs beginning in January 2012 targeting some of the most common factors that lead to improper payments; Recovery Audit Prepayment Review, Prior Authorization for Certain Medical Equipment and Part A to Part B Rebilling.