CMS has released data on Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) operations fiscal year 2012. Key findings included the following:

  • In FY 2012, Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) RACs collectively identified and corrected 1,272,297 claims for improper payments, which resulted in $2.4 billion in improper payments being corrected ($2.3 billion in overpayments/$109.4 million in underpayments). Subtracting fees, costs, and first level appeals, the Medicare FFS Recovery Audit Program returned over $1.9 billion to the Medicare trust funds.
  • The Part D RAC’s initial review focused on identifying improper payments for prescriptions written by excluded prescribers or filled by excluded pharmacies beginning with contract year 2007. Recoupment of approximately $2 million in overpayments began in the first quarter of FY 2013 for those plans identified in the Part D RAC’s initial audit review. The Part D RAC is continuing its review of excluded providers and pharmacies for contract years 2008 and 2009. In addition, CMS posted a notice on April 4, 2013, seeking potential contractors to perform Part C RAC activities.
  • As of September 30, 2012, 36 states had implemented Medicaid RAC programs, and other states are in various stages of preparation. For FY 2012, the states have recovered a total federal and state share combined amount of $95.64 million. CMS expects recoveries to increase as more states have fully operational State Medicaid RAC programs.

As previously reported, CMS has “paused” its RAC audits in preparation for the procurement of new RAC contracts and to “allow CMS to continue to refine and improve the Medicare Recovery Audit Program.”