The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report entitled “Medicare Program Integrity: Increased Oversight and Guidance Could Improve Effectiveness and Efficiency of Postpayment Claims Reviews."  In the report, the GAO assesses CMS policies and procedures to prevent certain Medicare contractors (Medicare Administrative Contractors, Zone Program Integrity Contractors, Recovery Auditors, and the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing contractor) from conducting duplicative postpayment claims reviews. According to the GAO, while CMS has taken steps to avoid duplicative reviews, the agency “neither has reliable data nor provides sufficient oversight and guidance to measure and fully prevent duplication.” Since ineffective requirements and lack of oversight in this area create “an unnecessary administrative and financial burden for Medicare-participating providers and the Medicare program,” the GAO recommends that CMS provide additional oversight and guidance regarding contractor claims review data collection, duplicative reviews, and contractor correspondence with providers.