Seeking to “eliminate any confusion,” the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has formally withdrawn proposed civil money penalty (CMP) and anti-kickback (AKS) safe harbor regulations that it no longer intends to finalize. Specifically, the OIG is withdrawing: A 1994 proposed rule that would have codified the … Continue Reading
CMS has announced Medicare Part A and B beneficiary cost sharing amounts for 2017. With regard to Part A, the 2017 deductible for hospital inpatient admissions for the first 60 days of care will be $1,316, followed by $329 per day for days 61-90 and $658 per day for stays beyond the 90th day in … Continue Reading
CMS is putting health care providers on notice that it considers it “inappropriate” for providers to offer premium or cost-sharing assistance to Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries in order to “steer” the patient to an individual market plan “for a provider’s financial gain.” In a request for information to be published on August 23, 2016, CMS … Continue Reading
On November 16, 2016, CMS published Medicare Part A and B beneficiary cost sharing amounts for 2016. With regard to Part A, the 2016 deductible for hospital inpatient admissions for the first 60 days of care will be $1,288, followed by $322 per day for days 61-90 and $644 per day for stays beyond the … Continue Reading
CMS has released the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible and hospital and extended care services coinsurance amounts for 2015. Specifically, the 2015 Part A deductible for hospital inpatient admissions for the first 60 days of care will be $1,260, followed by $315 per day for days 61-90 and $630 per day for stays beyond … Continue Reading
The OIG has issued a report on Medicare beneficiary copayment costs for outpatient services provided at critical access hospitals (CAH). Beneficiaries who receive services at CAHs pay Medicare coinsurance amounts based on CAH charges, in contrast to patients at acute care hospitals who are responsible for coinsurance amounts based on outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) … Continue Reading
On September 19, 2014, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health & Human Services issued a Special Advisory Bulletin (SAB) in which it identified several potential regulatory risks to federal health care programs as the result of coupon programs used by drug manufacturers to reduce or eliminate patient copayments for brand-name drugs. In the SAB, the OIG explains that coupon program sponsors and pharmacies will risk the receipt of penalties if they do not take steps to actively prevent federal health care program beneficiaries from using the coupons. According to the OIG, these coupon programs qualify as examples of remuneration offered to consumers to encourage the purchase and use of specific items, and therefore implicate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute. In addition, a claim that includes items or services resulting from such a kickback violation would constitute a false or fraudulent claim under the False Claims Act.… Continue Reading
Today CMS published an interim final rule with comment period that requires qualified health plan (QHP) issuers to accept premium and cost-sharing payments made on behalf of enrollees by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, Indian tribes and organizations, and other federal and state government programs that provide premium and cost sharing support. This rulemaking was prompted by … Continue Reading
CMS published notices on October 30, 2013 announcing the 2014 Medicare inpatient hospital deductible and hospital and extended care services coinsurance amounts. The 2014 Part A deductible for hospital inpatient admissions for the first 60 days of care will be $1,216, followed by $304 per day for days 61-90 and $608 per day for stays … Continue Reading
