On February 24, 2015, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its “Health Reform Oversight Plan” for FY 2015, which describes the OIG’s current and planned efforts to oversee the implementation and management of HHS programs under the ACA. The plan outlines the OIG’s key tactical considerations (e.g., assessing relative risks; monitoring
Other OIG Developments
CMS Made Payments to Providers with Delinquent Medicare Debts
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has issued a report on its findings that Medicare in some cases continued to make payments to physicians who have delinquent Medicare debts that have been referred to Treasury for collection. For instance, CMS paid a total of $10.7 million to 23 individual physicians who collectively owed CMS a total of $8.84 million.
OIG Reviews Oversight of Compounded Pharmaceuticals Used in Hospitals
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has issued another report examining the safety of compounded sterile preparations (CSPs) used in hospitals, in response to a 2012 meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated injections. This report, "Medicare’s Oversight of Compounded Pharmaceuticals Used in Hospitals," assesses the extent to which Medicare’s oversight of hospitals addresses 55 practices for CSP oversight in acute-care hospitals…
OIG Report: Medicare Payments for Power Mobility Device Claims that Did Not Meet Physician Face-To-Face Exam Rules
By Debra A. McCurdy on
As a condition of Medicare coverage for power mobility devices (PMDs), a physician must conduct and document a face-to-face examination of the beneficiary and write a prescription for the PMD. CMS established an optional Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code, G0372, for a physician to report the need for a PMD. Based on a review…
OIG Examines CMS Payments to Hospitals for Clinic Visits
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) estimates that CMS made $4.6 million in incorrect Medicare outpatient payments to hospitals for established patients’ clinic visits in 2012. According to the OIG, hospitals attributed the incorrect payments to staff making clerical and programming errors, not verifying whether the patient was registered as an inpatient or outpatient…
OIG Questions Potentially Duplicative Hospital Quality Improvement Efforts
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG recently issued a report that examined the extent to which Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) duplicate other CMS hospital quality improvement efforts, particularly Hospital Engagement Networks (HENs) and the Community-Based Care Transitions Program (CCTP). Based on a questionnaire sent to a random sample of 410 Medicare hospitals, more than half of responding hospitals reported…
OIG Responds to Hospital Compliance Review Objections
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has defended its hospital compliance review policies in response to objections raised by the American Hospital Association (AHA). Specifically, a January 15, 2015 OIG letter addresses four main areas of AHA concern about the OIG’s application of Medicare rules and policies: (1) the need for a physician order, (2) the treatment of canceled…
OIG Questions Incentives for Hospice Care in Assisted Living Facilities
By Debra A. McCurdy on
Today the OIG issued a report examining the growing use of Medicare hospice care in the assisted living facility (ALF) setting. According to the OIG, Medicare payments for hospice care in ALFs grew by more than 119% from 2007 to 2012, compared to a 38% increase in spending for hospice care provided in other…
OIG Examines Appropriateness of Medicare Ophthalmology Claims
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG recently assessed the appropriateness of claims submitted by providers for screening for, diagnosing, evaluating, or treating cataracts, wet age related macular degeneration (wet AMD), and glaucoma in 2012. The OIG estimates that Medicare paid $22 million for ophthalmology claims in 2012 that were potentially inappropriate, according to national and local coverage requirements, although…
OIG Report: Access to Care, Provider Availability in Medicaid Managed Care
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has issued a report entitled “Access to Care: Provider Availability in Medicaid Managed Care,” which found that more than half of Medicaid managed care providers could not offer appointments to Medicaid enrollees, and one third could not be found at the location listed by the plan. The OIG observed that there…
OIG Issues Fall 2014 Semiannual Report to Congress
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has issued its Semiannual Report to Congress for the period of April 1 – September 30, 2014, in which it highlights significant investigation, audit, and enforcement activities and achievements across HHS programs during the six-month period and for all of FY 2014. The OIG reports expected recoveries exceeding $4.9 billion during FY 2014…
OIG Faults Medicare Payment for HIV Drugs after Beneficiaries’ Death
By Debra A. McCurdy on
Based on a review of Prescription Drug Event (PDE) records for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drugs and other beneficiary records, the OIG determined that Medicare Part D paid for HIV drugs for over 150 deceased beneficiaries in 2012, most of which were dispensed by retail pharmacies. The OIG identified shortcomings in CMS claims edits…
OIG: Compendia Publishers Comply with Transparency Rules for Evaluating Anticancer Drugs, Identifying Potential Conflicts
By Debra A. McCurdy on
Under current law, Medicare Parts B and D cover anticancer drugs for indications not approved by the FDA only if the drugs are supported by one or more of four authorized compendia. Publishers of these compendia must comply with statutory requirements to maintain transparent processes for evaluating anticancer drug therapies and identifying potential conflicts of…
OIG Assesses Changes in Medicare Mail Order Diabetes Test Strips Market Share
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has released a report that examines the extent to which Medicare mail order market share for diabetes test strips changed after the start of national mail order competitive bidding for these items on July 1, 2013. According to the OIG, based on a sample of 1,210 claims, there was a somewhat greater concentration…
OIG Identifies Top HHS Management & Performance Challenges
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has released its compilation of “2014 Top Management & Performance Challenges,” highlighting the following 10 most significant management and performance challenges now facing HHS:
- Implementing, Operating, and Overseeing the Health Insurance Marketplaces
- Ensuring Appropriate Use of Prescription Drugs in Medicare and Medicaid
- Protecting an Expanding Medicaid Program from Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
…
HHS OIG Releases FY 2015 Work Plan
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The HHS OIG has posted its FY 2015 Work Plan, which summaries the audit, evaluation, and other legal and investigative initiatives that the OIG intends to conduct in the coming year. The OIG plans numerous reviews of CMS, FDA, and other HHS agency programs, with a particular focus on Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and…
Medicare Beneficiary Costs at Critical Access Hospitals
By Debra A. McCurdy on
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)…
OIG Calls for Cuts in Part B Drug Dispensing and Supplying Fees
By Debra A. McCurdy on
In a recent report, the OIG concluded that Medicare would have saved millions of dollars in 2011 if Medicare Part B prescription drug dispensing and supplying fees had been aligned with the rates paid by Medicare Part D plans or state Medicaid programs. Specifically, if Part B dispensing and supplying fees had been the same…
OIG Faults CMS Enforcement of Rural Health Clinic Location Criteria
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG continues to fault CMS for failing to issue final regulations – authorized by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) – to enforce the location requirements for rural health clinics (RHCs). By way of background, facilities can be designated as RHCs and qualify for enhanced Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement if they are:…
OIG Examines Varying State Standards for Access to Care in Medicaid Managed Care
By Debra A. McCurdy on
The OIG has issued a report evaluating state standards for access to care for Medicaid managed care program enrollees, an issue which the OIG notes has taken on heightened importance as enrollment in such programs grows. Based on a review of the 33 states with comprehensive, "full risk" Medicaid managed care, the OIG concluded…