Recovery Audit Contractor

[http://mailcenter.newmediagateway.com/healthport/files/flash_docs/public/0/RACProgramEvaluation.pdf The Recovery Audit Contractor] (RAC) program was created through the [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MMAUpdate/ Medicare Modernization Act of 2003] to identify and recover improper Medicare payments paid to healthcare providers in [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PrivateFeeforServicePlans/ fee-for-service Medicare] . In response to the passage of this bill, the [http://www.hhs.gov/ Department of Health and Human Services] (HHS), through its [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] (CMS) branch, began a demonstration program in 2005 for the states of California, New York, and Florida, which eventually expanded to Massachusetts and South Carolina before ending in March 2007. HHS is required by law to make the program permanent for all states by January 1, 2010. In Section 306 of the [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MMAUpdate/ Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003] (MMA), Congress directed the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to conduct a 3-year demonstration program using Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) to detect and correct improper payments in the Medicare FFS program. These contractors performed the actual work of reviewing, auditing, and identifying improper Medicare payments during the demonstration program and through March 2008, recovered nearly [http://mailcenter.newmediagateway.com/healthport/files/flash_docs/public/0/RAC_press_release.pdf $693.6M] on behalf of CMS.

External links

* [http://mailcenter.newmediagateway.com/healthport/files/flash_docs/public/0/RACProgramEvaluation.pdf The Recovery Audit Contractor Program]
* [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MMAUpdate/ Medicare Modernization Act of 2003]
* [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PrivateFeeforServicePlans/ Fee-for-service Medicare]
* [http://www.hhs.gov/ Department of Health and Human Services]
* [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services]
* [http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MMAUpdate/ Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003]
* [http://mailcenter.newmediagateway.com/healthport/files/flash_docs/public/0/RAC_press_release.pdf $693.6M]
* [http://www.racpreparedness.com RAC Preparedness]