The Five Levels of The Medicare Appeal Process

medicare appeals pricess

medicare appeals pricessBy: Zach Simpson

There might be times when Medicare denies coverage for an item, service, or test that you or your company provided. In the event this occurs you have the right to formally disagree wit the decision and encourage Medicare to change it. Therefore, understanding the appeals process for Medicare claims is vital for all providers. The aim of this article is to give providers a better understanding of the five (5) levels of the Medicare Appeal process, and what must occur at each level.

The Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) has five levels in the claims appeal process:

Level 1 – Redetermination by a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC)

Level 2 – Reconsideration by a Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC)

Level 3 – Disposition by Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA)

Level 4 – Review by the Medicare Appeals Council (Council)

Level 5 – Judicial review in U.S. District CourtContinue reading

CERT Review and Top Five Medicare Documentation Errors

By: Matthew Fischer

In CMS’ latest “MLN Connects” newsletter, the agency discusses the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program and the top five documentation errors committed by providers.  Providers should pay close attention when CMS releases these types of notices.  If selected for CERT review, providers are subject to potential action such as post-payment denials, payment adjustments, or other actions depending on the results of the review.  Therefore, providers should ensure they fully understand Medicare’s documentation requirements and how to meet these demands. Continue reading

Medicare Enforcement by Civil Monetary Penalty: A Guide for Medicare Plan Sponsors

medicare civil monetary penaltyBy: Matthew Fischer

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contracts with private companies also known as sponsors to provide Medicare services and benefits under Parts C and D. However, when a sponsor fails to comply with program and/or contract requirements, sponsors are subject to a wide range of enforcement action by CMS. Enforcement and contract actions available to CMS include intermediate type sanctions (i.e., suspension of payment, marketing or enrollment), termination, and most notably, civil monetary penalties (CMPs). Historically, the majority of enforcement action taken involve the imposition of CMPs. Thus, plan sponsors are strongly encouraged to adopt an aggressive compliance plan that includes mock periodic audits in order to prevent potential deficiency findings by CMS.Continue reading