October 12, 2006—The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced an estimated $2 billion in savings resulting from aggressive, targeted fraud and abuse initiatives.
CMS credits its special products focusing on infusion therapy and services provided by independent diagnostic testing facilities (IDTFs), noting that it has made more than 980 Medicare fee-for-service program referrals to law enforcement authorities over the past two years. The agency has denied $163 million in charges for IDTFs, revoked the billing privileges of 83 IDTFs, and denied $445 million in claims for beneficiary sharing or “capping.”
CMS also announced the addition of four new Medicare Drug Integrity Contractors (MEDICs), which will implement new techniques for monitoring and analyzing data to identify fraud; work with consumer groups, law enforcement, and other partners to enforce Medicare’s rules; and offer basic tips for consumer protection.
To learn more, please visit CMS online.
—Cat Vasko
