HHS has long admitted that the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and the Stark law have not evolved to keep pace with the transition to value based care. In June of 2018, HHS issued an RFI seeking additional information and HHS also issued a release on December 12, 2018 seeking input on improving care coordination and reducing
CMS Posts Open Payment Data – $7.52 Billion in 2015
CMS published the 2015 Open Payment Data on June 30, 2015. This is the link to the notice and the CMS site: https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/
CMS has presented tables in its press release showing the highest paid specialties and highest paying companies. Over the last two years, Novartis has paid approximately $842 million to 344,000 recipients, which…
CMS Finalizes 60-Day Overpayment Rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized the 60-day overpayment rule. I have attached the article I prepared for ACMS Legal Bulletin here.
Final 60 Day Overpayment Rule
CMS has issued the final regulations to implement that section of the Affordable Care Act amending the Social Security Act to provide that retention of identified overpayment could be a false claim and be subject to both the False Claims Act (FCA) and the Civil Money Penalty Act (CMP).
ACA § 6402(a) established new Social…
CMS Proposes New Stark Law Exceptions
Mike Cassidy was published in this month’s ACMS Bulletin. Find the article here.
CMS Stark Proposals Allow “Holdover” Arrangements and Signature Window
In July 2015, CMS released proposals to provide several new Stark Law exceptions and to clarify issues regarding existing exceptions. The full text of these proposal and CMS comments and explanations is available at:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-07-15/pdf/2015-16875.pdf
Perhaps the most noteworthy of the lesser proposals were clarifications that:
- “hold over arrangements” are permitted to satisfy the
…
CMS Limits Scope of Review for MACs
CMS issued a special edition MLN Matters meant to be effective August 1, 2015. The guidance reflects CMS instructions to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and Qualified Independent Contractors (QICs) regarding the scope of review for redeterminations and reconsiderations of certain claims.
CMS acknowledges its concern that MACs and QICs were using their discretion to conduct…
CMS Clarifies Written Agreement Requirement
CMS has acknowledged that arrangements among providers to satisfy the Stark exceptions need not be created in a single document. Although a single written document memorializing the key facts of an arrangement could provide the surest and most straightforward means of establishing compliance with the applicable exception, there is no requirement under the physician self-referral…
CMS Proposes New Stark Exceptions: Timeshare Lease
In July 2015, CMS released proposals to provide several new Stark Law exceptions and to clarify issues regarding existing exceptions. Over the next few days, I will post comment on what I consider the most significant new exceptions and clarifications. The full text of these proposal and CMS comments and explanations is available at:
CMS Proposes New Stark Exception: Recruitment of Non-Physician Practitioners
In July 2015, CMS released proposals to provide several new Stark Law exceptions and to clarify issues regarding existing exceptions. Over the next few days, I will post comments on what I consider the most significant new exceptions and clarifications. The full text of these proposals and CMS comments and explanations are available at: