Knowledge Base Article

As described in the Welcome to the PAR article, MMP Associates monitor websites monthly to identify new Medicare Fee-for-Service review targets and review results. Invariably, we will come across useful “Did You Know” information that we will be sharing in this monthly PAR Pro Tips article.

Pro Tip: MACs Post-Payment Reviews Expanded

In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), CMS put a halt to the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) Targeted Probe and Education (TPE) Program. In August 2020, CMS advised MACs to resume post-payment reviews with dates of service before March 2020. Most recently, CMS announced in the Thursday June 3, 2021 MLN Connects (link), that MACs can now begin conducting post-payment reviews for claims after March 2020.

Pro Tip: New April 2021 Medicare Quarterly Provider Compliance Newsletter

Also, in the June 3rd MLN Connects newsletter, CMS announced the release of the April 2021 Medicare Quarterly Provider Compliance Newsletter. Per the introduction of this newsletter, it aims to “help health care professionals to understand the latest findings identified by MACs and other contractors such as Recovery Auditors and the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) review contractor, in addition to other governmental organizations as the Office of Inspector General (OIG).” Two RAC Issues detailed in the newsletter includes acute care hospitals claims review

Recovery Auditor (RAC Issue 0067): Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Services: Medical Necessity and Documentation Requirements

RAC Issue 0067 (link) was approved by CMS for the RACs to review on September 1, 2018 for provider types Inpatient Hospital and Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF). The April newsletter includes a discussion of the problem, background information and guidance, and resources to assist providers in meeting medical necessity and documentation requirements for providing psychiatric services.

• Palmetto JJ, Palmetto JM, and WPS J5 are currently conducting post-payment reviews of MS-DRG 885 (Psychoses) claims,
• Six of the twelve MACs have published a Local Coverage Determination (LCD) and Local Coverage Article (LCA) specific to psychiatric services, and
• MS-DRG 885 claims have been a focus by the CERT review contractor since 2011. The annual improper payment rate reported by the CERT for this MS-DRG has been as high as 14.4% with the lowest rate being 2.9% in 2020.

Recovery Auditor (RAC Issue 0074): Drugs and Biologicals: Incorrect Units Billed (Single-Dose Vials)

RAC Issue 0067 RAC Issue 0074 (link) was approved by CMS for the RACs to review on December 21, 2017 for provider types Outpatient Hospital and Professional Services.

The RACs performed “complex reviews for single dose vials to assure compliance with Medicare policy. They reviewed claims to determine the actual amount administered and the correct number of billable/payable units.” You can find case examples in CMS’ newsletter.

Pro Tip: Q2 2021 Medicare Fee-for-Service Payments Integrity Scorecard

PaymentAccuracy.gov (link) is an official website of the U.S. government. This website is “a gateway to ensuring federal funds reach the right recipients, preventing improper payments, and reducing fraud, waste, and abuse.” You will find “Program Scorecards”, “The Numbers” and “Resources” on this website.

The most recent Medicare Fee-for-Service Scorecard available is Q2 2021 (link). The Scorecard shares three HHS accomplishments in Reducing Monetary Loss:

• HHS continued the process of adding two additional services (cervical fusion with disc removal and implanted spinal neurostimulator) to the Prior Authorization for Certain Hospital Outpatient Department Services Program effective July 1, 2021. You can read more about this in a related MMP article (link),
• HHS continued RAC and MAC post-payment reviews based on data analysis and the CERT findings, and
• HHS continued to use the Supplemental Medical Review Contractor (SMRC) to complete projects in relation to the Public Health Emergency, recent OIG reports, and CERT findings.

SMRC Project 01-043: DRG COVID 20% Add-On Payment

Specific to the PHE, the SMRC is conducting post-payment reviews of Medicare Part A COVID-19 inpatient claims with dates of service from April 1, 2020, through August 30, 2020. In general, in the inpatient setting, a diagnosis code documented at the time of discharge as being “possible”, “probable”, “suspected”, “likely”, “questionable”, or “still to be ruled out”, is coded as if the condition existed.

One exception to this guidance is coding for COVID-19. The ICD-10-CM Official Coding Guidelines (link) for COVID-19 advises coders to code only confirmed cases “as documented by the provider, documentation of a positive COVID-19 test, result, or a presumptive positive COVID-19 test result.”

While beyond the dates of service of the SMRC Project, it is worth noting that in August 2020, CMS revised MLN article SE20015 (link) by adding guidance “to address potential Medicare program integrity risks, effective with admissions occurring on or after September 1, 2020, claims eligible for the 20 percent increase in the MS-DRG weighting factor will also be required to have a positive COVID-19 laboratory test documented in the patient’s medical record. Positive tests must be demonstrated using only the results of viral testing (i.e., molecular or antigen), consistent with CDC guidelines. The test may be performed either during the hospital admission or prior to the hospital admission.”

One last reminder, the add-on payment for COVID-19 claims will end when the COVID-19 PHE ends. While the Biden Administration has indicated the PHE will likely be in place until December 31, 2021, the current PHE declaration will expire in July.