Partner Lawrence Vernaglia is speaking at the Maine Hospital Association’s (MHA) Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) Program on February 28, 2008 from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. in August, Maine.
The Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 established the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program as a demonstration program that utilizes private firms to examine physician, hospital, nursing home and other health care facility claims to find instances in which the government has overpaid providers. RACs are paid on a contingency fee basis, receiving a percentage (approximately 20 percent) of the improper payments they collect from providers. The RAC program has operated for nearly three years as a pilot program in Florida, New York and California and in fiscal year 2006, the RACs collected $69 million in overpayments. An additional $232 million was identified for collection but the final outcome has yet to be determined.
The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 made the RAC program permanent and authorized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand the program to all 50 states by 2010. Although the phase-in period of a nationwide RAC initiative must be completed by 2010, Maine is tentatively scheduled for RAC implementation during the spring and summer of 2008.
Please join us as we explore various issues surrounding the RAC program, including the reasoning behind the program, the demonstration results and issues identified during the pilot program and the key differences between the RAC demonstration program and the permanent program. The program will also provide insight on how best to prepare your facility.
For more information or to register, please visit MHA’s Web site.
