CMS Issues Final “Overpayments” Rule for Medicare Parts A and B

Speaking of healthcare—providers, suppliers, and other stakeholders should take note that, last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its long-awaited final rule for reporting and returning overpayments under Medicare Parts A and B.

The rule defines “overpayments” to include any funds you receive or retain that you’re not entitled to after applicable reconciliation. The CMS published its rule for Medicare Parts C and D two years ago, and there’s no rule for Medicaid yet. With or without an administrative rule, however, you’re still subject to a statutory 60-day rule under the Affordable Care Act.

The rule confirms that you must report and return an overpayment within sixty days of the date on which you “identify” it or by the due date of any corresponding cost report, if applicable, whichever is later. After that, the overpayment becomes an obligation that you owe the government, and it triggers liability under the False Claims Act and the Civil Monetary Penalties Law, among other consequences.

The rule provides that you identify an overpayment when you either have or should have, through the exercise of reasonable diligence, both determined that you received an overpayment and been able to quantify its amount to a reasonable degree of certainty.

What’s reasonable diligence? The agency deems it to include both (1) reactive investigations by qualified individuals in response to credible information about a potential overpayment; and (2) proactive compliance activities by qualified individuals to screen for overpayments.

Once alerted to a potential overpayment, you have up to six months to complete your investigation, except in extraordinary circumstances; then the 60-day clock begins to run.

How far back do you need to look? The rule says six years, which is consistent with the base statute of limitations under the False Claims Act.

The rule goes into effect on March 14, 2016. You can read the text and extensive commentary for yourself here.