CMS Hospital Price Transparency Requirements

hospital price transparency

hospital price transparencyBy: Karina Gonzalez

On November 15, 2019 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule requiring hospitals to publicly disclose “standard charges, including payer-specific negotiated rates for items and services. Hospitals will be required to comply by January 1, 2021. The proposed rule is subject to 60 days of comment.

The final rule requires hospitals to make public in a machine-readable file online all standard charges (including gross charges, discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated charges) for all hospital items and services.  It requires hospitals to de-identify minimum and maximum negotiated charges for at least 300 “shoppable” services.Continue reading

Medicare Payment Suspension Basics and the Rebuttal Process

medicare prepayment reviewBy: Matt Fischer

Medicare payment suspension can place serious financial strain on a company’s operations.  As a result, many companies face the risk of closing its doors when a suspension is initiated.  Nevertheless, CMS is able to issue such suspensions by meeting a relatively low threshold.  Additionally, suspension decisions are not appealable leaving affected providers and suppliers with little options.  Therefore, it is important to understand the suspension process and how to counter if a notice of suspension is received.

CMS can suspend payments to providers and suppliers based on “reliable information” of any of the following: (1) fraud or misrepresentation; (2) when an overpayment exists but the amount has not yet been determined; (3) when reimbursement paid to a provider or supplier may be incorrect; or (4) when a provider or supplier fails to submit requested records needed to determine amounts due.  Suspensions are initiated by a request to CMS’ Office of Program Integrity by either law enforcement or a Medicare administrative contractor.  Continue reading