Waiving Retroactive Beneficiary Cost Sharing Due to Increases in Payment Under MIPPA

(07/29/2008)

Audiologists who billed Medicare using the recently enacted retroactive increases but collected the 20% co-pay from the Medicare beneficiary using the reduced Medicare rate will not have to seek the difference from their patients. The HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued a policy statement [PDF] that assures Medicare providers, practitioners, and suppliers affected by retroactive increases in payment rates under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008 that they will not be subject to OIG administrative sanctions if they waive retroactive beneficiary cost-sharing amounts attributable to those increased payment rates, subject to the conditions noted in the policy statement. For questions or further information, please contact reimbursement@asha.org.

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