Effective March 25, 2011: Implementation of Provider Screening and Risk Based Categories for Provider/Supplier Enrollment

It is the continuing goal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse through all available avenues. The Affordable Care Act requires CMS to determine the level of screening to be conducted during provider and supplier enrollment based on the level of risk posed to the Medicare system. With the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, we have the increased ability to focus our efforts on prevention, rather than simply acting after the fact. The use of risk categories and associated screening levels will help ensure that only legitimate providers and suppliers are enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP, and that only legitimate claims are paid.

Effective Friday, March 25, 2011, newly-enrolling and revalidating providers and suppliers will be placed in one of three screening categories – limited, moderate, or high. These categories represent the level of risk for fraud, waste, and abuse to the Medicare program for the particular category of provider/supplier, and determine the degree of screening to be performed by the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) processing the enrollment application.  For more information please click here:  CMS Please refer to the regulation published to the Federal Register

DJO Global Orthotic Fitter Course

DJO Global is proud to announce the April 11-14, 2011 DJO: Orthotic Fitter Course. This course is an ABC and BOC approved entry-level educational course for any practitioner wishing to become a Certified Orthotic Fitter (COF). This course provides a wonderful balance between lecture and laboratory experiences. Anatomy, physiology of injury, and symptoms requiring brace usage are discussed during lecture, while the laboratory sessions provide attendees hands-on experience fitting, donning and doffing various orthopedic braces.
Don’t miss your opportunity to increase your knowledge base and become one step closer to becoming a Certified Orthotic Fitter. Feel free to extend an invitation to all of your accounts as an opportunity for their employees to become a COF. For more information and registration form, please click here OrthoticFitterCourseBrochure

New Tools to Fight Fraud, Strengthen Medicare and Protect Taxpayer Dollars

The Affordable Care Act improves and expands consumer protections, strengthens Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and reduces health care costs. One important way it achieves these goals is by improving government-wide efforts to fight fraud, waste and abuse. The new law contains some critical new tools to improve and enhance the Administration’s efforts to prevent and detect fraud, and crack down on individuals who attempt to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP as well as private insurance.  Please click here for more information:  New Tools to Fight Fraud

 

Lower Limb Orthoses – Coverage Criteria and Physician Documentation Requirements

A letter from Stacey V. Brennan, M.D., FAAFP Medical Director, DME MAC, Jurisdiction B to physicians.

Dear Physician,

Leg braces are covered by Medicare when they are required to support the limb and/or restrict or eliminate motion of a joint because of disease, injury, congenital condition, or orthopedic surgical procedure. Although elastic supports may be beneficial to treat certain conditions, they are not eligible for coverage under the Medicare statutory brace benefit. Also, brace-like items that are used solely for pressure reduction and/or wound healing—e.g., devices used for the treatment of foot ulcers—are not eligible for coverage under the brace benefit.  To view and download the rest of this letter, please click on the following link  LOWER LIMB ORTHOSES