Government
CMS finalizes revised Medicare appeals process
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 21, 2009
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Dec. 9 published two final rules changing the appeals procedures for the Medicare program.
The first rule finalizes provisions of a March 8, 2005, interim final rule that regulates all levels of the Medicare fee-for-service appeals process. The second rule establishes formalized procedures for Medicare Part D appeals at the administrative law judge and Medicare Appeals Council levels in an effort to ensure that beneficiary appeal rights are protected consistently.
The second final rule includes most of the provisions of a March 17, 2008, proposed rule with some revisions, including: establishing a 10-day expedited review process at the administrative law judge and council levels; requiring an appeal be remanded to the Part D Independent Review Entity; and specifying that judges will review appeals as if they were new cases.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/12/21/gvbf1221.htm.
