opinion
10 years is too long for a look-back
LETTER — Posted May 28, 2012
Regarding “Physicians fight ‘unworkable’ Medicare overpayment rule” (Article, April 30): It would be burdensome, expensive and essentially impossible for physicians to perform the suggested “10-year look-back.”
I agree with the American Medical Association that the three-year records review period is more reasonable.
However, any such regulation should carry a parallel clause which permits that unpaid, unbilled or underpaid services be corrected and new bills and underpayments, as well as overpayments, be accepted. This is already required in the recovery audit contractor program.
Edward Gordon, MD, North Salem, N.Y.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/05/28/edlt0528.htm.
Copyright © 2012 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
