CMS forecasts a 50 percent reduction in the Medicare error rate by 2012 due to a renewed focus on fighting waste, fraud and abuse. The agency also has been beefing up training and education outreach to reduce errors.
Specifically, the rate, which covers Medicare fee-for-service payments, fell from $35.4 billion in 2009 to $34.3 billion in 2010. The error rate for Medicare Advantage payments also declined, from 15.4 percent in 2009 to 14.1 percent in 2010.
The 2010 Medicaid error rate was 9.4 percent, or $22.5 billion in estimated improper payments, reflecting a three-year average from 2008-2010. With only one-third of states reviewed each year, the yearly Medicaid error rates were 10.5 percent in 2008, 8.7 percent in 2009 and 9.0 percent in 2010.
CMS plans to report a composite error estimate for Part D beginning in FY 2011.
Read the CMS news release on improper Medicare payments.
Read more coverage about Medicare billing errors:
– 6 Steps to Minimize the Incidence of Billing Errors
– 10 Key Findings From Latest AHA Survey on Recovery Audit Contractors
– Georgia’s WellStar Health Systems Settles Medicaid Billing Investigation for $2.7M
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