Our government at its finest
By Mike Moran
Updated Wed May 20, 2009
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) published a report yesterday that questions the error rate for DME claims for fiscal year 2008. Each year, CMS's Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) contractor conducts medical reviews of a sample of DME claims to determine an error rate. For FY 2008, CMS contracted with Palmetto GBA to conduct an independent review of the error rate. The OIG based its report on Palmetto's findings.
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Here's what baffles me: The government has several contractors processing claims (the DME MACs); it has a second contractor (the CERT) reviewing their work to determine an error rate; it has a third contractor (Palmetto) reviewing the second contractor's work; and it has a fourth contractor (the OIG) reviewing all of their work.
This gives new meaning to bureaucracy.
Liz Beaulieu
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