Medicare Reporting Requirements Changes

Scott Altes, Esq., Fennemore Craig, LLC, Phoenix AZ. Section 111 of the Medicare, Medicaid and S.C.H.I.P. Extension Act of 2007 establishes new reporting requirements which obligate payers (including insurers and self-insured entities) to report to Medicare certain settlements, judgments, awards, or other payments made to Medicare beneficiaries. The statute expressly provides for substantial monetary penalties for failure to report, and the implementation of these new requirements is already underway. The reporting requirements will have a significant impact on litigation and risk management for hospitals and other healthcare providers. Scott discusses the scope of these new reporting obligations and the procedures for reporting, as well as likely implications for hospitals and healthcare providers, and strategies for compliance and management of the reporting obligations.