United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2002-05-28 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GAO-02-778T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-778T P0b002ee180381f8c f:d02778t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-778T machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-778T GAO-02-778T Billing procedures Erroneous payments Errors Health care costs Health care programs Health care services Overpayments Claims processing Medicare Program Testimony A03432 In its audit for year 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General found that $12.1 billion was improperly paid to Medicare providers. GAO's February report (GAO-02-249) showed that physicians often do not receive complete, accurate, clear, or timely guidance on Medicare billing and payment policies. At the carriers studied, GAO found significant shortcomings in printed material, web sites, and telephone help lines used to provide information and respond to physicians' questions. GAO concluded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) needed to initiate a more centralized and coordinated approach, and provide technical assistance to carriers, to improve provider communications. In fiscal year 2001, CMS revised its policy on conducting medical reviews. The policy directs carriers to differentiate among levels of billing problems and tailor corrective actions accordingly. As a result of this and other medical review modifications, the highest overpayment amounts assessed a physician practice by a carrier dropped substantially. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-778T/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-778T.htm GAO-02-778T https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-02-778T Testimony GAO-02-778T; Medicare: Using Education and Claims Scrutiny to Minimize Physician Billing Errors; Billing procedures Erroneous payments Errors Health care costs Health care programs Health care services Overpayments Claims processing Medicare Program