Medicare Audit Progress

Medicare Audit Progress

Sara Beck

5/1/2015

Goodafternoon List, I wanted toprovide a brief summary of the efforts and progress that has been madeconcerning Medicare audits.  As we allknow, audits are not getting better and will likely get worse once the RAC’scome back in full force.  However, I have seen a light of hope. On April 27, 2015, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) held a national hearingin Washington D.C.  This hearing was opento the public and the SBA welcomed all small businesses, and organizations representingsmall businesses, to attend and participate. Myself, and John Tyo of Syracuse Prosthetic Center, testified before theNational Ombudsman and a Regulatory Fairness Board (Board) for O & P.  We provided great detail into how Medicareaudits have deeply affected small O & P providers. I also provided factsand evidence demonstrating just how discriminatory Medicare audits have beenand how they have targeted small providers, based on my Freedom of InformationAct (FOIA) data received from Medicare. You can read the full testimony on my site: www.facebook.com/RACsupport.  The Board and the SBA were very receptive toour testimony and are eager to help.  Medicareofficials were present at the hearing, and several congressional committeesalso listened in by telephone.  We madequite an impact on everyone in the room. The amount of support we received was astounding and officials areoutraged at how small providers have been treated.  Because of the testimony provided at thehearing and the tireless efforts of OPGA, O & P now has large voice inCongress with the help of the SBA.  Thereis still much work to be done, but a great deal of progress has been made. One thingthat I wanted to make known was my disappointment in the lack of O & Ppresence at the hearing.  OPGA was theonly organization there representing the O & P profession.  This hearing focused mainly on Medicareaudits and their impact on small businesses. The majority of O & P consists of small providers; yet OPGA was theonly organization, within the entire O & P profession, present to represent the best interests of smallproviders.  High ranking officials werein attendance and many members of congress listened in by telephone; this was ahuge opportunity for organizations and providers to have a voice and be heard.   Iencourage more providers and more organizations to get involved and do theright thing.  This is not about money orindustry connections; this is about what is right and what is wrong.  The current audit system is wrong; it isdiscriminatory; and it is killing off small O & P facilities one by one.  Sitting back and doing nothing assistsMedicare audits in eliminating small O & P providers. Lastly, Ijust want to let everyone know that change is coming.  Reform is coming.  With continued dedication and persistence, alevel playing field will be a reality for O & P.  Equality and fairness is the only request,and I believe we will get it. 
More to come soon.  Best,Sara BeckAppealsSpecialistSan JoaquinO & Pwww.facebook.com/RACSupport