Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CMS To Resume Audits Of Medicare Claims
CMS will resume auditing healthcare providers' Medicare claims in two weeks, months after suspending such work due to COVID-19. The agency performs a variety of fee-for-service claims reviews, many through private contractors, to ensure hospitals, physician clinics and other healthcare providers weren't overpaid for services. It temporarily put most audits on hold in March when providers were forced to suspend nonurgent procedures and some began laying off and furloughing employees. CMS on August 3 plans to resume its enforcement actions "regardless of the status of the public health emergency," the agency announced in a recent notice. Bannow, 7/19
Molina Healthcare signed a definitive agreement to acquire Louisville, Ky.-based Passport Health Plan's Medicaid and dual eligible special needs lines of business, the Long Beach, Calif.-based insurer announced Friday. The acquisition follows Molina's successful bid to manage Kentucky's Medicaid business, which Gov. Andy Beshear awarded to Molina and four other insurance companies in May. Passport has around 315,000 members in Kentucky, which makes up about a quarter of the market. (Kacik, 7/17)
