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2011 Session

Budget Amendments - SB800 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Whipple
Home and Community Based Services Audits (language only)

Item 297 #30s

Item 297 #30s

Health And Human Resources
Medical Assistance Services, Department of

Language
Page 268, after line 55, insert:
"YYYY.  The Department of Medical Assistance Services shall develop a methodology for home and community based utilization and review audits in collaboration with the provider groups that participate in the service delivery of home and community based care including waiver programs by June 30, 2011.  The methodology shall include the  following: 1) any given audit shall cover no more than a six continuous month period unless evidence of fraud or abuse warrants an expanded audit period which shall then be documented for cause; 2) a sampling of providers regardless of the size, number of claims, location, or amount of annual Medicaid revenue; 3) reviews of individual providers shall be a random sample of no more than five percent of Medicaid records; 4) provisions that providers found in substantial compliance which is defined as conforming with regulations at least 80 percent of the time will not be subject to a retraction; 5) Medicaid records that demonstrate substantial compliance in documentation shall be considered compliant with regulation; 6) additional documentation from a supervisor that provides a plan of corrective action prior to the audit or provides legitimate reasons for difference between the care plan and services provided shall be considered compliant and will not be subject to retractions for non compliance with regulations; 7) retractions shall only be assessed when the provider is not in substantial compliance any such retraction shall be only for the unit(s) which were deemed not in compliance.   If during the utilization and review audit there is found to be suspected fraud, abuse or neglect it shall be reported to the appropriate agency."


Explanation
(This amendment requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a methodology for home and community based utilization and review audits in collaboration with provider groups. A recent JLARC interim report on Fraud and Error in Virginia's Medicaid Program found while reviewing these audits that an entire claim can be denied if records are erroneous, even if reasonable service was provided. Further the report stated the Department's claim review process may need to be improved. This budget language requires that in cases where clerical errors are the cause of retraction and not evidence of fraud and abuse, that these retractions shall only be assessed when the provider or medical record is not in substantial compliance with regulations and that such retraction be only for the unit(s) deemed not in compliance.)