In July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a fact sheet to explain everything physicians and suppliers need to know about the definition and the collection process related to Medicare/Medicaid overpayments. It also provides resources where they can learn more. Medicare physicians and suppliers who have not yet gone through this process may find the data within the document useful.
First Let’s Define It
A Medicare overpayment is exactly what it sounds like – it is a payment received by Medicare/Medicaid in excess of amounts due and payable under Medicare statute and regulations. Once an overpayment has been determined, the amount actually becomes a debt owed to the federal government, and federal law requires that CMS recover all identified overpayments.