CMS Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are to identify and secure overpayments and underpayments paid to Medicare providers. Due to the success of the pilot program completed in response to the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, RACs will now roll out from the initial states of NY, CA and FL to all 50 states by 2010. Click here for further information [3].

To see how the RACs may impact your practice, CMS is offering a Special Open Door Forum, for Part A and Part B providers, on April 8 and April 14, 2009, respectively. This is the opportunity for all providers to be introduced to the RAC contractors and to facilitate practice preparation.

Part A providers:
The Special Open Door Forum will take place from 2:00 pm- 3:30 pm (ET) on April 8, 2009. To participate in this Special Open Door Forum, one must call 1-800-837-1935 and reference conference ID 92490299. Beginning April 16, 2009, CMS will also post an audio recording and transcript of this Special Open Door Forum on the Special Open Door Forum page [4] of the CMS Web site, which will be available for 30 days.

Part B providers:
The Special Open Door Forum will take place from 2:00pm-3:30pm (ET) on April 14, 2009. To participate in this Special Open Door Forum, one must call 800-837-1935 and reference conference ID 92489480. Beginning April 22, 2009, CMS will also post an audio recording of this Special Open Door Forum on the Special Open Door Forum page [4] of the CMS Web site, which will be available for 30 days.

CMS suggests calling in early because capacity is limited for these Special Open Door Forums. CMS reports that one may begin calling into these forums as early as 1:45pm (ET).

For questions pertaining to the RACs, contact Deb Abel [5].