Attorney adjudicators can now hear some Medicare appeals. | File photo
+ Regulatory
Keri Carbaugh | Jan 18, 2017

Changes to Medicare appeals procedures should ease backlog

The backlog in Medicare appeals will hopefully improve thanks to a final rule released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last week that allows attorney adjudicators to hear appeals in some cases instead of administrative law judges.

“HHS’s minor changes to the appeals process fall short of the major reforms necessary to clear the backlog as required by recent court order,” American Hospital Association Executive Vice President Tom Nickels said. “We will work with HHS to identify significant changes to the Medicare audits and appeals processes that will alleviate the burden on hospitals and – most importantly – prevent this from happening again.”

The rule also allows for the HHS Departmental Appeals Board to make certain decisions on precedent.

Organizations in this story

More News