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104772 1 (1978-01-11)

handle is hein.gao/gaobacxqc0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 







                      UNITED STATES GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE               104772
     3   .WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548


HUMAN RE DURCES
                                                              JAN  111976


            - Mr. Rbert A. Dersn, Administtator
          Health Care Financing Administration
          Department of Health, Education, and
            Welfare

          Dear Mr. Derzon:

               We have recently completed a survey of Medicare  ..rriers'
          use of prepayment computer edits to prevent duplicate payments.
          hedicare Bureau statistics show that carriers 'stected about $360
          million in duplicate claims during fiscal year 1976 using prepayment
          edits.  However, during that year, an additional $1.6 million in
          duplicate claims were found during postpayment reviews and payees
          voluntarily returned about $2 million in duplicatt payment.s which
          had not been detected by  the carriers.

               Information obtained from 28 carriers in five Medicare Bureau
          regions showed that most of the carriers use prepayment computer
          edits which do not fully comply with the Bureau requirements.  Our
          tests at one of  the carriersshowed that  this has resulted in
          duplicate payments.  Although we have not determined  the total number
          or amount of duplicate payments involved,  they could be significant
          for those carriers whose edits differ considerably  from the Bureau's
          requirements.  Additionally, some carriers have  edits that are
          probably resulting in unnecessary manual  reviews.

               Our survey also  shows that the Bureau needs to change its
     .    requirements  for the computer edits used to automatically deny
          duplicate claims  to include matches with claims still in process.
          This change would  reduce the number of manual reviews and also
          reduce  the potential for errors that might be made in the manual
          review process.


These matters are discu.ssed in greater detail below.

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