The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has instituted a Provider Relations Coordinator to help increase program transparency, improve communication between providers and CMS, and offer more efficient resolutions to providers affected by the medical review process. Latesha Walker has been named to the role.
CMS advised that providers should continue to take questions about specific claims directly to the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) that conducted the review, but larger process issues can be raised with the Provider Relations Coordinator. For example, if a provider believes that the RAC is failing to comply with the documentation request limits or has a pattern of not issuing review results letters in a timely manner, CMS encourages the provider to contact Walker. Suggestions about how to improve the RAC or MAC medical review process can also be directed to Walker.
RAC review process concerns and suggestions should be sent to [email protected]. MAC review process concerns and suggestions should be sent to [email protected]