§ 1395h. Provisions relating to the administration of part A

§ 1395h. Provisions relating to the administration of part A

(a) In general The administration of this part shall be conducted through contracts with medicare administrative contractors under section 1395kk–1 of this title.

(b) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(b)(3), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2383

(c) Prompt payment of claims

(1) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(b)(4)(A), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2383.

(2)

(A) Each contract under section 1395kk–1 of this title that provides for making payments under this part shall provide that payment shall be issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted with respect to not less than 95 percent of all claims submitted under this subchapter—

within the applicable number of calendar days after the date on which the claim is received.

(i) which are clean claims, and

(ii) for which payment is not made on a periodic interim payment basis,

(B) In this paragraph:

(i) The term “clean claim” means a claim that has no defect or impropriety (including any lack of any required substantiating documentation) or particular circumstance requiring special treatment that prevents timely payment from being made on the claim under this subchapter.

(ii) The term “applicable number of calendar days” means—

(I) with respect to claims received in the 12-month period beginning October 1, 1986, 30 calendar days,

(II) with respect to claims received in the 12-month period beginning October 1, 1987, 26 calendar days,

(III) with respect to claims received in the 12-month period beginning October 1, 1988, 25 calendar days,

(IV) with respect to claims received in the 12-month period beginning October 1, 1989, and claims received in any succeeding 12-month period ending on or before September 30, 1993, 24 calendar days, and

(V) with respect to claims received in the 12-month period beginning October 1, 1993, and claims received in any succeeding 12-month period, 30 calendar days.

(C) If payment is not issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted within the applicable number of calendar days (as defined in clause (ii) of subparagraph (B)) after a clean claim (as defined in clause (i) of such subparagraph) is received from a hospital, critical access hospital, skilled nursing facility, home health agency, hospice program, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility, or rehabilitation agency that is not receiving payments on a periodic interim payment basis with respect to such services, interest shall be paid at the rate used for purposes of section 3902(a) of title 31 (relating to interest penalties for failure to make prompt payments) for the period beginning on the day after the required payment date and ending on the date on which payment is made.

(3)

(A) Each contract under section 1395kk–1 of this title that provides for making payments under this part shall provide that no payment shall be issued, mailed, or otherwise transmitted with respect to any claim submitted under this subchapter within the applicable number of calendar days after the date on which the claim is received.

(B) In this paragraph, the term “applicable number of calendar days” means—

(i) with respect to claims submitted electronically as prescribed by the Secretary, 13 days, and

(ii) with respect to claims submitted otherwise, 28 days.

(d) to (i). Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(b)(5), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2383

(j) Denial of claim; notification and reconsideration A contract with a medicare administrative contractor under section 1395kk–1 of this title with respect to the administration of this part shall require that, with respect to a claim for home health services, extended care services, or post-hospital extended care services submitted by a provider to such medicare administrative contractor that is denied, such medicare administrative contractor—

(1) furnish the provider and the individual with respect to whom the claim is made with a written explanation of the denial and of the statutory or regulatory basis for the denial; and

(2) in the case of a request for reconsideration of a denial, promptly notify such individual and the provider of the disposition of such reconsideration.

(k) Annual reporting requirement on erroneous payment recovery A contract with a medicare administrative contractor under section 1395kk–1 of this title with respect to the administration of this part shall require that such medicare administrative contractor submit an annual report to the Secretary describing the steps taken to recover payments made for items or services for which payment has been or could be made under a primary plan (as defined in section 1395y(b)(2)(A) of this title).

(l) Repealed. Pub. L. 108–173, title IX, § 911(b)(7), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2383

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XVIII, § 1816, as added Pub. L. 89–97, title I, § 102(a), July 30, 1965, 79 Stat. 297; amended Pub. L. 92–603, title II, § 243(b), Oct. 30, 1972, 86 Stat. 1422; Pub. L. 95–142, § 14(a), Oct. 25, 1977, 91 Stat. 1198; Pub. L. 96–499, title IX, § 930(o), Dec. 5, 1980, 94 Stat. 2632; Pub. L. 97–248, title I, § 122(c)(3), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 359; Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title III, § 2326(b), (c)(1), (d)(1), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1087; Pub. L. 99–509, title IX, §§ 9311(b), 9352(a)(2), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1997, 2044; Pub. L. 100–203, title IV, §§ 4031(a)(1), 4032(a), (b), 4035(a)(1), 4085(d)(1), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1330–75 to 1330–78, 1330–130; Pub. L. 100–360, title II, § 203(f), title IV, § 411(e)(1)(B), July 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 725, 775; Pub. L. 101–234, title II, § 201(a), Dec. 13, 1989, 103 Stat. 1981; Pub. L. 101–239, title VI, §§ 6003(g)(3)(D)(vi), 6202(d)(1), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2153, 2234; Pub. L. 101–508, title IV, § 4005(c)(1)(A), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–41; Pub. L. 103–66, title XIII, § 13568(a), (b), Aug. 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 608; Pub. L. 103–432, title I, §§ 110(d)(2), 151(b)(1)(A), (2)(A), Oct. 31, 1994, 108 Stat. 4408, 4433, 4434; Pub. L. 104–191, title II, § 202(b)(1), Aug. 21, 1996, 110 Stat. 1998; Pub. L. 105–33, title IV, § 4201(c)(1), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 373; Pub. L. 108–173, title VII, § 736(a)(4), title IX, § 911(b), Dec. 8, 2003, 117 Stat. 2355, 2383; Pub. L. 109–171, title V, § 5202(a)(1), Feb. 8, 2006, 120 Stat. 47.)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (c)(3)(B)(ii). Pub. L. 109–171 substituted “28 days” for “26 days”.

2003—Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(1), substituted “Provisions relating to the administration of part A” for “Use of public or private agencies or organizations to facilitate payment to providers of services” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(2), amended subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) authorized Secretary to enter into agreements with agencies or organizations to determine and pay amounts under this part.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(3), struck out subsec. (b), which set forth prerequisites for agreement or renewal of agreement.

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(4)(A), struck out par. (1), which related to terms and conditions of agreements.

Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(4)(B), substituted “contract under section 1395kk–1 of this title that provides for making payments under this part” for “agreement under this section” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(ii)(III). Pub. L. 108–173, § 736(a)(4)(A), struck out “and” at end.

Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(ii)(IV). Pub. L. 108–173, § 736(a)(4)(B), substituted “, and” for period at end.

Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(4)(B), substituted “contract under section 1395kk–1 of this title that provides for making payments under this part” for “agreement under this section”.

Subsecs. (d) to (i). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(5), struck out subsecs. (d) to (i), which related to nomination of agency or organization, designation of agency or organization to perform provider services, standards, criteria, and procedures for evaluation of agency or organization performance, termination of agreement, bonding requirement for officers and employees, and liability of certifying and disbursing officers.

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(6), in introductory provisions, substituted “A contract with a medicare administrative contractor under section 1395kk–1 of this title with respect to the administration of this part” for “An agreement with an agency or organization under this section” and “such medicare administrative contractor” for “such agency or organization” in two places.

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(6), substituted “A contract with a medicare administrative contractor under section 1395kk–1 of this title with respect to the administration of this part” for “An agreement with an agency or organization under this section” and “such medicare administrative contractor” for “such agency or organization”.

Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 108–173, § 911(b)(7), struck out subsec. (l), which prohibited any activity pursuant to an agreement under this section that is carried out pursuant to a contract under the Medicare Integrity Program.

1997—Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 105–33 substituted “critical access” for “rural primary care”.

1996—Subsec. (l). Pub. L. 104–191 added subsec. (l).

1994—Subsec. (f)(1)(A). Pub. L. 103–432, § 151(b)(2)(A), inserted “(including the agency’s or organization’s success in recovering payments made under this subchapter for services for which payment has been or could be made under a primary plan (as defined in section 1395y(b)(2)(A) of this title))” after “processing”.

Subsec. (f)(2)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 103–432, § 110(d)(2), substituted “such agency’s” for “such agency”.

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 103–432, § 151(b)(1)(A), added subsec. (k).

1993—Subsec. (c)(2)(B)(ii)(IV), (V). Pub. L. 103–66, § 13568(b), substituted “period ending on or before September 30, 1993” for “period” in subcl. (IV) and added subcl. (V).

Subsec. (c)(3)(B). Pub. L. 103–66, § 13568(a), added cls. (i) and (ii) and struck out former cls. (i) and (ii) which read as follows:

“(i) with respect to claims received in the 3-month period beginning July 1, 1988, 10 days, and

“(ii) with respect to claims received in the 12-month period beginning October 1, 1988, 14 days.”

1990—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–508 designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former pars. (1) and (2) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, struck out “Such standards and criteria” and all that follows, which was executed by striking out “Such standards and criteria shall be published in the Federal Register, and opportunity shall be provided for public comment prior to implementation. Such standards and criteria shall include with respect to claims for services furnished under this part by any provider of services other than a hospital whether such agency or organization is able to process 75 percent of reconsiderations within 60 days (except in the case of the fiscal year 1989, 66 percent of reconsiderations) and 90 percent of reconsiderations within 90 days and the extent to which its determinations are reversed on appeal.”, and added par. (2).

1989—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 101–239, § 6202(d)(1), inserted at end “The Secretary may not require, as a condition of entering into or renewing an agreement under this section or under section 1395hh of this title, that a fiscal intermediary match data obtained other than in its activities under this part with data used in the administration of this part for purposes of identifying situations in which the provisions of section 1395y(b) of this title may apply.”

Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 101–239, § 6003(g)(3)(D)(vi), inserted “rural primary care hospital,” after “hospital,”.

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 101–234 repealed Pub. L. 100–360, § 203(f), and provided that the provisions of law amended or repealed by such section are restored or revived as if such section had not been enacted, see 1988 Amendment note below.

1988—Subsec. (j)(2). Pub. L. 100–360, § 411(e)(1)(B), inserted “in the case of a request for reconsideration of a denial,” and substituted “the disposition” for “disposition”.

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 100–360, § 203(f), added subsec. (k) relating to use of regional intermediaries in administration of benefits.

1987—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 100–203, § 4035(a)(1), inserted at end “The Secretary shall cause to have published in the Federal Register, by not later than September 1 before each fiscal year, data, standards, and methodology to be used to establish budgets for fiscal intermediaries under this section for that fiscal year, and shall cause to be published in the Federal Register for public comment, at least 90 days before such data, standards, and methodology are published, the data, standards, and methodology proposed to be used.”

Subsec. (c)(2)(C). Pub. L. 100–203, § 4085(d)(1), substituted “hospice program, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility, or rehabilitation agency” for “or hospice program”.

Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 100–203, § 4031(a)(1), added par. (3).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 100–203, § 4023(b), inserted at end “Such standards and criteria shall include with respect to claims for services furnished under this part by any provider of services other than a hospital whether such agency or organization is able to process 75 percent of reconsiderations within 60 days (except in the case of the fiscal year 1989, 66 percent of reconsiderations) and 90 percent of reconsiderations within 90 days and the extent to which its determinations are reversed on appeal.”

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 100–203, § 4032(a), added subsec. (j).