Kutner Says CMS’ New Medicare Exclusion Authority Will Impact Providers

Chris Kutner was interviewed for the Part B News article, “Medicare exclusions not just for OIG anymore: RFJ Jr.” 

The story relates how, as part of HHS’ aggressive stance on enforcement, the agency is now giving CMS the authority to exclude providers for cause from Medicare.

Chris said that if a legitimate Medicare enrollee gets federal program money, they cannot pay an excluded provider foranything.

He added that the move places a burden on providers to respond to communication from health care agencies. “I don’t think there’s a percentage of the population that really understands the distinction between preclusion, revocation and exclusion. So when clients call and say, ‘you know, we got this letter from CMS or OIG,’ I say: ‘Get me the letter quickly so that I can see the language, because the appeal rights and time frames are not the same in all cases.’”