Support surface payments
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
More than 80% of Medicare claims in the first half of 2007 for "group 2" pressure ulcer support surfaces, including alternating pressure and low-air-loss mattresses and overlays, were either undocumented, not medically necessary, or had a variety of other significant errors, according to an Aug. 5 report from the HHS Office of Inspector General. OIG recommends that CMS conduct additional prepayment and postpayment medical reviews of these claims, which totaled $109 million in 2007, and improve educational outreach to suppliers and health care providers