Recovery auditors (RACs) are going to resume auditing some claims now, rather than waiting for new RAC contracts to be awarded, CMS announced Aug. 4.
 
On Feb. 18, CMS announced that it told RACs to cease issuing additional documentation requests (ADRs) until it awards the next round of contracts. But several months ago, CGI Federal Inc. elevated its pre-award bid protest over re-procurement of the RAC contracts to the Court of Federal Claims.
 
CGI is currently the RAC for Region B, which includes Ohio, Michigan and five other states.
 
Due to the continued delay in awarding new contracts, CMS is “initiating contract modifications” to existing RAC contracts, CMS says. These modifications let RACs restart some reviews.
 
“Most reviews will be done on an automated basis, but a limited number will be complex reviews of topics selected by CMS,” the federal Medicare agency says.
 
CMS says it hopes contracts for the five RAC regions — including the new region for home health and hospice — will be awarded this year.