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- CMS Begins Recovery of COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments on March 30
On March 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began to recover any outstanding balance from Medicare providers who requested and received COVID-19 accelerated and advance payments, depending on the one year anniversary of when the provider received their first payment. The CMS will show the recoupment on the remittance advices issued for Medicare Part A and B claims the agency processes after the one-year anniversary of issuing the first payment. The recoupment will appear as an adjustment in the Provider-Level Balance (PLB) section of the remittance advice.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the CMS expanded the accelerated and advance payment program for Medicare participating physicians and other providers to ensure they have resources needed to combat COVID-19. On April 26, 2020, the CMS announced that it suspended its advance payment program. According to the CMS, this decision was reached in part because Congress appropriated $175 billion for health care provider relief payments.
For more information, view the CMS’ Fact Sheet: Repayment Terms for Accelerated and Advance Payments Issued to Providers and Suppliers During COVID-19 Emergency. See “Accelerated and Advance Payment Repayment & Recovery Frequently Asked Questions” for more information, especially if the repayment timeframe presents a hardship for you. The CMS expects to alert providers and suppliers as any additional information becomes available. If you have questions, your Medicare Administrative Contractor may have more information. Find their website at http://go.cms.gov/MAC-website-list. For more: