As CMS Finalizes RADV Rule, Prior Audits Shed Light on Payment Errors, High-Risk Codes
In a highly anticipated final rule on the Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Data Validation program, CMS on Jan. 30 said it would extrapolate RADV audit findings starting with the 2018 payment year. Notably, CMS will not extrapolate RADV audit findings for payment years 2011 through 2017 as it had previously proposed. Currently, CMS reviews a small sample of patient medical records to compare them with billing codes sent to the federal government. Under the final rule, CMS will extrapolate the error rate found in the sample to the entire plan. Additionally, the rule finalized a plan to not apply a “fee-for-service adjuster” to its audit methodology. Using the new methodology, CMS officials said the agency expected to recover $479 million in overpayments from 2018 alone, and an extra $4.7 billion from 2023 through 2032.
Related Posts

With Final RADV Rule Out, MAOs Are Advised to Clean Up Risk Adjustment Practices
READ MORE
KHN Report Underscores Looming Issue of Extrapolation, FFS Errors in RADV Audits
READ MORE