It makes you wonder just how often this must happen if Medicare feels the need to issue national coverage determinations to prevent payment.

Workers' Compensation Review Center take note….Medicare no longer covers "surgery on the wrong body part" so please do not include these services in your independent review!

Medicare Update

CMS Proposes National Coverage Determinations for Preventable Surgical Errors

Posted: 04 Dec 2008 12:43 AM CST

On December 2, 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed 3 national coverage determinations (NCDs) to establish uniform policies that will prevent Medicare from paying for certain serious, preventable errors in medical care.  The proposed NCDs are:

Surgery on the Wrong Body Part

Surgery on the Wrong Patient

Wrong Surgery Performed on a Patient

CMS will be accepting public comments on the proposed coverage policies until January 1, 2009.  CMS reports that comments should be submitted separately for each of the NCDs.  Following the 30 day public comment period, CMS expects to issue final NCDs within 60 days.

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Thanks to Michael Apolskis, an attorney working with health care providers, suppliers and companies on a variety of legal and regulatory matters, including Medicare compliance, reimbursement and enforcement matters. His article was posted December 04, 2008 in Medicare Coverage

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