Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert

Physician Notes:

OIG Homes In on PRF Payments in Latest Work Plan Update

Your Part B practice may have received HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). A new update suggests you may want to organize your documentation and attestation paperwork because three phases of PRF payments are now on the feds’ radar.

Here’s the scoop: The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) updated its Work Plan in May, adding PRF payments made to providers during Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the General Distribution to the audit to-do list, according to the summary for Active Item W-00-21-35873. Now, with approximately $92 billion distributed over these three phases under the federal watchdog’s microscope, providers may want to get their books in order.

“We will perform a series of audits of funds related to the three phases of the General Distribution to determine whether payments were: (1) correctly calculated for providers that applied for these payments, (2) supported by appropriate and reasonable documentation, and (3) made to eligible providers,” the Work Plan summary explains.

See the Action Item summary at https://oig.hhs.gov/reports-and-publications/workplan/summary/wp-summary-0000587.asp.