Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012

S.913: Do-Not-Track Online Act of 2011-privacy implications. S.799: The Commercial Privacy Bill of Rights-privacy implications. S.501: Fostering Independence Through Technology Act-any health IT implications. S.539: Behavior Health Information Technology Act-expanding health IT incentives to additional covered entities. S. 1789: The 21st Century Postal Service Act. This bill contains language that would limit federal agency employees participation and attendance at association conferences. H.R.3239: Safeguarding Access For Every Medicare Patient Actinterested in the safe harbor issues with regard to the implementation of certified health IT. H.R.2500: Equal Access and Parity for Multi-Campus Hospitals Actexpanding HIT incentives to new covered entities. H.R.1895: A Bill to Amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Actprivacy implications. H.R.1841: Data Accountability and Trust Act (DATA) of 2011privacy implications. H.R.1473: A bill to make further continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011 (updated)provisions concerning ONC funding, health IT and the rider concerning a unique healthcare identifier for individuals. H.R.1363: A bill to further continuing appropriations for Fiscal Year 2011any health IT implications H.R.1: Continuing Resolution and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2011any health IT implications. H.R.408: To reduce Federal spending by $2.5 trillion through fiscal year 2021any health IT implications. H.R.2: Repealing of the Job-Killing Health Care Law Actany health IT implications and provisions concerning ICD-10 mapping and operating rules for HIPAA transactions. H.R. 2146: Digital Accountability and Transparency Act. This bill includes language that would limit federal employees from attending association conferences. HR 6079: Repeal of Obamacare Act. This will overturn most provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. H.R. 6107: The VETS Act, which would allow Veterans Affairs providers to deliver telemedicine services to vets regardless of site of origin or delivery. H.R. 6043: Behavioral Health Information Technology Act, which would expand the MU program to mental and behavioral health care providers. The bill also incorporates the Marino SAFE act, which would create liability protections for providers and vendors who report errors in use of technology. HR6575: Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012- this bill would amend the process for conducting RAC audits.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Graduate medical education funding; Medicare physician payment reform; Medicare waiver under Section 1814(b) of the Social Security Act; Medicare DME competitive bidding, H.R. 1041 Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act; Medicare recovery audit contractors, H.R. 6575 Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012

Client expense: $120,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Food & Drug Administration (FDA), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE, White House Office

HR 1159 - To repeal certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act relating to the limitation on the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals and to transparency reports and reporting of physician ownership or investment interests H.R.1186 - To repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals. Bad Debt Payments to Hospitals Lawmakers have proposed lowering the amount of Medicare Bad Debt payments to hospitals for Medicare beneficiaries who fail to pay their cost-sharing obligations for treatments provided by the hospital. Oppose changes to current law impacting Medicare Documentation and Coding. Direct and Indirect Graduate Medical Education Payments Lawmakers have proposed changes to the way that hospitals are reimbursed for the costs of training physicians and other medical professionals. S. 2620 - Rural Hospital Access Act of 2012- A bill that would extend the Medicare Dependent Hospital (MDH) and current Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs and would prevent the pending expiration of both programs on October, 1 2012. Oppose the lowering of Medicare outpatients rates for Evaluation and Management visits in a hospital S. 1680 - Craig Thomas Rural Hospital and Provider Equity Act of 2011 - A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect and preserve access of Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas to health care providers under the Medicare program, and for other purposes. Oppose the reduction of allowed Medicaid provider taxes in states Oppose any cuts to the Medicaid DSH funds above and beyond what was legislated in the Affordable Care Act CMS Coverage Determination Policy Support a long-term patch or full repeal of the Sustainable Growth Rate for Physician payments in Medicare Oppose the proposal of lowering Medicare reimbursements to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Support a reasonable one-time budget neutrality adjustment for long-term care hospitals. Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligibles- limit the size, scope and envisioned savings from the dual-eligibles demonstrations per the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Inpatient Prospective Payment System- CMS proposed rule for hospitals paid under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System that would increase Medicare's operating payments to acute-care hospitals for fiscal year 2013. Sequestration - work to mitigate impact of Medicare sequestration on hospitals per the Budget Control Act. S. 3391- the Taking Essential Steps for Testing (TEST) Act of 2012- A bill that would provide CMS with flexibility to apply sanctions appropriate to the level of noncompliance and improve access to essential laboratory services. Advocate in support of reauthorization of funding for quality measure development, endorsement, pre-rulemaking review and recommendations, and collection of data analyzing measure implementation under MIPPA (P.L. 110-275, Section 1980 ) and ACA (P.L. 111-148, Section 3014) for the consensus-based entity (National Quality Forum). H.R. 6575, "Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012" -- supports legislation to improve Medicare audits.

Client expense: $580,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor, Dept of (DOL), SENATE, White House Office

H.R. 8 - American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 H.R. 6352 - Resident Physician Shortage Reduction and Graduate Medical Education Accountability and Transfer Act H.R. 6575 - The Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012 H.J. Res. 66 - Permanent Tax Relief for Families and Small Businesses Act of 2012 S. 958 - Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011 Internal Revenue Service, Additional Requirements for Charitable Hospitals, Proposed Rule, [REG-130266-11] Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Department of Health and Human Services, Request for Information Regarding Health Care Quality for Exchanges [CMS-9962-NC]

Client expense: $197,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), SENATE

Medicare: If Congress did not act, automatic 2% Medicare cuts contained in last years Budget Control Act would have proceeded on January 3.Congress was charged with making tough decisions that would have critically affected providers, including what to do with the Medicare physician payment fix, Medicare extenders, and other expiring tax provisions. NJHA advocated strongly to ensure that Congress did not impose arbitrary payment cuts to providers, but instead offers real solutions to our nations fiscal problems. NJHA remained concerned about, the SGR, the Medicare extenders, a framework to delay the sequester that could potentially impact Medicare and Medicaid, and the potential for reductions to payments for hospitals services to be used as an offset remain on the table for consideration. The current physician fix was set to expire December 31 as well as other expiring Medicare payment provisions of importance to hospitals. Unless Congress intervened, physicians would of seen their Medicare payments cut by 26 percent on January 1. NJHA supported fixing the physician payment formula to prevent this reduction; however, physician payment offsets should not come from other health care providers, including acute and post acute hospitals, who are themselves working to provide high-quality, innovative and efficient care to beneficiaries in their communities and experiencing negative margins under the Medicare program. NJHA opposed any reductions to Medicare and Medicaid payments Congress was considering to offset the fiscal cliff agreement, specifically, cuts to GME, IME, E/M services provided in hospital outpatient departments, bad debt, among other proposed reductions. NJHA supported efforts to avert the fiscal cliff and avoid the 2% reduction but not on the backs of providers. Strongly oppose any legislative efforts to eliminate NJ's imputed rural floor. Strongly urge Congress to protect and extend NJ's imputed floor that levels the playing with other states. Support legislation to reauthorize payments to childrens hospitals that operate graduate medical education programs (GME). The legislation reauthorized the children's hospital graduate medical education program and funds it at its original level of $330 million. The program has been operating with 30 percent less this year. While Congress continued to deliberate on how to address the fiscal cliff issue, NJHA continued to strongly urge the NJ Congressional delegation to act on important issues to NJ including extending NJs imputed rural floor, extension of Section 508 of the MMA, pass Urban Medicare Dependent Hospital legislation, SGR, extend and expand our gainsharing pilot, preserve payments to post acutes, and opposed any additional cuts to Medicare and Medicaid to NJs providers. CMMI unexpectedly suspended implementation of Bundled Payment Model 1 Gainsharing Demonstration Project. NJHA, on behalf of the 30 Medicare providers approved by CMMI to participate in this Demo, urged the NJ Congressional delegation to intercede to reverse CMMIs recent decision to suspend the gainsharing pilot. NJHA strongly urged CMS and CMMI to consider reinstating Model 1 for live implementation as originally planned. Support H.R. 6575, the Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012, legislation that would make much needed improvements to the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, and other Medicare audit programs.

Client expense: $70,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

H.R. 8: American Tax Payer Relief Act of 2012 H.R. 6352: Resident Physician Shortage Reduction and Graduate Medical Education Accountability and Transfer Act H.R. 6575: The Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012 H.J. Res. 66: Permanent Tax Relief for Families and Small Businesses Act of 2012 S. 958 Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2011 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Meaningful Use Stage 2, Final Rule September 4, 2012

Client expense: $130,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

Issues pertaining to durable medical equipment including: competitive bidding, power wheelchairs, oxygen, diabetic supplies, negative pressure wound therapy, Medicare audits, and fraud and abuse. H.R. 1041, Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act--all provisions. H.R. 6490, The Medicare DMEPOS Market Pricing Program Act. H.R. 8, The American Taxpayer Relief Act See continuation on next page. S. 1251 and H.R. 3399, Medicare and Medicaid FAST Act--all provisions. H.R. 452, Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011--all provisions. S. 668, Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act--all provisions. S. 3187, The Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, all provisions. H.R. 4378, Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2012, all provisions. H.R. 5652, Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, issues pertaining to Medicare. CMS prior authorization demonstration for power mobility devices. H.R. 6490, Medicare DMEPOS Market Pricing Program Act of 2012, all provisions. H.R. 3630, Middle Class Tax Relief and job Creation Act of 2012, all provisions. H.Con.Res. 112, House Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2013, all provisions. H.R. 6575, Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012, all provisions.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $60,000

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE

Issues pertaining to durable medical equipment including: bidding, power wheelchairs, oxygen, diabeti supplies, negative pressure wound therapy, Medicare audits, and fraud abuse; H.R. 1041 - Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act, all provisions; H.R. 3399/S. 1251 - Medicare and Medicaid FAST Act, all provisions; H.R. 452 - Medicare Decisions Accountability Act of 2011, all provisions; S.668 - Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act, all provisions; H.R. 3630 - Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, all provisions; H.Con.Res. 112 - House Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2013, all provisions; S.3187 - Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, all provisions; H.R. 4378 - Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act of 2012, all provisions; H.R. 5652 - Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012, issues pertaining to Medicare; CMS prior authorization demonstration for power mobility devices. H.R. 6490 - Medicare DMEPOS Market Pricing Program Act of 2012, all provisions. H.R. 6575 - Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012, all provisions. H.R. 8 - American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, all provisions.

Client expense: $160,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Natl Economic Council (NEC), Office of Management & Budget (OMB), SENATE, Treasury, Dept of, White House Office

House Budget Resolution (H.Con.Res. 112), provisions related to Medicaid and Medicare; President Obama's FY 2013 Budget, provisions related to Medicaid provider taxes, DSH, Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board, graduate medical education, bad debt; Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-52), provisions affecting hospital reimbursement; Improving Physician Access in Teaching Hospitals Act (H.R. 2224); H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare Act, provisions relating to Medicare and medical malpractice; The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2011 (S.1627); The Budget Control Act of 2011 (S.365, P.L. 112-25); Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011 (H.R.3630), provisions relating to Medicare hospital reimbursement; Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (H.R. 3765); H.R. 3519, a bill to exempt the Medicare program from fallback sequestration; President Obama's deficit reduction recommendations to the Supercommittee; conference agreement to H.R. 3630, provisions relating to Medicare hospital reimbursement and Medicaid payments to states; Highway and Student Loan converence agreement (H.R.4348), provisions relating to Medicaid provider taxes and pension rules; Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 (H.R.5652, provisions relating to Medicare hospital reimbursement and Medicaid payments to states; Graduate Medical Education Reform Act of 2012 (S.3201); Federal Medicaid 1115 Waiver issues; Medicare payments for hospital observation stays; CMS-1588-P Medicare Program proposed rule, Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal Year 2013 Rates, including Medicare coding offset proposed cut; The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2012 (H.R. 6562); Medicare outpatient hospital payments; Congressional activities related to the IOM Committee on Governance and Financing of GME; the American Taxpayer Relief Act (H.R. 8), provisions related to Medicare hospital reimbursement, Medicaid, and charitable contributions; The Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 6575).

Client expense: $220,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, White House Office

House Budget Resolution (H.Con.Res. 112), provisions related to Medicaid and Medicare; President Obama's FY 2013 Budget, provisions related to Medicaid provider taxes, DSH, Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board, graduate medical education, bad debt; Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148, P.L. 111-52), provisions affecting hospital reimbursement; Improving Physician Access in Teaching Hospitals Act (H.R. 2224); H.R. 5, the Protecting Access to Healthcare Act, provisions relating to Medicare and medical malpractice; The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2011 (S.1627); The Budget Control Act of 2011 (S.365, P.L. 112-25); Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2011 (H.R.3630), provisions relating to Medicare hospital reimbursement; Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (H.R. 3765); H.R. 3519, a bill to exempt the Medicare program from fallback sequestration; President Obama's deficit reduction recommendations to the Supercommittee; conference agreement to H.R. 3630, provisions relating to Medicare hospital reimbursement and Medicaid payments to states; Highway and Student Loan converence agreement (H.R.4348), provisions relating to Medicaid provider taxes and pension rules; Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 (H.R.5652, provisions relating to Medicare hospital reimbursement and Medicaid payments to states; Graduate Medical Education Reform Act of 2012 (S.3201); Federal Medicaid 1115 Waiver issues; Medicare payments for hospital observation stays; CMS-1588-P Medicare Program proposed rule, Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Fiscal Year 2013 Rates, including Medicare coding offset proposed cut; The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2012 (H.R. 6562); Medicare outpatient hospital payments; Congressional activities related to the IOM Committee on Governance and Financing of GME; the American Taxpayer Relief Act (H.R. 8), provisions related to Medicare hospital reimbursement, Medicaid, and charitable contributions; The Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 6575).

Client expense: $220,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE, White House Office

Medicare Audit Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 6575)

Client expense: $12,500 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE