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OIG Finds IDTFs Did Not Comply With Medicare Standards During Unannounced Site Visits

In May and June 2010, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) performed unannounced site visits at independent diagnostic testing facilities (IDTF) in the Miami and Los Angeles areas. During these visits, OIG discovered that IDTFs in both areas did not comply with certain Medicare standards. For instance, several of the facilities were found to not have a physical facility at the location on file with CMS, as well as other facilities not being open during business hours. Noncompliance with these Medicare standards could lead to the revocation of the IDTF’s Medicare billing privileges along with a number of other administrative actions.

IDTF services have been determined to be vulnerable to fraud and abuse. In 1997, OIG conducted site visits where it discovered that twenty percent of IDTFs were not at the filed CMS location. Additionally, OIG estimated that $71.5 million in improper Medicare payments were disbursed to IDTFs in 2001.

During the unannounced site visits, OIG found that 27 of the 92 Miami-area IDTFs and 46 of the 132 Los Angeles-area IDTFs failed to comply with certain Medicare standards. As a result of these findings, OIG made a number of recommendations to CMS including that CMS periodically conduct announced site visits to IDTFs, take actions against noncompliant IDTFs identified by the OIG site visits, and to immediately stop payments to IDTFs whose billing privileges are being revoked. The OIG also recommended that CMS impose a moratorium on the enrollment of IDTFs in the Los Angeles area. There was no similar recommendation for IDTFs in the Miami area because of the existing special enrollment project that screens new enrollees.

These unannounced site visits are likely to continue, especially in OIG-categorized high risk areas like Detroit, Houston, Brooklyn, Baton Rouge and Tampa-where Strike Force Teams are already in place. IDTF providers need to be cognizant and compliant with all Medicare requirements or risk revocation of billing privileges, and/or other penalties.

If you have any questions relating to IDTF compliance with Medicare standards, or any other provider compliance questions, please contact a Wachler & Associates attorney at 248-544-0888.

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