American Academy of Family Physicians

Printer-friendly version

Share this on AAFP Connection

Share this page

How will RACs review claims for overpayments and underpayments?

RACs may use automated review (where NO medical record is involved in the review) ONLY in situations where there is certainty that the claim contains an overpayment.

Automated review must:
  1. have clear policy that serves as the basis for the overpayment (“clear policy” means a statute, regulation, National Coverage Determination, coverage provision in an interpretive manual, or Local Coverage Determination that specifies the circumstances under which a service will ALWAYS be considered an overpayment);
  2. be based on a medically unbelievable service; or
  3. occur when no timely response is received in response to a medical record request letter.
RACs will use complex review in cases where there is a high degree of probability but not certainty that an overpayment exists. Whenever needed for reviews, the RAC may obtain medical records by going onsite to the provider’s location to view/copy the records or by requesting that the provider mail/fax or securely transmit the records to the RAC.
Shop Catalog