Recent Articles

Earlier this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced new auditing procedures “committed to crushing fraud, waste, and abuse across all federal healthcare programs,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. One of the most significant changes affects all Medicare Advantage (MA) plans: CMS will now audit all eligible MA contracts annually, a...

Welcome back, and thanks for joining us for part two of our series “Why So Blue? A Look at Depression as a Chronic Illness.” Our last post explained different types of depression and how primary care clinics can support patients with chronic depression. This part will address the often-overlooked issue of depression in older adults....

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six Americans has a chronic illness. One in four has two chronic illnesses. While definitions for what constitutes a chronic illness vary, many people are surprised to learn that some mental and behavioral health conditions are in the same category. Patients expect...

Upon discovering areas of noncompliance in a Final Audit Report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Medicare Advantage or Part D Sponsors face immediate pressure to act. The Sponsor may be required to undergo an Independent Audit Validation (IAV) to verify that corrective actions have been effectively implemented. CMS allows just...

HVA: The Foundation of Effective Emergency Preparedness Emergencies happen, weather-related disasters, cyberattacks, disease outbreaks, and pandemics are just a few examples. Is your healthcare organization prepared? Conducting a hazard vulnerability assessment (HVA) is an essential first step in developing a comprehensive emergency preparedness program in healthcare. What is a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment? “The hazard vulnerability assessment...