AHA RAC Advocacy Resources

Action Alerts and Special Bulletins

Special Bulletin: Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program – Back on Track, 02/11/09 
CMS is taking steps to resume its rollout of the permanent RAC program.  This bulletin describes CMS’s next steps in implementing the permanent RAC program.

Special Bulletin: CMS Releases New RAC Demonstration Report, 07/11/08  - The new RAC Demonstration Report provides the most complete overview to date of the demonstration program and improvements CMS has planned for the permanent program.

Special Bulletin: CMS Actions May Affect RAC Demo Hospitals, 06/05/08  
This bulletin for the 5 demonstration states describes how CMS will handle appeals for "good cause" and other inappropriate denials. 

Advisories

Member Advisory: Medicare Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs): Permanent Program Basics, 04/20/09 
This advisory aims to provide an overview of the permanent RAC program. It describes the guidelines RACs must follow, the requirements for hospitals and the timeline for the national rollout of the program.

Regulatory Advisory: The Medicare Appeals Process, 03/27/09 
The attached advisory reviews the Medicare appeals process, including recent changes, and the distinct protocols for appealing payments denied by RACs.

Regulatory Advisory: Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs): Coding & Documentation Strategies, 07/16/08 
This advisory highlights the types of coding issues targeted during the RAC demonstration and
strategies your organization can implement to reduce the impact of RAC audits.

Member Advisory: Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs): Preparing for RAC Audits, 03/03/08   
This advisory highlights the types of inpatient claims that were targeted during the RAC demonstration and some strategies and tools your organization can implement to minimize the impact of future RAC audits.

AHA News Now Articles

CMS announces limits on RAC medical record requests, 12/03/09

PEPPER reports to continue in January, 11/06/09

Six vendors named 'RACTrac compatible', 10/06/09

Region A RAC begins audits, 09/22/09

...Read more AHA News Now articles on RACs. Enter in the keyword RAC in the Search.          

Comment Letters

Sample Letter Supporting the Medicare RAC Moratorium Act of 2007 (H.R. 4105),  02/22/08 
This letter to Members of Congress expresses support for HR 4105 and asks for congressional co-sponsors.

RAC Report & Updates

RAC UPDATE: RAC Reverses Inappropriate Medical Records Request, 01/28/10

RAC UPDATE: News on the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program, 1/11/10  

RAC Report: Recovery Audit Contractor Program Update, 10/05/09

RAC Report: Recovery Audit Contractor Program Update, 05/28/09 

Testimony

Testimony: Improving the Paperwork Reduction Act for Small Businesses,  02/28/08 
This testimony was presented by Linda Brady, M.D., president and CEO of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY about how laws and regulations, combined with the very complex health care payment system,  is  making the already difficult task of operating on the front lines of American health care more challenging than it should be.