§ 447.31 - Withholding Medicare payments to recover Medicaid overpayments.

§ 447.31 Withholding Medicare payments to recover Medicaid overpayments.

(a) Basis and purpose. Section 1885 of the Act provides authority for CMS to withhold Medicare payments to a Medicaid provider in order to recover Medicaid overpayments to the provider. Section 405.377 of this chapter sets forth the Medicare rules implementing section 1885, and specifies under what circumstances withholding will occur and the providers that are subject to withholding. This section establishes the procedures that the Medicaid agency must follow when requesting that CMS withhold Medicare payments.

(b) Agency notice to providers.

(1) Before the agency requests recovery of a Medicaid overpayment through Medicare, the agency must send either or both of the following notices, in addition to that required under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, to the provider.

(i) Notice that -

(A) There has been an overpayment;

(B) Repayment is required; and

(C) The overpayment determination is subject to agency appeal procedures, but we may withhold Medicare payments while an appeal is in progress.

(ii) Notice that -

(A) Information is needed to determine the amount of overpayment if any; and

(B) The provider has at least 30 days in which to supply the information to the agency.

(2) Notice that, 30 days or later from the date of the notice, the agency intends to refer the case to CMS for withholding of Medicare payments.

(3) The agency must send all notices to providers by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(c) Documentation to be submitted to CMS. The agency must submit the following information or documentation to CMS (unless otherwise specified) with the request for withholding of Medicare payments.

(1) A statement of the reason that withholding is requested.

(2) The amount of overpayment, type of overpayment, date the overpayment was determined, and the closing date of the pertinent cost reporting period (if applicable).

(3) The quarter in which the overpayment was reported on the quarterly expenditure report (Form CMS 64).

(4) As needed, and upon request from CMS, the names and addresses of the provider's officers and owners for each period that there is an outstanding overpayment.

(5) A statement of assurance that the State agency has met the notice requirements under paragraph (b) of this section.

(6) As needed, and upon request for CMS, copies of notices (under paragraph (b) of this section), and reports of contact or attempted contact with the provider concerning the overpayment, including any reduction or suspension of Medicaid payments made with respect to that overpayment.

(7) A copy of the provider's agreement with the agency under § 431.107 of this chapter.

(d) Notification to terminate withholding.

(1) If an agency has requested withholding under this section, it must notify CMS if any of the following occurs:

(i) The Medicaid provider makes an agreement satisfactory to the agency to repay the overpayment;

(ii) The Medicaid overpayment is completely recovered; or

(iii) The agency determines that there is no overpayment, based on newly acquired evidence or subsequent audit.

(2) Upon receipt of notification from the State agency, CMS will terminate withholding.

(e) Accounting for returned overpayment. The agency must treat as a recovered overpayment the amounts received from CMS to offset Medicaid overpayments.

(f) Procedures for restoring excess withholding. The agency must establish procedures satisfactory to CMS to assure the return to the provider of amounts withheld under this section that are ultimately determined to be in excess of overpayments. Those procedures are subject to CMS review.

[50 FR 19689, May 10, 1985, as amended at 61 FR 63749, Dec. 2, 1996]