Moratoria on Enrollment of Ambulance Suppliers and Home Health Agencies Extended

On July 29, 2015 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced that it is extending the temporary moratoria on the enrollment of new home health agencies, subunits, and branch locations (“HHA”) and part B ambulance suppliers for an additional six months.
Section 6401(a) of the Affordable Care Act added section 1866(j)(7) to the Social Security Act (the “Act”) to provide the Secretary with authority to impose a temporary moratorium on the enrollment of new Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP providers and suppliers if the Secretary determines a moratorium is necessary to prevent or combat fraud, waste, or abuse under these programs.
Based on this authority CMS initially imposed a moratoria on the enrollment of new HHA and part B ambulance suppliers in a notice issued on July 31, 2013 (78 FR 46339). This was subsequently extended and expanded in a notice issued on February 4, 2014 (79 FR 6475). Additional extensions of the moratoria by notices issued on August 1, 2014 (79 FR 44702) and February 2, 2015 (80 FR 5551).
The initial July 31, 2013 moratoria applied to HHAs in Miami-Dade County, Florida and Cook County, Illinois, as well as surrounding counties, and part B ambulance suppliers in Harris County, Texas and surrounding counties. The February 4, 2014 notice expanded the HHA moratoria to Broward County, Florida; Dallas County, Texas; Harris County, Texas; and Wayne County, Michigan and surrounding counties. The moratoria on the enrollment of part B ambulance suppliers was also expanded in the February 4, 2014 notice to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and surrounding counties.
In deciding to impose and extend the moratoria, CMS considered “qualitative and quantitative factors suggesting a high risk of fraud, waste, or abuse” within these geographic locations. CMS relied on law enforcement experience with “ongoing and emerging fraud trends and activities through civil, criminal, and administrative investigations and prosecutions.” CMS also consulted with HHS-OIG regarding the extension of the moratoria. Prior to imposing the moratoria, CMS reviewed Medicare data and found no concerns related to beneficiaries accessing HHAs or ambulance suppliers within these geographic locations. State Medicaid agencies and other CMS state partners determined that the moratoria would not create issues related to access to care for Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”) beneficiaries.
CMS will determine whether to extend or lift the moratorium before extending the moratorium further. If the moratoria is extended or lifted, CMS will publish notice in the Federal Register. Once a moratorium is lifted, the providers or suppliers types that were unable to enroll because of the moratorium will be designated to CMS’ high screening level for 6 months from the date the moratorium is lifted.
The attorneys at The Health Law Partners have a significant amount of experience counseling home health agencies, ambulance suppliers and other medical providers throughout the United States on moratoria and enrollment issues, as well as how to maintain compliance with applicable regulations once enrollment screening begins.

For more information, please contact Adrienne Dresevic, Esq., at adresevic@thehlp.com, or Clinton Mikel, Esq., at cmikel@thehlp.com, or at (248) 996-8510.