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S 3164 110th Congress Senate Health Administrative procedure Congress Congressional reporting requirements Department of Health and Human Services Finance and Financial Sector Government Operations and Politics Governmental investigations Health care fraud Health information systems Identification devices Law Medical supplies Medicare Physicians Prosthesis Social Welfare Social security numbers Surety and fidelity

Seniors and Taxpayers Obligation Protection Act of 2008

Introduced: June 19, 2008 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 19, 2008
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Jun 19, 2008
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Seniors and Taxpayers Obligation Protection Act of 2008 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and implement procedures to change the Medicare beneficiary identifier used to identify individuals entitled to benefits under part A (Hospital Insurance) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act (SSA), or enrolled under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance), so that such an individual's Social Security number is not used.

Amends SSA title XVIII to direct the Secretary to establish and implement a system to verify on a monthly basis that the claims for reimbursement under Medicare part B for physicians' services furnished in high risk areas are: (1) for physicians' services actually furnished by the physician (or the physician's group practice); and (2) otherwise accurate.

Requires the Secretary to establish a system to identify the 50 counties most vulnerable (high risk areas) to Medicare fraud.

Directs the Secretary to study and report to Congress on the use of technology to provide real-time data analysis of Medicare reimbursement claims to identify and investigate unusual billing or order practices under the Medicare program that could indicate fraud or abuse.

Requires the Secretary to establish procedures to require carriers, before paying a claim for reimbursement for durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) to confirm with the National Supplier Clearinghouse: (1) that the supplier's Medicare identification number is active; and (2) that the item or service for which the reimbursement claim is submitted was properly identified on the CMS-855S Medicare enrollment application.

Directs the Secretary to promulgate regulations for a unique identifier (serial number) tracking system for payment for DME.

Expresses the sense of the Senate that the Secretary must put in place a surety bond requirement for DME suppliers within six months of the date of enactment of this Act in order to maintain Medicare program integrity.

What's happening now June 19, 2008

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1