OIG Releases Report: Questionable Billing Patterns of Portable X-Ray Suppliers

The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) recently released a report entitled Questionable Billing Patterns of Portable X-Ray Suppliers (“Report”) wherein it identified portable x-ray suppliers with billing patterns associated with inappropriate Medicare payments. As a result of its Report, the OIG made recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to account for inefficiencies in its reimbursement of portable x-ray suppliers.

Reimbursement for Portable X-Ray Services
By way of brief background, the conditions of participation for portable x-ray services, at 42 CFR 486.106, provides, in its entirety, the following:

§ 486.106 Condition for coverage: Referral for service and preservation of records.
All portable X-ray services performed for Medicare beneficiaries are ordered by a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy and records are properly preserved.
(a) Standard–referral by a physician. Portable X-ray examinations are performed only on the order of a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy licensed to practice in the State. The supplier’s records show that:
(1) The X-ray test was ordered by a licensed doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy, and (2) Such physician’s written, signed order specifies the reason an X-ray test is required, the area of the body to be exposed, the number of radiographs to be obtained, and the views needed; it also includes a statement concerning the condition of the patient which indicates why portable X-ray services are necessary.
(b) Standard–records of examinations performed. The supplier makes for each patient a record of the date of the X-ray examination, the name of the patient, a description of the procedures ordered and performed, the referring physician, the operator(s) of the portable X-ray equipment who performed the examination, the physician to whom the radiograph was sent, and the date it was sent.
(c) Standard–preservation of records. Such reports are maintained for a period of at least 2 years, or for the period of time required by State law for such records (as distinguished from requirements as to the radiograph itself), whichever is longer.

Moreover, the Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Pub. 100-4, Ch. 13 Sec. 90) provides that Medicare reimburses portable suppliers separately for up to four (4) components of the portable x-ray services:

1. Transportation Component – Transporting the equipment to the beneficiary’s location,
2. Setup Component – Setting up the equipment for use,
3. Technical Component – Administering the test, and 4. Professional Component – Interpreting the results.

According to the Report, “[e]ighty percent of the amount Medicare paid to portable suppliers in 2009 reimbursed them for transporting and setting up the x-ray equipment.” When reimbursing for the Transportation Component, Medicare pays for the full Transportation Component once per each trip to a particular location. Therefore, if a supplier is furnishing x-ray services to three beneficiaries at one nursing home, on one trip, it will pay 1/3 of the Transportation Component for each beneficiary (totaling one full Transportation Component). On the other hand, if a supplier furnishes x-ray services to three beneficiaries at one nursing home on three separate trips, on the same day, Medicare will pay for the full Transportation Component for each return trip to a facility on a particular day.

Questionable Billing Patterns
In is evaluation, the OIG developed the following eight (8) characteristics that described questionable billing patterns:

1. Portable services ordered by nonphysicians
2. No recent contact between beneficiary and ordering provider
3. Same-day services in multiple settings 4. Billing for return trips 5. Portable x-rays per beneficiary 6. Beneficiary contact with multiple portable suppliers 7. Beneficiary use of stationary x-ray services 8. Beneficiary durable medical equipment (“DME”) utilization

Results
The OIG found the following of the 352 portable x-ray suppliers in its population:

• 20 (5.7%) suppliers met the criteria for identifying questionable billing patterns where the suppliers exceeded thresholds for questionable billing on at least two (2) individual characteristics as well as the threshold on the combined score (describing the suppliers’ overall billing patterns)
• Medicare paid portable x-ray suppliers roughly $12.8 million for return trips to nursing facilities
• Medicare paid at least $6.6 million for portable x-ray services that were ordered by nonphysicians and, therefore, not covered

Recommendations
The OIG recommended the following to CMS in connection with its findings:

• Take appropriate action on the 20 portable x-ray suppliers referred by the OIG;
• Establish a process to periodically identify portable x-ray suppliers that merit greater scrutiny and follow up as appropriate;
• Determine what portion of the $12.8 million CMS paid for return trips in 2009 actually reimbursed suppliers for incorrectly billed Transportation Component claims and collect overpayments where appropriate;
• Collect the $6.6 million in overpayments for portable x-ray services rendered in 2009 that were ordered by nonphysicians; and • Implement procedures to ensure that CMS pays for portable x-ray services only when ordered by a physician and establish appropriate controls.

CMS concurred with the OIG’s recommendations and has taken action to address its reimbursement processes as they relate to portable x-ray suppliers. Portable x-ray suppliers should continue to monitor and assess their billing practices and claims submission to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations.

For more information, please contact Adrienne Dresevic, Esq. or Carey F. Kalmowitz, Esq. at (248) 996-8510 or (212) 734-0128 or visit the diagnostic imaging page on the HLP website.

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