The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will extend its temporary moratoria for new ambulance companies and home health agencies in certain geographical fraud hotspots across the country, according to the Federal Register.
The most recent announcement marks the fourth time CMS has issued an extension, dating back to the original July 2013 announcement that included metropolitan areas of Florida, Illinois and Texas. Since then, CMS has extended the moratoria to other areas within those states, and added designated fraud hotspots in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. After consulting with the Office of Inspector General (OIG), CMS determined that fraud and abuse risks warrant the continuation of the moratoria while the agency continues with administrative actions. Federal Register