Providers hoping for better days ahead with ‘suspicious,’ unannounced CMS site visits

Providers hoping for better days ahead with ‘suspicious,’ unannounced CMS site visits 
McKnights Long-Term Care News; by James M. Berklan; 11/25/24 
A campaign to strip mystery out of unannounced, often thinly explained site visits by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services contractors may be bearing some fruit. Providers have been rattled by visitors’ demands for information and the ability to take photos with little explanation. They’re hoping that the government-hired fact-checkers communicate and execute their mission better moving forward. ... “When the people who educate consultants and others don’t know about something, it’s concerning. It was so suspicious with the way they [contractors] came into facilities,” McCarthy said. Upon investigation, provider advocates were able to confirm the site visits are legitimate and can happen to any provider or supplier as part of their Medicare enrollment or verification process. And while explicit advance notice may not be given, a record of the visits’ orders can be confirmed in the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS). [Click on the title's link to continue reading.]