October 7, 2010

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley recently sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick reiterating his concerns that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is not properly overseeing its contractors.

Grassley said the lack of oversight of contractors is alarming, and he points to agency oversight of contractors responsible for adjudicating and processing Medicare claims; locating and addressing waste, fraud or abuse; and improving the quality of health care provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is not holding contractors accountable when those contractors fail to carry out their responsibilities or fulfill contract terms," Grassley said.  "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services needs to do what it takes to make sure these contractors don`t waste taxpayer dollars."

Previously, Grassley raised concerns about Program Safety Contractors, who are tasked with locating and addressing waste, fraud or abuse, failing to adequately open new investigations or refer cases to law enforcement when appropriate.  Grassley also expressed concerns about the apparent lack of accountability by Medicare Quality Improvement Organizations, which are tasked with improving the quality of health care provided to Medicare beneficiaries.

Grassley`s most recent letter to Secretary Sebelius is available here.

-30-

Support the River Cities' Reader

Get 12 Reader issues mailed monthly for $48/year.

Old School Subscription for Your Support

Get the printed Reader edition mailed to you (or anyone you want) first-class for 12 months for $48.
$24 goes to postage and handling, $24 goes to keeping the doors open!

Click this link to Old School Subscribe now.



Help Keep the Reader Alive and Free Since '93!

 

"We're the River Cities' Reader, and we've kept the Quad Cities' only independently owned newspaper alive and free since 1993.

So please help the Reader keep going with your one-time, monthly, or annual support. With your financial support the Reader can continue providing uncensored, non-scripted, and independent journalism alongside the Quad Cities' area's most comprehensive cultural coverage." - Todd McGreevy, Publisher