“A lack of oversight of the national repository of Medicaid data caused an estimated $36.7 billion in payment errors in 2017, according to a new Government Accountability Office report. That’s up from an estimated $14.4 billion in improper payments in Fiscal Year 2013…”
“Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) is CMS’ core effort to improve Medicaid data by increasing the scope of data and quality of state-reported data… However, data challenges have hindered states’ and CMS’s use of the T-MSIS data for oversight.”
“Six of eight selected states actually expressed concerns about how T-MSIS data could be compared across states. While all states reported interest in information sharing across states, CMS hasn’t compiled or shared information about states’ data limitation – an act that would help states improve accuracy when comparing data between states…”
“Although CMS has taken those first steps to using T-MSIS data, it doesn’t yet have a plan or even a timeframe to use this data for oversight…”
Source: GAO: $36.7 billion in Medicaid payment errors tied to poor oversight of national repository – By Jessica Davis, January 9, 2018. Read the full article here.