Most healthcare organizations say they have one full-time equivalent compliance officer dedicated solely to Recovery Audit Contractor program audits, according to a survey from the Health Care Compliance Association (pdf).
The HCCA surveyed 418 different healthcare companies that deal with RACs. Other findings from the RAC audit survey include the following:
• Overall, 57 percent said one FTE employee dealt with RACs, and 27 percent had two dedicated FTEs.
• Staffing levels for other government audit initiatives — such as MICs, ZPICs and CERTs — were also steady, as 56 percent of respondents said they had one FTE to focus on those projects.
• Ten percent of organizations said their compliance budgets increased this fiscal year, while 34 percent said their budgets somewhat increased.
• Roughly 77 percent of smaller companies (250 employees or less) had never used an external consultant for the RAC appeals process, but only 40 percent of large companies (more than 5,000 employees) had never used an external consultant.
The HCCA surveyed 418 different healthcare companies that deal with RACs. Other findings from the RAC audit survey include the following:
• Overall, 57 percent said one FTE employee dealt with RACs, and 27 percent had two dedicated FTEs.
• Staffing levels for other government audit initiatives — such as MICs, ZPICs and CERTs — were also steady, as 56 percent of respondents said they had one FTE to focus on those projects.
• Ten percent of organizations said their compliance budgets increased this fiscal year, while 34 percent said their budgets somewhat increased.
• Roughly 77 percent of smaller companies (250 employees or less) had never used an external consultant for the RAC appeals process, but only 40 percent of large companies (more than 5,000 employees) had never used an external consultant.
Related Articles on RACs:
RACs and Other Audits: 2011 in Review and Attractions Ahead
CMS Releases FAQs on Medicaid RACs
CMS Shelves RAC Prepayment Review Demonstration