Medical Billing Blog

Effect of a Government Shutdown on Medicare

Posted by Scott Shatzman on Mon, Sep, 30, 2013 @ 08:09 AM

MBR Take-Aways

  1. Funding for Medicare and Medicaid is mandatory, meaning it is not subject to annual appropriations that lapse during a shutdown.
  2. A government shutdown could result in delays in claims processing, audits, and other administrative functions at CMS.
  3. During the 1995-1996 government shutdown, Medicare continued to pay physicians and hospitals according to prevailing payment rates, since claims are made out of the Medicare trusts and not current appropriations.

 

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