Senate Bill sb1412c1

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412

    By the Committee on Health Care





    587-1817-06

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to Medicaid fraud and abuse;

  3         creating s. 409.9135, F.S.; requiring that

  4         managed care organizations providing or

  5         arranging services for Medicaid recipients

  6         establish and maintain special investigative

  7         units; requiring each managed care organization

  8         to submit a plan for detecting and preventing

  9         fraud and abuse within the Medicaid program to

10         the Agency for Health Care Administration;

11         specifying requirements that must be met if a

12         managed care organization contracts with

13         another entity to conduct activities to detect

14         and prevent fraud and abuse; providing that the

15         act does not create a private right of action;

16         authorizing the Office of the Inspector General

17         in the agency, the agency's Bureau of Program

18         Integrity, the agency's contract management

19         staff, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to

20         review records and determine compliance with

21         the act; requiring managed care organizations

22         to file a report with the Office of the

23         Inspector General if a fraudulent or abusive

24         act is suspected; specifying the information to

25         be included in a report of suspected fraud or

26         abuse; providing civil immunity to any person

27         or entity that reports suspected fraud or

28         abuse; authorizing designated staff of a

29         managed care organization to share information

30         concerning suspected fraud or abuse; providing

31         that a managed care organization is not liable

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1         for the fraud or abuse of an employee or agent

 2         under certain circumstances; providing

 3         exceptions; requiring that any recovery of

 4         funds by the state from a Medicaid provider or

 5         recipient representing payment or payments made

 6         by a managed care organization compensated by

 7         the state by capitation be returned to the

 8         capitated managed care organization from which

 9         the payment to the Medicaid provider or

10         recipient originated; providing exceptions;

11         directing the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, in

12         conjunction with managed care organizations, to

13         track and publish on an annual basis all

14         Medicaid fraud recoveries made under the act;

15         providing rulemaking authority; requiring the

16         agency to create a system to validate

17         information collected by a Medicaid

18         encounter-data system; requiring that the

19         agency report on its efforts to coordinate

20         anti-fraud and abuse systems related to managed

21         care organizations to the Governor and the

22         Legislature; providing an effective date.

23  

24  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

25  

26         Section 1.  Section 409.9135, Florida Statutes, is

27  created to read:

28         409.9135  Medicaid managed care organizations' special

29  investigative units or contracts; plans to prevent or reduce

30  fraud and abuse.--Each managed care organization that provides

31  or arranges for the provision of health care services to

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1  Medicaid recipients under this chapter shall establish and

 2  maintain a special investigative unit to investigate

 3  fraudulent claims and other types of program abuse by

 4  recipients and service providers. A managed care organization

 5  may contract with another entity for the investigation of

 6  fraudulent claims and other types of program abuse by

 7  recipients and service providers. As used in this section, the

 8  terms "abuse," "fraud," and "overpayment" have the same

 9  meanings as in s. 409.913.

10         (1)  Each managed care organization shall adopt a plan

11  to prevent and reduce fraud and abuse and annually file that

12  plan with the Office of the Inspector General in the agency

13  for approval. The plan must include:

14         (a)  A general description of the managed care

15  organization's procedures for detecting and investigating

16  possible acts of fraud, abuse, or overpayment;

17         (b)  A description of the managed care organization's

18  procedures for the mandatory reporting of possible acts of

19  fraud or abuse to the Office of the Inspector General in the

20  agency;

21         (c)  A description of the managed care organization's

22  procedures for educating and training personnel on how to

23  detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or overpayment;

24         (d)  The name, address, telephone number, and fax

25  number of the individual responsible for carrying out the

26  plan;

27         (e)  A description or chart outlining the

28  organizational arrangement of the managed care organization's

29  personnel who are responsible for investigating and reporting

30  possible acts of fraud, abuse, or overpayment;

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1         (f)  A summary of the results of investigations of

 2  fraud, abuse, or overpayment which were conducted during the

 3  past year by the managed care organization's special

 4  investigative unit or its contractor; and

 5         (g)  Provisions for maintaining the confidentiality of

 6  any patient information that is relevant to an investigation

 7  of fraud, abuse, or overpayment.

 8         (2)  If a managed care organization contracts for the

 9  investigation of fraudulent claims and other types of program

10  abuse by recipients or service providers, the managed care

11  organization shall file the following with the Office of the

12  Inspector General in the agency for approval before the

13  managed care plan implements any contracts for fraud and abuse

14  prevention and detection:

15         (a)  A copy of the written contract between the managed

16  care organization and the contracting entity;

17         (b)  The names, addresses, telephone numbers, and fax

18  numbers of the principals of the entity with which the managed

19  care organization has contracted; and

20         (c)  A description of the qualifications of the

21  principals of the entity with which the managed care

22  organization has contracted.

23         (3)  This section does not create a private right of

24  action related to any violation of this section. The Office of

25  the Inspector General in the agency, the agency's Bureau of

26  Program Integrity, the agency's contract management staff, and

27  the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Attorney

28  General may review the records of a managed care organization

29  and its subcontractors to determine compliance with this

30  section. If a managed care organization or its subcontractors

31  fail to comply with the requirements of this section, the

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1  agency shall take appropriate administrative action as

 2  provided in section 409.913.

 3         (4)(a)  Upon detecting acts by providers or recipients

 4  that the managed care organization believes are fraudulent,

 5  the managed care organization must report the acts to the

 6  Office of the Inspector General in the agency. At a minimum,

 7  the report must contain the name of the provider or recipient,

 8  the Medicaid billing number or tax identification number of

 9  the provider or the Medicaid recipient's identification

10  number, and a description of the suspected fraudulent act. The

11  managed care organization must report acts of suspected fraud

12  under this section no later than 15 days after the managed

13  care organization initially detects the suspicious fraudulent

14  activity.

15         (b)  The Office of the Inspector General in the agency

16  shall forward the report of suspected fraud to the appropriate

17  investigative unit, including, but not limited to, the

18  Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Attorney

19  General and the Department of Law Enforcement.

20         (c)  Upon detecting acts by providers or recipients

21  which the managed care organization suspects are abusive, the

22  managed care organization shall thoroughly review the acts to

23  eliminate instances of simple error or routine anomalies in

24  billing practices or health care service delivery. If

25  suspected abusive acts by providers or recipients are not

26  eliminated by the review or are determined by the managed care

27  organization not to be simple error or routine anomalies in

28  billing practices or health care service delivery, the managed

29  care organization shall report such acts to the Office of the

30  Inspector General in the agency. At a minimum, the report must

31  contain the name of the provider or recipient, the Medicaid

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1  billing number or tax identification number of the provider or

 2  the Medicaid recipient's identification number, and a

 3  description of the suspected abusive act. The managed care

 4  organization shall provide reportable acts of suspected abuse

 5  to the Office of the Inspector General in the agency no later

 6  than 15 days after the act is determined not to be simple

 7  error or routine anomalies in billing practices or health care

 8  service delivery.

 9         (d)  The Office of the Inspector General in the agency

10  shall forward the report of suspected abuse to the appropriate

11  investigative unit, including, but not limited to, the

12  agency's Bureau of Program Integrity, the Medicaid Fraud

13  Control Unit in the Office of the Attorney General, or the

14  Department of Law Enforcement.

15         (5)  A person or managed care organization is not

16  subject to civil liability of any nature absent proof by clear

17  and convincing evidence of a specific intent to harm a person

18  or entity that is the subject of any report or reports

19  regarding:

20         (a)  Any information relating to suspected fraudulent

21  or abusive acts, or persons suspected of engaging in such

22  acts, which is furnished to or received from law enforcement

23  officials, their agents, or employees;

24         (b)  Any information relating to suspected fraudulent

25  or abusive acts, or persons suspected of engaging in such

26  acts, which is furnished to or received from other persons

27  subject to the provisions of this chapter;

28         (c)  Any such information furnished in reports to the

29  agency, the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of

30  Law Enforcement, or any other local, state, or federal law

31  enforcement officials or their agents or employees; or

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1         (d)  Other actions taken in cooperation with any of the

 2  agencies or individuals specified in this subsection in the

 3  lawful investigation of suspected fraudulent or abusive acts.

 4         (6)  In addition to the immunity granted in subsection

 5  (5), an employee or contractor of a managed care organization

 6  whose responsibilities include the investigation and

 7  disposition of claims relating to suspected fraudulent or

 8  abusive acts may share information relating to persons

 9  suspected of committing fraudulent or abusive acts with the

10  employees or contractors of the same or other managed care

11  organization whose responsibilities include the investigation

12  and disposition of claims relating to fraudulent or abusive

13  acts. A person or managed care organization is not subject to

14  civil liability of any nature absent proof by clear and

15  convincing evidence of a specific intent to harm a person or

16  entity that is the subject of information-sharing or reporting

17  under the provisions of this subsection.

18         (7)  This section does not abrogate or modify in any

19  way any common-law or statutory privilege or immunity

20  heretofore enjoyed by any person.

21         (8)  A managed care organization is not liable for the

22  fraud or abuse of an employee or agent unless the officers,

23  directors, or managing agents of the managed care organization

24  actively and knowingly participated in the misconduct or

25  unless the officers, directors, or managing agents of the

26  managed care organization negligently failed to monitor and

27  prevent activities constituting misconduct.

28         (9)  Representatives from managed care organizations,

29  Medicaid, the Office of the Inspector General of the agency,

30  the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Law

31  

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1  Enforcement shall meet at least twice each year to review and

 2  discuss fraud and abuse case studies and enforcement matters.

 3         (10)  Any funds recovered by the state from a Medicaid

 4  provider or recipient representing payment or payments made by

 5  a managed care organization compensated by the state by

 6  capitation shall be returned to the capitated managed care

 7  organization from which the payment to the Medicaid provider

 8  or recipient originated, including interest, if any. The

 9  agency, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of

10  Law Enforcement may not return recovered funds associated with

11  a fraudulent or abusive act committed by an employee or agent

12  of the managed care organization if the officers, directors,

13  or managing agents of the managed care organization actively

14  and knowingly participated in the misconduct or negligently

15  failed to monitor and prevent activities constituting

16  misconduct. Any funds returned to a managed care organization

17  may not include monetary fines, penalties, or sanctions

18  imposed by the agency, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, or the

19  Department of Law Enforcement under s. 409.913 which do not

20  represent payment or payments made by a managed care

21  organization. The agency, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and

22  the Department of Law Enforcement may recover investigative,

23  legal, and expert witness costs, if any, under s. 409.913

24  which are separate and apart from recovery of payment or

25  payments made by a managed care organization.

26         (11)  The agency and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit,

27  in conjunction with managed care organizations, must track and

28  publish on an annual basis all Medicaid fraud recoveries by

29  providers made under this section. Such information shall be

30  submitted to the Department of Health by the provider pursuant

31  to the procedures under s. 456.039.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1         (12)  The agency shall develop and adopt rules to

 2  administer this section.

 3         (13)  Notwithstanding other provisions of law to the

 4  contrary, health maintenance organizations under contract with

 5  the agency under s. 409.912 or s. 409.91211 are exempt from

 6  ss. 626.989 and 626.9891 for Medicaid lines of business.

 7         Section 2.  The Agency for Health Care Administration

 8  shall develop and implement a methodology to validate the

 9  information that is collected by any encounter-data-reporting

10  system and used for tracking the services provided to Medicaid

11  recipients through managed care organizations. This validation

12  methodology shall assess whether the encounter-data-reporting

13  system accurately reflects, at a minimum, the following items:

14         (1)  The demographic characteristics of the patient.

15         (2)  The principal, secondary, and tertiary diagnosis.

16         (3)  The procedure performed.

17         (4)  The date and location where the procedure was

18  performed.

19         (5)  The payment for the procedure, if any.

20         (6)  If applicable, the health care practitioner's

21  universal identification number.

22         (7)  If the health care practitioner rendering the

23  service is a dependent practitioner, the modifiers appropriate

24  to indicate that the service was delivered by the dependent

25  practitioner.

26         (8)  Prescription drugs for each type of patient

27  encounter.

28         (9)  Appropriate information related to health care

29  costs and utilization from managed care plans.

30         Section 3.  The Agency for Health Care Administration

31  shall report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1  the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1,

 2  2007, on how the agency is coordinating its internal

 3  anti-fraud and abuse-prevention and detection systems as they

 4  apply to managed care organizations. This report must include

 5  a description of how information is coordinated and shared

 6  among managed care organizations, the agency, and other

 7  governmental entities that are responsible for preventing,

 8  detecting, and prosecuting Medicaid provider and recipient

 9  fraud or abuse. The agency may include the content of this

10  section in its annual report to the Legislature concerning

11  Medicaid fraud and its abuse-prevention and detection

12  activities as required by s. 409.913, Florida Statutes, in

13  lieu of a separate report.

14         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2006.

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    Florida Senate - 2006                           CS for SB 1412
    587-1817-06




 1          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
 2                         Senate Bill 1412

 3                                 

 4  The Committee Substitute:

 5  --   Specifies that the failure of a Medicaid managed care
         organization to comply with the provisions of the bill
 6       does not create a private right of action;

 7  --   Clarifies that the Agency for Health Care Administration
         (AHCA) and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) may
 8       access the records of managed care plans and their
         subcontractors to investigate incidents of suspected
 9       fraud and abuse;

10  --   Requires the agency to take appropriate administrative
         actions if a managed care organization or its
11       subcontractors fail to comply with the provisions of the
         bill;
12  
    --   Clarifies when and how a managed care organization must
13       report suspected fraud or abuse;

14  --   Simplifies the civil immunity protection language for
         managed care organizations that report suspected fraud
15       and abuse as required by this bill;

16  --   Specifies that a managed care organization is not liable
         for fraud or abuse committed by its employees or agents
17       unless the officers, directors, or managing agents
         knowingly participated in the activity or negligently
18       failed to monitor and prevent misconduct;

19  --   Requires representatives of Medicaid managed care
         organizations, AHCA, MFCU, and the Florida Department of
20       Law Enforcement to meet at least twice a year to discuss
         anti-fraud and abuse initiatives;
21  
    --   Requires recovered funds associated with a capitated
22       payment to be returned to the managed care organization
         of origin;
23  
    --   Requires MFCU, in conjunction with the managed care
24       organizations, to track and report fraud recoveries by
         provider on an annual basis and that such information
25       must be provided to the Department of Health pursuant to
         the procedures under s. 456.039, F.S.; and,
26  
    --   Exempts an HMO's Medicaid line of business from similar
27       anti-fraud and abuse requirements found in chapter 626,
         F.S., so that the Medicaid HMOs only have to comply with
28       the provisions of this bill.

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