405.371—Suspension, offset, and recoupment of Medicare payments to providers and suppliers of services.
(a) General.
Medicare payments to providers and suppliers, as authorized under this subchapter (excluding payments to beneficiaries), may be—
(1)
Suspended, in whole or in part, by CMS, an intermediary, or a carrier if CMS, the intermediary, or the carrier possesses reliable information that an overpayment or fraud or willful misrepresentation exists or that the payments to be made may not be correct, although additional evidence may be needed for a determination; or
(2)
Offset or recouped, in whole or in part, by an intermediary or a carrier if the intermediary, carrier, or CMS has determined that the provider or supplier to whom payments are to be made has been overpaid.
(b) Steps necessary for suspension of payment, offset, and recoupment.
Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, CMS, the intermediary, or carrier suspends payments only after it has complied with the procedural requirements set forth at § 405.372. The intermediary or carrier offsets or recoups payments only after it has complied with the procedural requirements set forth at § 405.373.
(c) Suspension of payment in the case of unfiled cost reports.
If a provider has failed to timely file an acceptable cost report, payment to the provider is immediately suspended in whole or in part until a cost report is filed and determined by the intermediary to be acceptable. In the case of an unfiled cost report, the provisions of § 405.372 do not apply. (See § 405.372(a)(2) concerning failure to furnish other information.)
[61 FR 63746, Dec. 2, 1996, as amended at 67 FR 66813, Nov. 1, 2002]