But in Texas and North Carolina, doctors have been more involved in the systems' development and haven't felt the same level of frustration. States that bought computer programs and are doing audits internally seem to encounter fewer critics than states that hired outside companies to look for overpayment and fraud. Doctors in states where outside companies are awarded contracts to sort through the data say they feel indignation and resentment. In Washington, doctors say they are getting letters telling them to return money without much explanation about the alleged problem. Kentucky physicians say the state and the outside company it hired weren't prepared or organized for the appeals the audit effort generated.
Maine doctors are the newest group to become concerned.
The Maine Dept. of Human Services plans to use an outside consultant to examine five years of records. In the same way Kentucky did, the state plans to pay the company a portion of what it recoups. I'm offended by the threat of an audit. They should retract it, apologize and send a thank-you letter for my service. MMA is trying to stop the audit through legislation.