Health Care Paperwork Reduction and Fraud Prevention Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-6102
Sponsor: Rep. Thornberry, Mac [R-TX-13]
Introduced: 2008-05-20 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Collection of accounts
Department of Health and Human Services
Electronic government information
Federal advisory bodies
Finance and Financial Sector
Fines (Penalties)
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Health insurance
Hospital rates
Law
Medicaid
Medical fees
Medical records
Medicare
Physicians
Right of privacy
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Telephone

Summary:
action_date: 2008-05-20
text: Health Care Paperwork Reduction and Fraud Prevention Act of 2008 - Establishes the Commission on Billing Codes and Forms Simplification which shall make recommendations regarding: (1) standardizing and simplifying credentialing and billing forms for health care claims; (2) reducing and simplifying billing codes; (3) reforming the Medicare regulatory and appeals processes to ensure that the Secretary of Health and Human Services provides appropriate guidance to providers for submitting Medicare claims and does not target inadvertent billing errors; and (4) updating electronic forms of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to ensure simplicity and privacy.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a process under which a physician may request from a carrier written assistance in addressing questionable codes and procedures under the Medicare program. 
Requires the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to restore the toll-free telephone hotline so that physicians may call for information and questions about the Medicare program.
Sets forth provisions concerning: (1) physician participation and pilot program testing requirements and objectives for new evaluation and management guidelines under Medicare; and (2) notice, administrative, and penalty requirements with respect to Medicare overpayments.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-06-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-05-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2008-05-20
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-05-20
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-05-20
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2008-05-20
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2008-05-20
text: Introduced in House