The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) intends to solicit proposals for Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs). Section 302 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to utilize RAC s under the Medicare Integrity Program to identify underpayments and overpayments and recoup overpayments under the Medicare program associated with services for which payment is made under Part A or B of title XVIII the Social Security Act.

This contract includes the following tasks which shall be defined in further detail in the forthcoming solicitation:

1. Identifying Medicare claims that contain non-MSP underpayments for which payment was made under part A or B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act.
2. Identifying and Recouping Medicare claims that contain non-MSP overpayments for which payment was made under part A or B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act. This includes corresponding with the provider.
3. For any RAC-identified overpayment that is appealed by the provider, the RAC shall provide support to CMS throughout the administrative appeals process and, where applicable, a subsequent appeal to the appropriate Federal court.
4. For any RAC-identified vulnerability, support CMS in developing an Improper Payment Prevention Plan to help prevent similar overpayments from occurring in the future.
5. Performing the necessary provider outreach to notify provider communities of the RAC?s purpose and direction.

The purpose of the Recovery Audit Contracts (RAC) is to reduce Medicare improper payments through the efficient detection and collection of overpayments, the identification of underpayments and the implementation of actions that will prevent future improper payments. This includes the identification and recovery of Non-MSP overpayments.