Billing companies, drug payments highlight OIG's 2006 work plan; E/M coding drops off radar

Why This Topic Matters

The piece helps readers understand where federal oversight attention is shifting for physician services, billing relationships, and Medicare drug payment processes. It is useful for compliance planning and for identifying the broad operational areas most likely to draw scrutiny.

Article Sections

1. Overview of the 2006 OIG Work Plan

   Introduces the annual work plan and explains the general shift in federal review priorities for the coming year.

2. Physician billing and service review areas

   Summarizes several physician-service topics slated for OIG review, including office visits, therapy claims, billing relationships, excluded providers, mental health services, distance-related claims, and selected cardiology services.

3. Medicare drug payment and ASP-related issues

   Covers the drug-payment topics in the work plan, including oversight of average sales price reporting, market price comparisons, and acquisition-program payment concerns.

4. Work plan release timing and delay

   Notes the timing of the annual publication and the reasons given for the delayed release.