OIG Special Advisory Bulletins / OIG-CMS Special Advisory Bulletin 99-3_Nov 10, 1999 / No Prior Authorization Before Screening or Treatment

Article Overview

This OIG/CMS advisory bulletin addresses emergency department workflow and the timing of authorization requests in relation to medical screening, stabilization, and transfer decisions. It is relevant to hospital compliance staff, emergency medicine leaders, managed care personnel, and coding or reimbursement teams that need to understand the policy framework governing emergency care administrative processes. The article also notes its relationship to CMS interpretive guidance and discusses how hospital and managed care interactions should align with federal expectations.