FROM: Theodore O. Will, FACHE /s/ Chief Executive Officer
DATE: November 17, 2011
RE: Information Regarding The Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Establishment of a Beneficiary and Family Centered Care National Coordinating Center
IPRO CONTACT: Andrea Goldstein, Vice President, Medicare/Federal Health Care Assessment, 516-209-5364
The purpose of this memorandum is to make you aware that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established a Beneficiary and Family Centered Care National Coordinating Center (BFCCNCC) to support Medicare case review activities in the 10th Statement of Work (SOW). The purpose of the BFCCNCC is to handle the intake process for beneficiaries’ potential quality of care concerns, and track these complaints through the review process. CMS has awarded the contract to FMQAI – the Florida Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) and their parent organization, Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), the QIO for Arizona.
As the BFCCNCC contractor, FMQAI serves as the centralized intake unit that receives and responds to information from Medicare beneficiaries, family members, representatives, and healthcare providers regarding all potential quality of care concerns. Following the intake of a potential quality of care concern, the BFCCNCC is responsible for the initial request of medical records required for review. Accordingly, please be aware that the BFCCNCC may be sending medical record requests directly to the medical records department at your facility and not to the established IPRO Liaison. Therefore, please share this Memorandum with the appropriate parties within your organization to facilitate the process.
The actual case review and associated quality improvement activities will continue to be performed by IPRO as the QIO for New York. All IPRO correspondence will continue to be directed to the designated IPRO liaison.
Should you have any questions or require additional information in regard to this memorandum, please contact Andrea Goldstein at 516-209-5364.
