BluePeak is a leading national healthcare consultancy that focuses on government programs.
Mock Audits
One of the most important activities that you can perform to get ready for CMS audits is practice universe pulls and mock CMS audits. BluePeak can assist you with preparation of universes, training of staff to present during the CMS audits and provide subject matter expertise in each of the CMS audit areas. We employ former CMS auditors so that we can execute a mock audit just as CMS will perform the audit. The report will contain information that will allow you to understand exactly where the issues lie and will give you actionable tasks that will allow you to remediate BEFORE CMS identifies the issues.
- Operations Mock Audit: Formulary Administration (FA); Part D Coverage Determinations, Appeals and Grievances (CDAG); Part C Organization Determinations, Appeals and Grievances (ODAG); and Special Needs Care Coordination (SNPCC)
- Mock Compliance Program Effectiveness Audit (CPE)
- Mock Audit: Medicare-Medicaid Plan Service Authorization Requests, Appeals and Grievances (MMP-SARAG) and Medicare-Medicaid Plan Care Coordination (MMPCC)
- Enrollment
- Call Center
- 1/3 Financial Audits
Universal Monitoring System (UMS)
Every plan should be monitoring their universe data on a regular basis, but the reality is that universe monitoring competes with the organization’s other priorities and resources and gets pushed to the back burner. BluePeak developed UMS, an audit-readiness resource for plans that:
- Reviews Universes for technical issues
- Analyzes and Identifies risk and outliers
- Coaches your team and FDRs on presenting the data.
Year-End Benefits Testing
BluePeak can perform Year-end Benefit Testing for your Part C and Part D plans to ensure compliance. The member experience is the most critical reason for ensuring the benefits are set up accurately. However, claims adjudication errors can result in audit findings and issues of non-compliance. CMS continues to focus on claims accuracy for both Part C and Part D through Program Audits and Financial Audits. In addition, on the Part D side other audits such as Timeliness Monitoring and PDE Self Audits also focus on claims accuracy.
Audit Preparation and Onsite CMS and State Audit Support
During an actual CMS audit, BluePeak can assist with universe review and preparation, document and impact report preparations, coaching of staff and questions to ask or not ask CMS. We can be available onsite to support your teams. After the audit, BluePeak can assist with strategies for corrective actions, Corrective Action Plan (CAP) writing and review, and perform actual remediation work if needed. We can work with the business leads to design project plans, allocate resources and implement corrective actions. We can then perform a validation audit prior to the clean period to ensure the issues have been remediated.
Federally Facilitated Exchange (FFE) Mock Audits & Audit Support
BluePeak helps plans prepare for audits of their FFE Plan. BluePeak’s mock audits are conducted in a manner which simulates a real audit from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). The mock audit will include a formal audit announcement, set submission timeframes, an entrance and exit conference, as well as documentation review and case sampling of HICS Casework, Enrollments, Terminations and Renewal-Discontinuation Letters and more.
BluePeak also supports Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) that have received their FFE audit notice with end-to-end audit support or customized support as needed. Click the link to learn more about how plans can optimize FFE Compliance with BluePeak’s expert audit insight.
Independent Validation Audits (IVA)
BluePeak can assist plans with the CMS IA validation process. Our team will work with your team to develop a CMS-approved validation work plan, conduct the validation audit and provide the validation report to be shared with CMS.
Operational Gap Analysis
Assessments are an effective way to evaluate the effectiveness of your operational processes. BluePeak will provide an analysis of plan operations to identify gaps where the Medicare Advantage Plans, Part D Sponsors or PBMs are not meeting CMS regulations and guidelines. We can do this across the plan or in specific areas where you think there may be issues. We will then analyze the consistency across operational processes and written policies and procedures. BluePeak can assist plan with development of a database to demonstrate compliance with CMS regulations and guidelines or recommend online tools to support their businesses.
Sanction Remediation
Over the past 12, BluePeak has assisted 15 plans in getting CMS sanctions remediated. BluePeak has assisted several plans who have been issued CMS intermediate sanctions with writing of the CAPs, remediation of their issues and subsequent sanction removal. Our team has the experience with CMS’ expectations, timelines, communication and operations around these serious sanctions.
Policy and Procedure Development and Refinement
We can assist plans in drafting and reviewing policies and procedures—not only from the pure writing standpoint- but assuring that the operations of your organization are compliant and efficient leading to the saving of time and money.
Our Services
BluePeak is a leading national healthcare consultancy that focuses on government programs including Medicare Parts C and D, Medicaid, and Exchanges. We assist health plans, pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies allied health companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers with regulatory, operational and compliance issues. BluePeak can analyze an organization’s processes and provide practical solutions, operational best practices and training to meet Medicare and other government program standards in all key areas.