Medicare Program; Requirements for the Recredentialing of Medicare+Choice Organization Providers

This final rule changes the requirement for recredentialing providers who are physicians or other health care professionals for Medicare+Choice Organizations (M+COs) from at least every 2 years to at least every 3 years. This change is consistent with managed care industry recognized standards of practice and quality, and with standards already adopted by nationally recognized private quality assurance accrediting organizations. This change simplifies administrative requirements by retaining consistency with the private accrediting processes. This rule benefits M+COs and providers within the M+COs who must be recredentialed, while continuing to address quality issues of Medicare beneficiaries.