Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/2412

 PUBLIC LAW 108–173—DEC. 8, 2003

117 STAT. 2393

(b) QUALIFICATION OF CONTRACTORS.—In conducting the demonstration program, the Secretary shall enter into contracts with qualified organizations (such as peer review organizations or entities described in section 1889(g)(2) of the Social Security Act, as inserted by section 921(f)(1)) with appropriate expertise with billing systems of the full range of providers of services and suppliers to provide the technical assistance. In awarding such contracts, the Secretary shall consider any prior investigations of the entity’s work by the Inspector General of Department of Health and Human Services or the Comptroller General of the United States. (c) DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The technical assistance provided under the demonstration program shall include a direct and in-person examination of billing systems and internal controls of small providers of services or suppliers to determine program compliance and to suggest more efficient or effective means of achieving such compliance. (d) GAO EVALUATION.—Not later than 2 years after the date the demonstration program is first implemented, the Comptroller General, in consultation with the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, shall conduct an evaluation of the demonstration program. The evaluation shall include a determination of whether claims error rates are reduced for small providers of services or suppliers who participated in the program and the extent of improper payments made as a result of the demonstration program. The Comptroller General shall submit a report to the Secretary and the Congress on such evaluation and shall include in such report recommendations regarding the continuation or extension of the demonstration program. (e) FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION BY PROVIDERS.—The provision of technical assistance to a small provider of services or supplier under the demonstration program is conditioned upon the small provider of services or supplier paying an amount estimated (and disclosed in advance of a provider’s or supplier’s participation in the program) to be equal to 25 percent of the cost of the technical assistance. (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There are authorized to be appropriated, from amounts not otherwise appropriated in the Treasury, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

Reports.

SEC. 923. MEDICARE BENEFICIARY OMBUDSMAN.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1808, as added and amended by section 900, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ‘‘(c) MEDICARE BENEFICIARY OMBUDSMAN.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall appoint within the Department of Health and Human Services a Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman who shall have expertise and experience in the fields of health care and education of (and assistance to) individuals entitled to benefits under this title. ‘‘(2) DUTIES.—The Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman shall— ‘‘(A) receive complaints, grievances, and requests for information submitted by individuals entitled to benefits under part A or enrolled under part B, or both, with respect to any aspect of the medicare program;

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