Post by zebra51 on Nov 18, 2013 15:01:07 GMT -5
So just out of curiousity I did a Google search for OMHA ALJ hiring in 2014. Only got a couple of hits but what I found was pretty interesting. A Senate report stated the following (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&sid=cp113yHCac&r_n=sr071.113&dbname=cp113&&sel=TOC_494492&) and showed a request for over 10 million increase in budget to do new hiring in 2014.
Appropriations, 2013 1 $71,867,000
Budget estimate, 2014 82,381,000
Committee recommendation 82,381,000
1 Does not reflect the March 1, 2013, sequester of funds under Public Law 112-25 and excludes transfers and reprogrammings allowed under Public Law 113-6.
The Committee provides $82,381,000 for OMHA. This Office is responsible for hearing Medicare appeals at the administrative law judge level, which is the third level of Medicare claims appeals. OMHA ensures that Medicare beneficiaries who are dissatisfied with the initial decisions about their benefits or eligibility can appeal and exercise their right to a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. The Committee recommendation provides additional funding for OMHA to hire more administrative law judge teams and increase its capacity to process its rising caseload.
The Committee is concerned by both the growing backlog of cases at OMHA and the high rate of claims overturned by the Office. Over half of the cases sent to OMHA are overturned; of the remaining cases, 37 percent are overturned through the departmental appeal process. The Department is urged to work with providers at the early stages of the audit process so that only a small number of cases are ultimately appealed and the loss of provider time, energy, and resources due to incorrect audit results are limited.
I also found the OHMA Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees (http://www.hhs.gov/budget/fy2014/secretary-congressional-justification.pdf). The section on the Office of Hearings and Appeals notes a request to fund 48 new FTE postions in Hearings and Appeals.
Not sure how to figure out if the increase was approved but if it was it looks like OHMA will be hiring some new ALJs in 2014.
Appropriations, 2013 1 $71,867,000
Budget estimate, 2014 82,381,000
Committee recommendation 82,381,000
1 Does not reflect the March 1, 2013, sequester of funds under Public Law 112-25 and excludes transfers and reprogrammings allowed under Public Law 113-6.
The Committee provides $82,381,000 for OMHA. This Office is responsible for hearing Medicare appeals at the administrative law judge level, which is the third level of Medicare claims appeals. OMHA ensures that Medicare beneficiaries who are dissatisfied with the initial decisions about their benefits or eligibility can appeal and exercise their right to a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. The Committee recommendation provides additional funding for OMHA to hire more administrative law judge teams and increase its capacity to process its rising caseload.
The Committee is concerned by both the growing backlog of cases at OMHA and the high rate of claims overturned by the Office. Over half of the cases sent to OMHA are overturned; of the remaining cases, 37 percent are overturned through the departmental appeal process. The Department is urged to work with providers at the early stages of the audit process so that only a small number of cases are ultimately appealed and the loss of provider time, energy, and resources due to incorrect audit results are limited.
I also found the OHMA Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees (http://www.hhs.gov/budget/fy2014/secretary-congressional-justification.pdf). The section on the Office of Hearings and Appeals notes a request to fund 48 new FTE postions in Hearings and Appeals.
Not sure how to figure out if the increase was approved but if it was it looks like OHMA will be hiring some new ALJs in 2014.
