Portable X-ray Equipment - Supplier Compliance with Transportation and Setup Fee Requirements

Portable x-ray suppliers provide diagnostic imaging services at patients' locations - most often residences including private homes and group living facilities, such as nursing homes - rather than in a traditional clinical setting, such as a doctor's office or hospital. Medicare generally reimburses for portable x-ray services if the conditions for coverage are met (42 CFR §§ 486.100-486.110). However, previous OIG work found that Medicare may have improperly paid portable x-ray suppliers for return trips to nursing facilities, i.e., multiple trips to a facility in 1 day. We will review Medicare payments for portable x-ray equipment services to determine whether payments were correct and were supported by documentation. We will also assess the qualifications of the technologists who performed the services.

Announced or Revised	Agency	Title	Component	Report Number(s)	Expected Issue Date (FY)
Completed7	Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	Portable X-ray Equipment - Supplier Compliance with Transportation and Setup Fee Requirements	Office of Audit Services	A-02-15-01008; W-00-15-35464	2019