Loss of Records in a Disaster
During a disaster, whether of natural cause or man-made, providers
will be relieved from the standard documentation requirements of
Medicare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
recognizes that the delivery of patient care needs to remain the
primary concern of providers during emergencies.
Therefore, if a physician loses all patient files and records due
to disaster damage, Medicare contractors will accept partially recreated
medical records or an attestation that no medical records exist.
If original medical records were destroyed but backup records (such
as microfilmed records) exist, Medicare contractors will accept
reproduced medical records. If fraud is suspected, Medicare contractors
may request information to verify the extent of the damage experienced
by the provider.
Page Last Updated: Monday, 09-Jun-2008 13:34:25 CDT
