Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) Contract Award Changes Request for Information “MACRA 509”

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) enacted on April 16, 2015, included language in Section 509 that extends Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) contract terms from five to ten years. The legislation also requires the Agency to publish performance information on each MAC, to the extent that such information does not interfere with contract procurements. CMS relies on a network of MACs to serve as the primary operational contact between the Medicare FFS program and the health care providers enrolled in the program. CMS is soliciting public comment on the processes and procedures that we could use to leverage new legal authorities to-- incentivize and reward exceptional Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) contract performance (CMS-1653-NC). Please provide your response to this Request for Information (RFI) at the email address ([email protected]) no later than close of business February 15, 2016. Responses should be submitted as an email attachment in Microsoft Word 2010. If you have already provided responses to these questions through the Federal Register Notice process, you do not need to duplicate your responses here. Click here for more information issued at the Federal Register (PDF): https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2015-32027.pdf and on 12/21/2015 available online at http://federalregister.gov/a/2015-32027 The legislation applies to all contracts in effect at the time of enactment, meaning that the MAC contracts currently in place can be extended up to a maximum of ten years. This also means that the Agency is required to immediately make public performance information on each MAC. For additional information on MACRA Section 509, click here: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Contracting/Medicare-Administrative-Contractors/MACRA-Section-509.html The CMS will use the information submitted in response to this RFI at its discretion and will not provide comments to any vendor's submission. However, responses to the RFI submitted may be reflected in future MAC procurements. The CMS reserves the right to contact any vendor that responds to this RFI for the sole purpose of enhancing CMS' understanding of your RFI submission. It is not CMS' intent to contact vendors individually based on their responses to this RFI. This notice is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or Request for Proposal. This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for any information provided as a result of this RFI and will not recognize or reimburse any cost associated with any RFI submissions.