CMS Releases RFI on PEPPER and CBR Reports

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced they are seeking information for a reevaluation of the Comparative Billing Reports (CBRs) and Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Reports (PEPPERs) to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of the programs. These reports are available for hospice, home health, and skilled nursing facilities.

A CBR provides data on Medicare billing trends, allowing a health care provider to compare their billing practices to peers in the same state and across the nation. PEPPER provides provider-specific Medicare data for services vulnerable to improper payments. In January 2024, CMS paused the distribution of CBRs and PEPPERs as they worked to improve and update the program and reporting system.

CMS is now seeking responses to a series of questions listed in the Request for Information (RFI) which may inform changes to the design of the program. Responses are due on or before August 19 and must be provided via on-line submission to [email protected].

LeadingAge will be submitting comments on behalf of members and encourages any providers who regularly used these reports to reach out to Katy Barnett ([email protected]).

CMS states the current report pause will remain in effect through the fall of 2024.