CMS aims to reduce the percentage of Medicare dollars paid by identifying various issues. Which of the following is NOT listed among those targets?

• A. Scheduling annual staff meetings
• B. Medically unnecessary or unreasonable care
• C. Inpatient care that could have been provided in a more economical setting
• D. Hospital actions that circumvent Medicare payment rules

Answer: (A)

CMS targets to curb Medicare spending by identifying waste and improper payments. The kinds of issues CMS focuses on include medically unnecessary or unreasonable care, inpatient care that could have been provided in a more economical setting, and hospital actions that circumvent Medicare payment rules. Scheduling annual staff meetings isn’t tied to payment integrity or waste identification; it’s a routine administrative activity and not something CMS targets for reducing Medicare dollars paid. So the option describing scheduling annual staff meetings is not listed among CMS’s targets.