Editor’s Note: The following is an updated, revised version of a story that first appeared in the November 4, 2011 Bulletin.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on October 28, 2011, that current efforts to revalidate the enrollment of every Medicare provider and supplier will continue through 2015. The original deadline had been set for March 23, 2013, as CMS sought to carry out the program integrity screening provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

CMS’s decision to extend the time available for the physician revalidation effort came after the AMA expressed disagreement with CMS’ initial legal analysis of the ACA screening provisions. Click here to read the AMA’s September 23, 2011 letter on revalidation.

This week Palmetto GBA released a statement on this issue, which is available at its website. Providers are still being instructed to wait until they are contacted by Palmetto GBA before beginning the revalidation effort. Those physicians that have already been contacted and instructed to begin revalidation should continue that process according to Palmetto GBA’s instructions.