CorVel Announces MSA Agent Services( IRVINE Calif. Nov. 21 /- CorVel Corpo...)

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CorVel Corporation (Nasdaq: CRVL) announced today plans to provide "agent" services under the new Medicare legislation requiring expanded reporting for insurers, third party administrators and employers. The Company currently provides Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) services for workers' compensation and general liability customers throughout the country, and is expanding that service offering to include communications soon to be mandated under the legislation covering Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements.

Recent legislation has expanded the definition of the administrative requirements designed to protect the Medicare system from medical expenses considered the primary obligation of private sector plans, including insured and self-insured workers' compensation, liability and no fault plans. These new regulations include a provision that enables Medicare to examine settlements, judgments and awards to ensure that conditional payments are identified and reimbursed. Claims with the potential to be covered under the CMS regulations must be communicated to the Coordination of Benefits Contractor (COBC) either directly by parties at risk or by their "agent". The Act does not change current practices regarding Medicare Set-Aside agreements but rather emphasizes positive enforcement of protection and recovery measures for Medicare with respect to all classes of casualty claims.

CorVel currently conducts electronic interfaces with various government entities as well as between itself and other private sector payors. In addition, the Company offers clearinghouse services providing electronic communications with healthcare providers and plans to expand these activities to include communications with CMS. Such activities reflect the growing volume of electronic
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