Medicare and Medicaid programs; fraud and abuse; revisions to the civil money penalty statute of limitations--HHS. Final rule.

This final rule implements section 3(b) of Pub. L. 100-93, the Medicare and Medicaid Patient and Program Protection Act of 1987, by expressly adding a new statutorily mandated statute of limitations that is to be applied to the civil money penalty (CMP) law. Specifically, this rule provides that no action may be initiated under the CMP provisions later than 6 years after the date the claim has been represented. This new 6-year statute of limitations replaces the 5-year "regulations of limitations" currently set forth in regulations.