Update: Medicare patient records in physicians' offices.

We have become aware of a growing concern among physicians who are under the impression that review of Medicare patients' records in physicians' offices is imminent. Our current activity of reviewing care provided by health maintenance organizations (HMOs) may have caused some physicians to believe that such review had already started. HMO review may, at times, include a request for office records, but such requests are made to the HMO. The review does not take place at the physician's office.