(a) General. The principles of cost reimbursement require that providers maintain sufficient financial records and statistical data for proper determination of costs payable under the program. Standardized definitions, accounting, statistics, and reporting practices that are widely accepted in the hospital and related fields are followed. Changes in these practices and systems will not be required in order to determine costs payable under the principles of reimbursement. Essentially the methods of determining costs payable under Medicare involve making use of data available from the institution's basis accounts, as usually maintained, to arrive at equitable and proper payment for services to beneficiaries.

(b) Frequency of cost reports. Cost reports are required from providers on an annual basis with reporting periods based on the provider's accounting year. In the interpretation and application of the principles of reimbursement, the fiscal contractors will be an important source of consultative assistance to providers and will be available to deal with questions and problems on a day-to-day basis.

(c) Recordkeeping requirements for new providers. A newly participating provider of services (as defined in §400.202 of this chapter) must make available to its selected contractor for examination its fiscal and other records for the purpose of determining such provider's ongoing recordkeeping capability and inform the contractor of the date its initial Medicare cost reporting period ends. This examination is intended to assure that—

(1) The provider has an adequate ongoing system for furnishing the records needed to provide accurate cost data and other information capable of verification by qualified auditors and adequate for cost reporting purposes under section 1815 of the Act; and

(2) No financial arrangements exist that will thwart the commitment of the Medicare program to reimburse providers the reasonable cost of services furnished beneficiaries. The data and information to be examined include cost, revenue, statistical, and other information pertinent to reimbursement including, but not limited to, that described in paragraph (d) of this section and in §413.24.

(d) Continuing provider recordkeeping requirements.

(1) The provider must furnish such information to the contractor as may be necessary to—

(i) Assure proper payment by the program, including the extent to which there is any common ownership or control (as described in §413.17(b)(2) and (3)) between providers or other organizations, and as may be needed to identify the parties responsible for submitting program cost reports;

(ii) Receive program payments; and

(iii) Satisfy program overpayment determinations.

(2) The provider must permit the contractor to examine such records and documents as are necessary to ascertain information pertinent to the determination of the proper amount of program payments due. These records include, but are not limited to, matters pertaining to—

(i) Provider ownership, organization, and operation;

(ii) Fiscal, medical, and other recordkeeping systems;

(iii) Federal income tax status;

(iv) Asset acquisition, lease, sale, or other action;

(v) Franchise or management arrangements;

(vi) Patient service charge schedules;

(vii) Costs of operation;

(viii) Amounts of income received by source and purpose; and

(ix) Flow of funds and working capital.

(3) The provider, upon request, must furnish the contractor copies of patient service charge schedules and changes thereto as they are put into effect. The contractor will evaluate such charge schedules to determine the extent to which they may be used for determining program payment.

(e) Suspension of program payments to a provider. If an contractor determines that a provider does not maintain or no longer maintains adequate records for the determination of reasonable cost under the Medicare program, payments to such provider will be suspended until the contractor is assured that adequate records are maintained. Before suspending payments to a provider, the contractor will, in accordance with the provisions in §405.372(a) of this chapter, send written notice to such provider of its intent to suspend payments. The notice will explain the basis for the contractor's determination with respect to the provider's records and will identify the provider's recordkeeping deficiencies. The provider must be given the opportunity, in accordance with §405.372(b) of this chapter, to submit a statement (including any pertinent evidence) as to why the suspension must not be put into effect.

[51 FR 34793, Sept. 30, 1986, as amended at 61 FR 63749, Dec. 2, 1996]