^®: CRE Regulatory Action of the Week

GAO Criticizes CMS
The Government Accounting Office criticized the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in GAO testimony to Congress. The GAO focused on CMS' implementation of Medicare Part D, the program's new outpatient prescription drug benefit. The GAO found that CMS was disseminating confusing and inaccurate information about the new program to the program's beneficiaries and their advisors. Accurate CMS information is especially important because beneficiaries have until May 15, 2006, to enroll in the new prescription drug plan without risk of penalties.