In Brief

Region D DMERC has changed its name from Cigna HealthCare Medicare Administration to Cigna Government Services, LLC. Company officials said the organization made the change to better reflect its business as a contractor for government health care programs.

U.S. Comptroller General David Walker has warned about Medicare’s effect on the growing federal deficit, especially as the health program takes up larger and larger portions of the overall federal budget. “If there’s one thing that can bankrupt the country, it’s health care,” Walker told Reuters. “It’s out of control.”

At AAHomecare’s Washington Leadership Conference, the association announced its slate of officers for 2005-06, including: Chair Tom Ryan, president and CEO, Homecare Concepts, Farmingdale, N.Y.; Vice Chair Ray Darcey, vice president, Sentara Enterprises, Chesapeake, Va.; Secretary Todd Brason, CEO, Willcare, Buffalo, N.Y.; and Treasurer Bob Cucuel, president and CEO, Air Products Healthcare, Conshohocken, Pa.

From Jan. 3 through Oct. 1, 2006, CMS will begin accepting claims that include the new National Provider Identifier as long as they are accompanied by an existing legacy Medicare number. From Oct. 2, 2006 through May 22, 2007, CMS will accept an existing legacy Medicare number and/or NPI. The deadline for switching to the new number is May 23, 2007; small health plans have until May 23, 2008. For more information, visit nppes.cms.hhs.gov.