Medicare program; intermediary and carrier checks that are lost, stolen, defaced, mutilated, destroyed or paid on forged endorsements--HCFA. Final rule with comment period

This rule revises the Medicare regulations governing the procedures for replacing checks issued by our fiscal intermediaries and carriers that are lost, stolen, defaced, mutilated, destroyed, or paid on forged endorsements. Each State already has an established legal process for pursuing a claim for recovery of the amount of a check paid on a forged endorsement, and it is inefficient and ineffective to provide duplicative Federal requirements. These regulations stipulate that any replacement or reclamation proceedings will be carried out in accordance with the applicable State law and that a replacement check will not be issued until Medicare has made recovery on the proceeds of the original check. However, we will continue to reissue checks that have not been negotiated.