Medicare program; use of repayment plans. Final rule

This final rule modifies Medicare regulations to implement section 935(a) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 pertaining to the use of repayment plans (also known as extended repayment schedules or "ERS'') for Medicare provider and supplier overpayments. Under this provision, we are granting a provider or a supplier an ERS under certain terms and conditions as defined in the statute. This final rule establishes criteria and procedures to apply this requirement and to define the concepts of "hardship'' and "extreme hardship."