[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR421.110]

[Page 818-819]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 421--INTERMEDIARIES AND CARRIERS--Table of Contents
 
                        Subpart B--Intermediaries
 
Sec. 421.110  Requirements for approval of an agreement.

    Before entering into or renewing an intermediary agreement, CMS 
will--
    (a) Determine that to do so is consistent with the effective and 
efficient administration of the Medicare program;
    (b) Review the performance of the intermediary as measured by the 
criteria (Sec. 421.120) and standards (Sec. 421.122); and
    (c) Determine that the intermediary or prospective intermediary--
    (1) Is willing and able to assist providers in the application of 
safeguards against unnecessary utilization of services;
    (2) Meets all solvency and financial responsibility requirements 
imposed by the statutes and regulatory authorities of the State or 
States in which it, or any subcontractor performing some or all of its 
functions, would serve;
    (3) Has the overall resources and experience to administer its 
responsibilities under the Medicare program and has an existing 
operational, statistical, and recordkeeping capacity to carry out the 
additional program responsibilities it proposes to assume. CMS will 
presume that an intermediary or prospective intermediary meets this 
requirement if it has at least 5 years experience in paying for or 
reimbursing the cost of health services;
    (4) Will serve a sufficient number of providers to permit a finding 
of effective and efficient administration. Under this criterion no 
intermediary or prospective intermediary shall be found to be not 
efficient or effective solely on the grounds that it serves only 
providers located in a single State;
    (5) Has acted in good faith to achieve effective cooperation with 
the providers it will service and with the physicians and medical 
societies in the area;
    (6) Has established a record of integrity and satisfactory service 
to the public; and

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    (7) Has an affirmative equal employment opportunity program that 
complies with the fair employment provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964 and Executive Order 11246, as amended.