CMS's Policies and Procedures Were Generally Effective in Ensuring That Prescription Drug Coverage Capitation Payments Were Not Made After the Beneficiaries' Dates of Death

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) had policies and procedures in place that were generally effective in ensuring that capitation payments to Medicare Advantage organizations' prescription drug plans and stand-alone prescription drug plans (collectively referred to as "sponsors") for Medicare Part D coverage were not made on behalf of deceased beneficiaries after the individuals' dates of death. These policies and procedures generally ensured that CMS did not make improper capitation payments on behalf of deceased beneficiaries when its data systems indicated at the time of a monthly capitation payment that the beneficiaries in question had died.