◆ CMS’s review choice demonstration for inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) services will start in Alabama Aug. 21, and eventually expand into Pennsylvania, Texas and California “with only those providers who are physically located in those states and bill to those states,” according to an email from CMS to Ronald Hirsch, M.D., vice president of R1 RCM, that he shared with RMC. The program-integrity initiative allows IRFs to choose between prepayment and postpayment reviews.^[1] After the demonstration is underway in the four states, it will expand to IRFs that bill certain other Medicare administrative contractor jurisdictions—JJ (Palmetto), JL (Novitas), JE (Noridian) and JH (Novitas), the email stated. CMS will give IRFs a 90-day notice before expanding elsewhere. “This program reduces the number of Medicare appeals, improves provider compliance with Medicare program rules, does not alter the Medicare IRF benefit, and should not delay care to Medicare beneficiaries,” CMS said on its website.