How many years can RACs look back from the date of service?

The correct answer is three years because Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are allowed to look back up to three years from the date of service to identify and recover overpayments made by Medicare. This timeframe is established under the Medicare Recovery Audit Program, which mandates that RACs can review claims for accuracy and compliance during this period.

This three-year period allows for a comprehensive review of claims while also ensuring that providers have adequate time to address any issues related to billing or payment discrepancies. Understanding the look-back period is crucial for healthcare providers as it impacts their compliance practices, record retention policies, and overall billing strategies.

The other options, such as one year, two years, or five years, do not align with the specific regulations guiding RACs, which is why they do not represent the correct timeframe for the RAC audit process.