BALTIMORE and DALLAS — Taking steps to shift some of its fraud-control functions to “program safeguard contractors,” the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month awarded a $42 million, five-year contract to Dallas-based TriCenturion, a joint venture between three Medicare Part A and Part B carriers.

Under the terms of the contract, TriCenturion will be responsible for educating Medicare carriers about fraud detection, processing complaints and conducting case development, according to one of TriCenturion's owners, Dallas-based Trailblazer Health Enterprises. TriCenturion's other owners include Columbia, S.C.-based Palmetto GBA and Jacksonville, Fla.-based First Coast Service Options.

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