Medicare is taking
steps to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards. CMS will start
mailing new cards to people with Medicare benefits in April 2018. All Medicare
cards will be replaced by April 2019.
Medicare is beginning the revalidation process again. If a practitioner or practice fails to respond timely to these requests they will be deactivated AND will not be able to bill Medicare or collect from the patient for services rendered while deactivated. Members are encouraged to alert their staff to look for any correspondence from Medicare or First Coast Service Options and respond urgently. Revalidations can be time consuming and frustrating. The financial impact could be significant, however, if not handled with urgency and importance. Continue reading for important links to help you revalidate with greater success.
First Coast Service Options, your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for the traditional Medicare program, would like to request your opinion of our service by taking the MAC Satisfaction Indicator (MSI) survey. Your feedback goes directly to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and helps us understand how we can better service you. This survey should only take about 10 minutes of your time and closes May 31.
Many doctors have been notified of a Medicare audit conducted by Strategic Health Solutions. Strategic Health Solutions has been contracted to perform and provide medical review functions of Medicare and Medicaid programs. Strategic Health is currently performing medical review of records through the project Y4P0434 for Chiropractic Services.
The FCA Help Desk has received several calls this week regarding a request for records from StrategicHealthSolutions, an audit contractor for CMS (Medicare). Please be aware of a potential request for records and do NOT ignore. The FCA Help Desk is gathering Information to assist our members in responding. If you wish to discuss this with Mollie Frawley, FCA Help Desk Coordinator, please email her at insurance@fcachiro.org with your best contact information AND your FCA member number or your Florida DC license number.
Read more for helpful steps to take if you receive an audit letter.
If you will not be attesting to or meeting Meaningful Use through the implementation of a certified Electronic Health Record during 2015, you may be eligible for a "Hardship Exemption" that would avoid that reimbursement reduction in 2017. The deadline for applying for this exemption has been moved to July 1,2016.
First Coast Service Options, the Florida Medicare Contractor for Regular/Original Medicare claims, is encouraging providers that are currently receiving paper Remittance Advices (EOB's) to sign up for Electronic Remittance Advices. We are assured that this remains voluntary, but offers the benefits of electronic technology. Read further to learn more and view the notice from First Coast.
Chiropractic documentation education, new quality-reporting incentives included in measure
Arlington, Va. - The U.S. Senate, following the earlier lead of the House, late last night passed a long-awaited "permanent fix" to the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula used to determine provider reimbursement levels under the federal Medicare program. The plan would give physicians treating Medicare patients, including doctors of chiropractic (DCs), an annual payment increase of 0.5 percent for the next five years, with value-based payments starting after that time.
