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Friday, February 25, 2011

Important Information on the Timely Claims Filing Requirement

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would like to remind Medicare Fee-For-Service physicians, providers and suppliers submitting claims to Medicare for payment, as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), effective immediately, all claims for services furnished on or after Jan 1, 2010, must be filed with your Medicare contractor no later than one calendar year (12 months) from the date of service – or Medicare will deny them.

In general, the start date for determining the 1-year timely filing period is the date of service or “From” date on the claim. For institutional claims that include span dates of service (i.e., a “From” and “Through” date on the claim), the “Through” date on the claim is used for determining the date of service for claims filing timeliness. For claims submitted by physicians and other suppliers that include span dates of service, the line item “From” date is used for determining the date of service for claims filing timeliness.

For additional information about the new maximum period for claims submission filing dates, contact your Medicare contractor, or review the MLN Matters articles listed below related to this subject:

§ MM6960 – “Systems Changes Necessary to Implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Section 6404 - Maximum Period for Submission of Medicare Claims Reduced to Not More Than 12 Months” – http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6960.pdf on the CMS website.

§ MM7080 – “Timely Claims Filing: Additional Instructions” – http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM7080.pdf on the CMS website.

§ MM7270 – “Changes to the Time Limits for Filing Medicare Fee-for-Service Claims – http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM7270.pdf on the CMS website.

You can also listen to a podcast on this subject by visiting http://www.cms.gov/CMSFeeds/02_listofpodcasts.asp on the CMS website.

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February Flu Shot Reminder
It’s Not too Late to Give and Get the Flu Vaccine. Take advantage of each office visit and continue to protect your patients against the seasonal flu. Medicare will continue to pay for the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration for all Medicare beneficiaries through the entire flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that patients, health care workers and caregivers be vaccinated against the seasonal flu. Protect your patients. Protect your family. Protect yourself. Get Your Flu Vaccine - Not the Flu.

Remember – Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug. For information about Medicare’s coverage of the influenza vaccine and its administration, as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and their staff, please visit the following CMS websites: http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/Flu_Products.pdf and http://www.cms.gov/AdultImmunizations.



Dallas L Alford IV, CPA is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of North Carolina and owner of Atlantic Financial Consulting, a consulting firm that provides comprehensive medical billing services, practice management consulting, coding audits, Medicare compliance, Medicare RAC support and other general medical practice consulting services.
To learn more about Atlantic Financial Consulting you may visit their website at http://atlanticfinancial.us or contact Dallas L Alford IV, CPA directly at 1 888-428-2555, Ext. 200.

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