Sometimes You Just Can't Win

Medicare (NYS) doesn't have an email address for easy answers. I contacted one of the groups that has direct access to Medicare to inform them about the scam I wrote about in a previous entry. The answer I received was disturbing.

I send a copy of the email I received, asked them to read it and see for themselves the erroneous link and to alert Medicare.

The person, I'm assuming, in an effort to get me a quick answer, misspelled a lot of simple words but the most disturbing was she had no idea what I was trying to tell them! My request was clear and I even separately wrote out the correct link and the wrong link. They are most obviously not the same link and still she couldn't understand what I was telling her and worse: she gave me an explanation as to why Medicare changed addresses effect 4/23/08.

I will continue to get to the bottom of these emails and will post my answers.
Ro

Scam E-mail about Medicare? BEWARE!

The last few days, I have received emails from a source I have yet to confirm as legit.

The subject line says: "Accessing PS&R Reports on the new web site" and the link does NOT take me to the NGS Medicare site but instead to what looks like a modern, cheap search engine.

The email then guides you on how to get the PS&R Reports on that site, and asks you to enter your Username and Password.

This link is all in lowerscase letters: Medicare's real site is a mix of lower and uppercase letters.
The lesson here is: Becareful what you click on and if something doesn't feel or look right, it probably isn't!

I have tried to contact Medicare and I am waiting for a response on whether they know about this e-mail and whether it was just someone typing in wrong information.

Will keep you posted.

Ro

Wrong Speciality Codes!

It was bought to my attention that there are websites that are publishing the WRONG provider specialty codes for Medicare submissions.

For example, the specialy code (not taxonomy) for Internal Medicine is 11. There are a few websites listing 03 as the code. DON'T USE 03.

The correct listing is available on the CMS(medicare) website in pdf format under transmittals/downloads/r429cp.pdf (page 5).

Ro

Tell us which software you use!

When you first answer, please let us know what claims billing software you use.

If you have any hints for the rest of us, please post freely. This blog was created to help one and all with any and all claims related questions - without having to pay for an simple answer!

Ro

When posting on this blog - please tell us which medical claims billing software you use. It will help out someone that uses the same system as you.

If you have any hints on how you solved your submission problems, let the rest of us know! We're in this together.

Ro

This blog has been created for all the frustrated Practice Adminstrators and billers.

We all have grown to hate the new Medicare electronic submission system and this will be a free forum to get help with all things "medical insurance" related.

Please ask questions and post HELPFUL answers! We are all in this together and we should all pitch in to help each other make our work day (and clearing up our accounts receivables) a reality.

Ro