Enhanced Medicare Enrollment: A Key to Successful Healthcare Operations
Navigating through the complexities of the Medicare provider participation mechanism, more commonly referred to as Medicare credentialing, has a direct bearing on a healthcare provider’s efficiency and success. This process involves a rigorous screening procedure aimed at confirming a practitioner’s credentials as per an approved primary source standard. Consequently, the roads to enrollment and participation, which result in a provider’s in-network status and enable their service to Medicare beneficiaries, is often intertwined closely with credentialing. However, it is important to note the distinct processes each of these terminologies represent. One cannot overemphasize the urgent necessity for an automated process on your Medicare credentialing platforms. The potential consequences of overlooking these crucial Medicare screenings during the Medicare credentialing process bear the weight of financial implications for your entity. Failure to identify a provider on these lists means your organization will not receive reimbursements for services offered to Medicare beneficiaries.
Opt-out Status
Take, for example, providers who choose the “opt-out” status. Being in this status prohibits providers from enrolling or participating as a Medicare provider for two years, subsequently preventing them from submitting claims to Medicare for reimbursements. This will significantly disrupt the revenue cycle of your organization and even the provider’s ability to offer services under Medicare Part B, Part C, and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. If a Medicare credentialing specialist, does not have a solution that provides an automated screening, someone must manually check the list on the Data.CMS.gov website.Preclusion List
It is equally vital to consider providers who are on the Medicare Preclusion list. These providers or prescribers are barred from receiving payments for Medicare Advantage items and services prescribed to Medicare members due to conduct detrimental to the Medicare Program and its beneficiaries. The implications are heavy for the revenue cycle health of any organization that includes these providers. The situation is further accentuated by the fact that such providers cannot submit reimbursement claims to Medicare for services provided to Medicare members.Exclusion List
Lastly, the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE) contains individuals and entities convicted of Medicare and/or Medicaid fraud. Inclusion on this list prohibits payments for services rendered or items provided to the excluded providers. Incorporating a Medicare credentialing service that guarantees a foolproof system and due diligence is paramount given the hefty Civil Monetary Penalty for employing or contracting an excluded person. Despite initial apprehensions regarding the cost of a comprehensive Medicare credentialing and enrollment platform, the potential financial costs and revenue cycle damage, coupled with the risk of reputation loss and accreditation standing, make it an indispensable requirement. Streamline Credify aims to provide this assurance by helping healthcare entities navigate the complex landscape of Medicare credentialing services and procedures.Streamline Credify— a credentialing service that guarantees a foolproof system and where due diligence is paramount.
Sources
- https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/providers-suppliers/chain-ownership-system-pecos/manage-your-enrollment#opt-out
- https://data.cms.gov/tools/provider-opt-out-affidavits-look-up-tool
- https://data.cms.gov/provider-characteristics/medicare-provider-supplier-enrollment/opt-out-affidavits
- https://med.noridianmedicare.com/web/jeb/enrollment/opt-out
- https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/providers-suppliers/chain-ownership-system-pecos/preclusion-list
- https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2019/patients-of-medicare-providers-committing-fraud-abuse-more-likely-to-be-poor-disabled
- https://www.hcca-info.org/sites/hcca-info.org/files/2020-01/102.pdf
- https://oig.hhs.gov/exclusions/background.asp
- https://oig.hhs.gov/exclusions/files/sab-05092013.pdf