NOTE: The date has been changed to July 5, 2011. delayed indefinitely.
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Physicians and “eligible” providers received a jolt today in the May 5, 2010 Federal Register as the date for enrollment in PECOS was moved up (pending the comment period and any changes resulting from the comment period) six months for providers that order or supply durable medical equipment (DME) for Medicare patients. Instead of the January 3, 2011 date previously announced by CMS, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act or PPACA) has provisions to move the go-date to July 6, 2010, just 60 days away.
What does this mean to you? Unless something changes based on public comments, beginning July 6, 2010:
- Providers with a National Provider Identifier (NPI) must include it on their Medicare and Medicaid enrollment applications and claims.
- Providers of medical items/other items/services and suppliers that qualify for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) must include their NPI on all applications to enroll in the Medicare and Medicaid programs AND on all claims for payment submitted under the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
- The ordering/referring supplier must be a physician or an eligible professional with an approved enrollment record in the Provider Enrollment Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) thus changing the previously reported January 3, 2011 date given by CMS.
- Claims that do not meet these requirements will be rejected by Medicare contractors.
You can read the rule in its entirety here.
Want to read the comments on this interim final rule when they are published? Go here.
