The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, commonly known as MACRA is bringing dramatic changes for Medicare beneficiaries and the providers that serve them. MACRA is bringing big changes for anesthesiologists and CRNA’s.
Could these changes result in rejected claims and unpaid charges? The answer is YES!
We are watching this transition closely and managing the transition process for our anesthesia providers. Since we have spent so much time working on MACRA, we thought that we would share the Top 5 Things that anesthesia providers need to know about how this will affect their practice.
The Top 5 Things Anesthesia Providers Need to Know About Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers
#1: MACRA requires removal Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from all Medicare cards by April 2019.
Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN) identifiers have come under increasing scrutiny because the prominent use of Social Security Numbers creates a significant risk for beneficiary identity theft. All beneficiaries will receive a new Medicare card by April of 2019.
#2: All beneficiaries will receive a new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI).
The new Medicare cards will replace the HICN with a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) that doesn’t incorporate the SSN. MBI’s use the same number of digits as the HICN, and it will occupy the same fields. The MBI was designed to avoid commonly mistaken letters and numbers like “0” and “O”, and it is not based on the SSN in any way. This MBI is unique to each beneficiary.
#3: Transition period begins April 2018 through December 31, 2019.
Both numbers will work during that time. Starting on January 1, 2020, HICNs will no longer be exchanged with beneficiaries, providers, plans, and other 3rd parties. The HICN will only be used for appeal requests and related forms that were accepted using an HICN.
#4: This change will lead to complex system changes.
MACRA requires complex system changes affecting the federal government, state governments, beneficiaries, providers, and plans. These groups are spending countless millions of dollars implementing system changes that may directly affect your Medicare claim filing process.
#5: Failure to comply with MACRA will prevent you from getting paid!
Starting on January 1, 2020, your claims will not be paid unless they are filed appropriately using the new MBI. Any claim submitted with the HICN will not be processed, resulting in significant delays in getting paid.
Anesthesia Providers and MACRA
Medical Business Management works with CRNA’s and Anesthesiologists to ensure that their claims are submitted accurately and paid in a timely manner. We navigate the complicated transition process and manage your revenue cycle so that you can focus on what you do best: serve your patients.
If you would you like to find out more about MACRA; Contact us today about how these changes will impact your revenue cycle.
