The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that the filing period for Medicare fee-for-service reimbursement has been reduced to one year after the calendar date of service, and shortened filing dates will apply retroactively back to October 1, 2009.
“On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which amended the time period for filing Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims as one of many provisions aimed at curbing fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare program,” CMS stated in a news release. “The time period for filing Medicare FFS claims is specified in Sections 1814(a), 1835(a)(1), and 1842(b)(3) of the Social Security Act and in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 42 CFR Section 424.44. Section 6404 of the PPACA amended the timely filing requirements to reduce the maximum time period for submission of all Medicare FFS claims to one calendar year after the date of service.”
Now, claims for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, must be filed within one calendar year after the date of service. Claims for services furnished between October 1, 2009 and January 1, 2010, must be filed no later than December 31, 2010. Claims with dates of service before October 1, 2009, must follow the pre-PPACA timely filing rules.
CMS added, “Section 6404 of the PPACA also permits the Secretary to make certain exceptions to the one-year filing deadline. At this time, no exceptions have been established. However, proposals for exceptions will be specified in future proposed rulemaking.”
