PTAN Reminders and Tips

As a Medicare provider, you have completed CMS’ 27-page 855S Medicare Enrollment Application, had a successful site visit, and received a provider transaction account number (PTAN) that identifies your practice as a Medicare supplier in good standing. With a PTAN you can bill Medicare for the services you provide to patients. It is all too often that my office receives a call from a provider with an urgent PTAN question or concern. Here are some tips to help your practice avoid common PTAN dilemmas.

Did you know your PTAN will be deactivated if you have not billed Medicare for four consecutive quarters? If your practice has multiple offices and multiple PTANs, you must ensure that Medicare regularly receives claims that use each location’s PTAN. To prevent deactivation, avoid using only one location as the billing location, as only that office’s PTAN will be on the claim. Should you not use a PTAN for four consecutive quarters, you will receive a deactivation letter from the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), and deactivation will occur ten days from the date of the letter. If Medicare deactivates your PTAN, you will be required to reenroll by completing a new 855S form.