The 2017 Annual Participation Open Enrollment Period is now open and will run through December 31, 2016. During this time, suppliers can change their participation status should they choose to revisit whether to accept Medicare assignment for claims payment. For DME providers, participation status only impacts whether or not you are always obligated to accept Medicare assignment and therefore always limited by Medicare fee schedules. Changing your status to non-participating still allows you to accept assignment as you see fit, and it does not decrease the amount Medicare will pay you when you do accept assignment. But being non-participating gives you freedom to not take assignment in cases where the fee schedules will not permit a profit.
Here are some considerations:
Here are some considerations:
- Do nothing if you do not want to change your participation status.
- If you are unsure of your participation status with Medicare, you can call the NSC at 1-866-238-9652 or you can visit https://www.medicare.gov/supplierdirectory/search.html and enter the zip code where your company is located along with a non-competitive bid product that you provide to beneficiaries, then search. When your company name is located if there is an “M” icon next to your company name (like at the top of this article), then Medicare lists you as a participating supplier and mandates that you always accept assignment.
- To switch your status to non-participating, you must submit a request on your company’s letterhead signed by an authorized or delegated official as previously reported to the NSC.
- This letter can be mailed to NSC, Palmetto GBA PO Box 100142 Columbia, SC 29202-3142, or sent via fax after calling the NSC at 866-238-9652 and securing the correct fax number for the team assigned to your company.
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