# Medicare Signature requirements



## jstevens (Apr 7, 2010)

I am not familiar with a "Signature Log" which is now an acceptable form of required medical record documentation per CMS Transmittal #327, effective April 16, 2010.  Can anyone enlighten me on this?


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## LLovett (Apr 8, 2010)

http://www.cms.gov/transmittals/downloads/R327PI.pdf

Up until this came out if your documentation was not *legibly signed*, they could take back their money. Now they have been instructed to dig a little deeper and verify that the chicken scratch on the note is actually someones signature before they can take back any money. 

One of the ways to verify is with a signature log. Everywhere I have ever worked has the providers sign their names (in theory as they would on medical records) and keeps a master file of signatures, or a "signature log". This is then referenced if there is ever a question about who signed something.

Hope this helps,

Laura, CPC, CPMA, CEMC


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## TTcpc (Apr 8, 2010)

The practice that I used to work at had the same thing.  We had a couple of practitioners whose handwritting was less than legible, so we created a signature log.  The practitioners name was typed out (full name with credentials) and they would sign beside of it as they would sign a medical record.  We were audited and was told that this form of log was acceptable as long as the name was typed or printed out so that anyone would know which practitioners signature was which.


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