Anesthesia Coding Alert

Hint: Be sure you have all insurer info, not just Medicare.

When your practice performs a self-audit, don't be surprised if one of the errors that crops up is billing Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) claims as primary. Steer clear of that trap by following three easy MSP billing tips.

1. Get info about all the patient's insurers. When you collect a patient's information, verify that you have all insurance cards. Patients sometimes present only their Medicare identification cards, which could cause unnecessary denials if you're inappropriately billing Medicare as primary.

2. Bill the primary payer, then the MSP. You can't submit claims to the patient's primary payer and the MSP simultaneously. Instead, you must bill the primary payer and wait for the remittance advice from that insurer before you submit to the MSP.

3. Remember the EOB for paper claims. If you're not yet billing electronically, don't forget to include the primary payer's explanation of benefits (EOB) when you submit your paper claim to the MSP.