Anesthesia Coding Alert

MACs are noticing that providers aren’t being timely.

If you’ve received a documentation request for a follow-up due to a comprehensive error rate testing (CERT) audit, you may want to drop those notes in the mail sooner rather than later. Apparently, providers have been lax on sending their requested data, according to a report from Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) WPS GHA.

“The CERT office has noticed an increase in providers not submitting medical records upon request,” noted the WPS GHA memo. The MAC goes on to remind Medicare providers that the CERT program will send up to four notification letters on the requests. But, if the billing practitioner ignores the repeated requests to send the documentation, “recoupment action may be initiated,” the MAC warns.

Review the WPS GHA memo at www.wpsgha.com/wps/portal/mac/site/eligibility/news-and-updates/cert-program-documentation-requests.