Industry Note:
Cahaba-To-CGS Transition Comes With Cash Flow Hang-Ups
Published on Tue May 17, 2011
Home health agencies and hospices getting used to their new Medicare contractor are also getting used to its new name. CIGNA Government Services changed its name to CGS Administrators after it was bought by Palmetto GBA parent Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina (see Eli's HCW, Vol. XX, No. 13, p. 102), notes the National Association for Home Care & Hospice. The June 13 Cahaba GBA-to-CGS switch wasn't glitch-free. Alarmingly, HHAs and hospices weren't getting their electronic payments. "CGS is currently experiencing an issue affecting EFT deposits," CGS said on June 15. "This issue has been reported for additional research." And hospices had trouble with ELGH accessibility for eligibility inquiry access the first few days, CGS reported. Plus, HHAs and hospices calling into CGS's provider contact center experienced "the phone continually ringing," CGS said in an e-mail message to providers. "Your call is actually in queue; please stay on [...]