Home Health & Hospice Week

Reader Question:

Know When To Submit Your Claims For PECOS-Pending Docs

Payment will be based on submission dates, not dates of service.

Question: If a doctor has a verified PECOS application submission date prior to July 5, 2011 and is finally approved after that date, will the home health agency be able to bill (and be paid) for the episode that ends after July 5, 2011 and after the final approval date? For example, the patient has an episode from June 5, 2011 to Aug. 6, 2011 and his doctor has a verified pending application at PECOS as of May 30, 2011. The application is approved on Aug. 15, 2011. If we billed for this episode on Aug. 20, 2011 (which is after the PECOS approval of Aug. 15, 2011), will we be paid?

-- Christie Collier, United Home Care, Louisiana

Answer: "The claim in question would pay," says billing expert M. Aaron Little with BKD in Springfield, Mo. "So long as the physician is on file in PECOS when the claims process, the  physician's specialty is allowed for home health, and the correct NPI and name is billed, the claims should pay."

Note: Do you have a question you'd like the experts to answer? If so, please send your inquiry to editor Rebecca Johnson at rebeccaj@eliresearch.com with "Reader Question" in the subject line.

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