Eli's Hospice Insider

As of March, "you will have the option to submit Medicare cost reports through a new national web portal," the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says. "The Medicare Cost Report e-Filing (MCReF) system will be available for cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2017."

CMS has yet to issue specifics, but says it "will offer training during March and April," according to a message sent to providers. The change aims at "decreasing the time and money you spend on CMS-mandated compliance and increasing the number of tasks you can do electronically," the agency says.

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice expects MCRef "will be available through the Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) system in the near future," it says in its provider newsletter.

CMS says the system will have a number of benefits, including allowing chains to submit cost reports in one place instead of to various contractors; effectively extending the deadline by avoiding the delays associated with securing a postmark date; and receiving immediate feedback on submission accuracy.

See more MCReF info at www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/All-Fee-For-Service-Providers/Other-Content-Types/New-Option-for-Cost-Report-Submission.pdf.