Oncology & Hematology Coding Alert

Are You Using a Compliant CMS-1500 Form?

Are You Using a Compliant CMS-1500 Form?

Warning: CMS revealed that the Government Printing Office (GPO) has been selling incorrectly formatted versions of the revised CMS-1500 (08-05).

The fallout: CMS is extending the original April 1 deadline for using the new form -- which allows you to report National Provider Identifiers. The projected new deadline for the new compliant version of the form is June 1. Contractors will return any claims on the noncompliant new CMS-1500 (08-05)

What to do: You may continue to use the older CMS-1500 (12-90), and contractors must accept it until CMS instructs them otherwise. If you want to use the new form (08-05), here's how to determine whether it's compliant: Properly formatted claim forms have roughly a quarter-inch gap between the red arrow tip above the vertically stacked word -CARRIER- and the paper's top edge. If the red arrow tip touches (or nearly touches) the paper's top edge, the form is not printed to specifications.

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