Medicare claims must now be year 2000 compliant

All bills submitted by health care providers for services to Medicare beneficiaries should now be year 2000 (Y2K) compliant. On Jan. 13, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) in Baltimore notified Medicare contractors that, beginning April 5, claims not submitted in the Y2K format would be returned to providers as not processable. On Feb. 1, 1999, the Medicare contractors issued bulletins to all providers detailing this compliance deadline.

To be reimbursed for Medicare claims, doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers must now submit bills that use eight-digit dates to be paid by the private insurance companies that process and pay Medicare claims.

HCFA also has been conducting an outreach effort to inform and help providers meet the Y2K challenge. Software has been made available through Medicare contractors, and HCFA has established a toll-free telephone line [(800) 958-HCFA] and posted materials and information on the Internet (http://www.hcfa.gov/y2k).

Callers will be able to get answers to Y2K questions that relate to medical supplies, their facilities, and business operations as well as referrals for more specific billing information relating to Y2K issues. The toll-free line will also update callers on HCFA’s Y2K policies as well, and provide general assistance to help callers prepare their own computer systems for the millennium. HCFA also is holding educational conferences throughout the country.