By Don Bethune

You may be surprised to know that there are forty three million Americans using Medicare and that number is rapidly increasing. The reason for this is that baby-boomers are getting older. For this reason, Medicare is the largest buyer of managed healthcare nationwide. If you are eligible for Medicare, it is very important that you understand how it works. There are many ins-and-outs to the claims process that you must know about. If you have a Blue Cross Medicare plan, you will have some help in the form of documents that can help you to understand this process.

Medicare was first adopted by the United States government in 1965. It has a two-part coverage which includes aPart A-Hospitala and aPart B-Medical.a aPart Aa is funded by the Social Security Administration. Funding from the Federal Government supports aPart B.a Blue Cross Medicare further offers Medicare aPart Da (prescription drug coverage.) All the paperwork, lingo and procedures can become confusing for many.

A Medicare claim is the process in which a patientas healthcare provider (physician, hospital, lab, etc.) submits bills requesting payment for services rendered. These bills, also referred to as aclaimsa, are sent to insurance companies and the United States government to pay for care received. LMRP ( Local Medical Review Policy) was developed by Medicare Insurance Carriers to verify claims are submitted correctly.

Typically, the provider or facility that provided the care or service submits the Medicare claim directly from their office to the company that is responsible for payment of the bill. This makes it convenient for both the patient and the provider, as it ensures prompt billing and in turn, payment.

There may be some complications if you have a medical expense that does not get submitted in a timely manner. In this case, you may have to pay for it yourself and then submit the bills to Medicare for reimbursement. If this is the case, there are a few things you will want to keep in mind as you go through the process.

If you are in need of an item such as a motorized wheelchair, you will have to meet certain medical criteria before Medicare will agree to pay for it. Medicare will require your physician provide you with a certificate of medical necessity (also known as a CMN.) It is a good idea to check with your doctor to make sure he is willing to supply this before incurring the expense. According to Blue Cross Medicare provider, it is imperative that you understand what you are entitled too.

Understand that Medicare will not always pay your bill completely. Say you do buy a motorized wheelchair, and then you send the bill to Medicare. You may find that they will only pay fifty to eighty percent. This depends on two things: How much the product costs and whether or not it is truly a medical necessity.

If you do encounter a situation in which your claim is refused, you always have the right to appeal. Talk it over with your doctor or other care provider and do some research on the internet so that you can present the best case possible. When you look online, you will be able to find example of dispute letters that will be helpful to you, along with some forms that may assist you. Additionally, there are some companies, like Cigna, that offer telephone assistance 24/7.

About the Author:

0 comments