Posted on Monday, February 26, 2018 2:22 PM
As part of the Fiscal Year 2018 hospital payment rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will now allow Medicare providers to utilize electronic signatures for submitting their Cost Report Certification and Settlement Summary. This change from an original signature will allow the reporting to be submitted electronically.
The new Medicare Cost Report e-Filing System (MCReF) is not yet publicly available but is expected to be available through the Enterprise Identity Management system soon. According to NAHC, CMS intends to offer provider education about the new system in March or April.
MCReF will be available for cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2017.
According to CMS, Part A providers will experience the following benefits from using MCReF:
- Large provider chain organizations will electronically submit MCRs to one system instead of transmitting their MCRs to their assigned Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) jurisdiction’s portals or physical mailing addresses.
- A MCR submitted through MCReF will be automatically directed to the correct MAC eliminating the risk of submitting the MCR to an incorrect MAC.
- Providers will receive immediate feedback on the submission accuracy of their MCR.
- Providers will save time compiling the paperwork (files) needed to create electronic media and mail the MCR package.
- Providers will have until 11:59 p.m., eastern time, on the due date to submit the MCR instead of having to obtain a postmark date no later than the due date.
- MCReF has a simple, straightforward user interface with just one screen; and reduces provider confusion due to conflicting MAC acceptability rules.
Source: NAHC and CMS
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