Revised PECOS Physician Letter Now Available

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Mar 01, 2010

National Government Services, the Jurisdiction B DME MAC, has revised an educational letter meant to explain the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain & Ownership System (PECOS) to physicians and other prescribers of DME.

The letter, signed by Dr. Adrian Oleck, the Jurisdiction B medical director, advises DME prescribers that DME suppliers "will not receive payment from Medicare for the items that are ordered if you do not have a current enrollment in the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System. This could result in your patient not receiving the item or being held financially liable."

Physicians and other prescribers who have not updated their Medicare enrollment more recently than November 2003 need to submit an enrollment application in the form of the CMS-8551 form or by registering online.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have delayed the implementation of PECOS' phase 2 till Jan. 3, 2011. Currently, the PECOS program is in its first phase - noting on DME claims if the prescriber is not currently enrolled in PECOS.

Medicare started issuing phase 1 "informational messages" in October 2009, with implementation originally scheduled for January 2010. Upon hearing from suppliers and the industry that relatively few physicians and prescribers were enrolled in PECOS at the time, CMS initially postponed phase 2 implementation till April 2010. The latest postponement till Jan. 3, 2011, was announced in February.

To download a copy of the revised physician letter, click HERE.