Every practice knows time is money, and that means you’re counting on your Medicare credentialing and enrollment applications to flow through the MAC system swiftly. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen without a few nudges. If your practice is looking for new processes to speed up credentialing, the solution may be simple.
Consider using these three processes to help usher your Medicare credentialing applications through the system quickly.
1. Develop a Check-in Schedule
Most payers will share their average processing time for complete Medicare credentialing applications, and once you get that number from your MAC, you should create a check-in schedule to track whether you’re on track to meet that goal.
For example, suppose your MAC has an average processing time of 18 days for fully completed applications that have no errors. Your goal is to meet or exceed that 18-day standard, and the only way to stay on top of it is to keep checking in that your application isn’t missing any information and that it’s error-free.
Create a check-in schedule depending on your payer’s average credentialing time. For instance, if your MAC has an 18-day average as noted in the example above, you might look at the status inquiry tool after five days, 10 days and 15 days to ensure they aren’t missing anything they need.
2. Bookmark Your MAC’s Status Checker
You probably won’t have a lot of luck tracking your Medicare credentialing applications by repeatedly calling the MAC. Instead, you should find your MAC’s credentialing status checker online and bookmark that site on your computer. Use that online portal to track your applications as they flow through the system.
These may be called different things by different payers. For instance, CGS Medicare calls theirs an “Application Status Check” portal, while Novitas Solutions refers to theirs as a “Status Inquiry Tool.” Either way, you should know how to find this resource and use it often.
3. If Your Application Is Missing Something, Act Quickly
During your check-ins, you may see that you completed your Medicare credentialing application with an error, or perhaps the payer is missing something they need to finalize it. Rather than putting this on your to-do list, address it right away. By acting quickly and rectifying errors immediately, you’ll be one step closer to getting your applications approved.
Medicare credentialing can cause endless headaches unless you know the ropes. Let expert David Zetter, PHR, SHRM-CP, CHC, CPCO, CPC, COC, PCS, FCS, CHBC, CMUP, PESC, CMAP, CMAPA, CMMP, CMHP advise you on how to do it during his online training event, Head Off Provider Credentialing Headaches with Proven Tracking Tools. Register today!
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