You and your peers aren't happy with CMS's latest revalidation cycle, which will require just about everyone to revalidate again by March 23, 2013. But there is good news...A major new feature could let you revalidate in minutes online.  Experts say that practices that still prefer to do Medicare credentialing via the paper CMS-855 forms would finally run out of reasons to avoid the web-based Provider Enrollment Chain Ownership System (PECOS).

The new feature is called "fast-track tab," and it's a screen that appears in online PECOS that will display a comprehensive summary of your provider's enrollment information, as it currently appears in the PECOS database.

NOTE: Even if a provider has used only paper 855s, and never used online PECOS before, he or she should still be able to sign into online PECOS and view information on the fast-track tab. Medicare contractors have been taking the information submitt3ed on paper 855's and entering them into then PECOS database since 2003.

Waiting for 2012: The fast-track feature will be added to PECOS in a major upgrade to the system in late January 2012.  The upgrade will also allow providers to electronically sign certification statements online.

We hope this information from ECP researchers help your billing department assure correct payment for claims.

Please contact us if you have any questions.