Blues to stop mailing paper remittance advices Dec. 6

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will stop printing and mailing paper remittance advices (also known as vouchers) to Michigan health care providers Dec. 6, 2013, with the exception of BCBSM local facility remittance advices, which will continue to be mailed.

The move to online remittance advices helps us align with federally mandated electronic funds transfer and electronic remittance advice requirements. These rules are components of the administrative simplification provisions specified in the Affordable Care Act. This part of health care reform is designed to:

• Reduce administrative costs
• Enhance the ease of doing business between insurers and health care providers
• Promote the growth of online recordkeeping

Note regarding out-of-state providers: BCBSM also will stop mailing remittance advices to participating out-of-state providers on Dec. 6; however, out-of-state providers who are paid through the Medicare crossover process will continue to receive paper remittance advices. And BCN will continue to mail paper remittance advices to out-of-state providers until mid-2014.

Action steps for paper remittance advice users
All providers in the state of Michigan and those outside the state who have a contract with BCBSM or BCN should follow these steps:

1. If you do not have access to Provider Secured Services at bcbsm.com, sign up today. You must register every national provider identifier and the associated BCBSM PINS for which you submit claims. You will not be able to receive electronic payments or view online remittance advices for claims billed with an NPI that is not registered or for claims associated with a BCBSM PIN that is not linked to your NPI.
2. If you are already registered for Provider Secured Services, but need to add some NPIs or need to link some BCBSM PINs to current NPIs, you need to complete one of these forms:
• Providers complete Authorization to Modify Provider Codes (PDF).
• Billing services complete Addendum “B” Authorization for Representative Access (PDF).
3. Follow these steps for locating a remittance advice online (PDF) to find up to three years of remittance advice history and the ability to search by check number, EFT trace number, period of time or patient name.
4. If you still receive paper checks, sign up for electronic funds transfer. Not all BCBSM hospitals and facilities have access to EFT today, but will be able to register for EFT starting Dec. 6, 2013. When you complete the EFT registration process, make sure to register every NPI you use and the BCBSM PINs associated with each NPI. If you have some NPIs or BCBSM PINs that are not registered for EFT, you will need to register these NPIs. To register for the first time — or to add NPIs — follow these steps:
• Go to bcbsm.com/providers and log in.
• Scroll down to Electronic Funds Transfer and click on Register Provider.
• Complete the information and click Submit.

Please allow three to five weeks for processing. Once the registration process is complete, all funds for the registered NPI (or PIN) will be sent electronically.

We encourage professional health care providers and hospitals or facilities that currently do not access Provider Secured Services to enroll as soon as possible. This will ensure that your staff has the access needed on or after Dec. 6, 2013, to enroll for EFT or be able to view the vouchers online when they’re no longer provided on paper.

Where to go for help
If you need help accessing online remittance advices or signing up for Provider Secured Services or electronic funds transfer, contact your BCBSM provider consultant or BCN provider representative. For technical assistance, you can also call the BCBSM Web Support Help Desk at 1-877-258-3932, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.

The information in this document is based on preliminary review of the national health care reform legislation and is not intended to impart legal advice. The federal government continues to issue guidance on how the provisions of national health reform should be interpreted and applied. The impact of these reforms on individual situations may vary. This overview is intended as an educational tool only and does not replace a more rigorous review of the law’s applicability to individual circumstances and attendant legal counsel and should not be relied upon as legal or compliance advice.