GB Collects now handling collections of most commercial and Medicare Plus Blue claims

Effective April 1, 2022, GB Collects, a commercial collection agency, is handling the collection efforts for unreturned overpayments of most Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan commercial claims, as well as Medicare Plus Blue℠ claims.

Commercial collection efforts

This change affects all commercial claims except those for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program^®. Windham Professionals will continue to handle FEP claims.

Note: Collection cases that were created on or before March 31 will be handled by Windham Professionals.

Medicare Plus Blue collection efforts

Currently, health care providers with outstanding repayments of overpaid Medicare Plus Blue claims receive claim adjustment letters, which are system-generated, reminding them that they are 90 or 120 days past due on the repayment. The final letter states that if the debt is not settled within the following 30 days, it may be sent to collections.

After we’ve exhausted all attempts to collect the debt, we’ll refer Medicare Plus Blue claims with an outstanding account receivable beyond 180 days to GB Collects for debt collection. GB Collects will conduct provider outreach and coordinate receipt of payment for Blue Cross.

Once an unreturned overpayment is referred to collections, GB Collects will call or mail identified health care providers to inform them that their debt is now in collection and will request payment. GB Collects will follow up with a second and third call or letter, if necessary, if health care providers don’t respond to the initial attempts.

If health care providers have questions, want details on the claim referenced in the phone call or letter, or want to pay the debt, they can call GB Collects at 1-888-688-5700. If health care providers want to dispute the claim or amount, they can refer to the “Provider dispute resolution process” outlined in the Medicare Plus Blue℠ PPO Provider Manual.

GB Collects and Windham Professionals are independent companies that contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to provide collection services.