Centralized Billing for Flu and Pneumococcal (PPV) Vaccines

Notification To Providers

Centralized billing is a process in which a provider, who provides mass immunization services for influenza and Pneumococcal (PPV) immunizations, can send all claims to a single carrier for payment regardless of the geographic locality in which the vaccination was administered. (This does not include claims for the Railroad Retirement Board, United Mine Workers or Indian Health Services. These claims must continue to go to the appropriate processing entity.) This process is only available for claims for the flu and PPV vaccines and their administration. The administration of the vaccinations is reimbursed at the assigned rate based on the Medicare physician fee schedule for the appropriate locality. The vaccines are reimbursed at the assigned rate using the Medicare standard method for reimbursement of drugs and biologicals.

Individuals and entities interested in centralized billing must contact CMS central office (CO), in writing, at the following address by June 1 of the year they wish to begin centrally billing.

Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Division of Practitioner Claims Processing
Provider Billing and Education Group
7500 Security Boulevard
Mail Stop C4-10-07
Baltimore, Maryland 21244

By agreeing to participate in the centralized billing program, providers agree to abide by the following criteria.

Criteria For Centralized Billing

• To qualify for centralized billing, an individual or entity providing mass immunization services for flu and pneumonia must provide these services in at least three payment localities for which there are at least three different carriers processing claims.

• Individuals and entities providing the vaccine and administration must be properly licensed in the State in which the immunizations are given.

• Centralized billers must agree to accept assignment (i.e., they must agree to accept the amount that Medicare pays for the vaccine and the administration). Since there is no coinsurance or deductible for the flu and PPV benefit, accepting assignment means that Medicare beneficiaries cannot be charged for the vaccination, i.e., beneficiaries may not incur any out-of-pocket expense. For example, a drugstore may not charge a Medicare beneficiary $10 for an influenza vaccination and give the beneficiary a coupon for $10 to be used in the drugstore

• The carrier assigned to process the claims for centralized billing is chosen at the discretion of CMS based on such considerations as workload, user-friendly software developed by the contractor for billing claims, and overall performance. The assigned carrier for this year is [Contractor TBD].

• The payment rates for the administration of the vaccinations are based on the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) for the appropriate year. Payment made through the MPFS is based on geographic locality. Therefore, payments received may vary based on the geographic locality where the service was performed. Payment is made at the assigned rate.
 
• The payment rates for the vaccines are determined by the standard method used by Medicare for reimbursement of drugs and biologicals. Payment is made at the assigned rate.

•
Centralized billers must submit their claims on roster bills in an approved Electronic Media Claims standard format. Paper claims will not be accepted.
• Centralized billers must obtain certain information for each beneficiary including name, health insurance number, date of birth, sex, and signature. [Contractor TBD] must be contacted prior to the season for exact requirements. The responsibility lies with the centralized biller to submit correct beneficiary Medicare information (including the beneficiary’s Medicare Health Insurance Claim Number) as the carrier will not be able to process incomplete or incorrect claims.

• Centralized billers must obtain an address for each beneficiary so that a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) can be sent to the beneficiary by the carrier. Beneficiaries are sometimes confused when they receive an MSN from a carrier other than the carrier that normally processes their claims which results in unnecessary beneficiary inquiries to the Medicare carrier. Therefore, centralized billers must provide every beneficiary receiving an influenza or PPV vaccination with the name of the processing carrier. This notification must be in writing, in the form of a brochure or handout, and must be provided to each beneficiary at the time he or she receives the vaccination.

• Centralized billers must retain roster bills with beneficiary signatures at their permanent location for a time period consistent with Medicare regulations. [Contractor TBD] can provide this information.

• Though centralized billers may already have a Medicare provider number, for purposes of centralized billing, they must also obtain a provider number from [Contractor TBD]. This can be done by completing the Form CMS-855 (Provider Enrollment Application), which can be obtained from [Contractor TBD].

• If an individual or entity’s request for centralized billing is approved, the approval is limited to the 12 month period from September 1 through August 31 of the following year. It is the responsibility of the centralized biller to reapply to CMS CO for approval each year by June 1. [Contractor TBD] will not process claims for any centralized biller without permission from CMS CO.

• Each year the centralized biller must contact {Contractor TBD] to verify understanding of the coverage policy for the administration of the PPV vaccine, and for a copy of the warning language that is required on the roster bill.

• The centralized biller is responsible for providing the beneficiary with a record of the PPV vaccination.