INDIANAPOLIS — CMS and NGS, the Jurisdiction B DME MAC, are looking for Indianapolis area physicians and DME suppliers to participate in a pilot program to "fight fraud and ensure Medicare dollars are used appropriately."
The objective of the voluntary program, which will focus on physicians and suppliers with Marion County ZIP codes, is to reduce inappropriate DMEPOS payments by tracking the items ordered. By verifying that a legitimate physician wrote an order for DME and that it was dispensed by a legitimate supplier, the DME MAC said, "certain types of fraud and abuse can be eliminated from the program."
The project stems from the Affordable Care Act, "which requires that physicians and suppliers keep and provide upon request, documentation related to the ordering and/or referring of DMEPOS," according to a post on the NGS website.
Here's how the program will work, the post explains:
"By using your existing credit card terminals and networks, and a designated magnetic swipe card, we'll capture and track DMEPOS orders. We will use the data we get to validate which DMEPOS orders were appropriately initiated in your office and then filled accordingly by the DMEPOS supplier.
"You will receive free magnetic swipe cards in the mail that can be read by your existing credit card terminals. Whether you're a provider placing an order or a supplier filling an order, the process is the same. You will swipe the card and enter a code into the credit card terminal. CastleStone Advisors, who have access to the credit card network, will receive the information that the cards capture and then send it to National Government Services."
NGS noted that data captured by the cards would not include any protected information about the beneficiary or the business, such as an NPI. In fact, the pilot should help to protect provider-specific information such as an NPI from misuse or identity theft, the DME MAC said.
For more information, access the DMEPilot.NGSMedicare.com portal.