The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are rolling out a campaign issuing new health identification cards to all Medicaid and Medicare recipients beginning April 1, 2018. The issuing of new cards and MBIs (Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers) requires all practices to prepare and adjust their workflows and technology systems to ensure they are prepared for this major information change in order to avoid payment delays.

Our consulting team at Merem Healthcare Solutions is here to help you with training your front office staff to execute their more technical responsibilities such as processing new MBIs. We offer both on-site and remote training, so there is a solution to fit any size staff and any size budget. The Merem Healthcare Solutions consulting team comes in to help your staff (and your practice) reach their maximum potential at benefit verification and up-front collections.

Tips to Prepare Your Practice for New MBIs

1) Educate practice staff about the roll-out of new Medicare cards with new MBIs

The issuing of new health identification cards to all Medicaid and Medicare recipients begins April 1, 2018. These replacement cards will be distributed in phases over the next 12 months in an effort to prevent Medicare fraud and protect beneficiaries from identity theft.

Image Source: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/new-medicare-card/nmc-home.html , Obtained 2.20.18 Image Source: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/new-medicare-card/nmc-home.html, Obtained 2.20.18

2) Ensure your staff can identify the new Medicare Cards and MBI

  • The new Medicare cards will have an updated look. These cards will be issued to a beneficiary for life and will not include any distinguishing demographics such as gender, birthdays, or signatures.
  • Like the current HICNs, MBIs will be 11 characters long. However, MBIs will contain uppercase letters and numbers.
    • To avoid numbering confusion, MBIs will never contain the letters: B, I, L, O, S, and Z
    • Positions 2, 5, 8, and 9 will always be letters
  • Each beneficiary will be assigned their own individual MBI. Unlike HICNs, MBIs will not be associated with their spouse or dependents.

3) Begin discussing the new Medicare cards with your patients now.

This will ensure they are prepared for the arrival of their new cards and know to bring it in with them to their next appointment.

Suggestion: Share this short video in your lobby https://youtu.be/DusRmgzQnLY

 

4) Beginning in April 2018, prompt your practice staff to ask a patient for their new Medicare cards

Eligibility responses include a message indicating that CMS has mailed new cards.

Merem Healthcare Solutions is happy to now offer consulting services to our client partners. Whether you need to improve your front office processes, improve clinic output, or coaching on your encounter documentation, Merem has a consultant that can help.