Documentation

Part A Claims for High Cost Items and Certain Drugs Requiring Additional Information

National Government Services has noticed that when a claim RTPs for additional information to be added to the Remarks Field (FL 80, or electronic equivalent) concerning certain drugs and high cost items, some providers attempt to provide more information than is required. Please review this article to better understand specifically what is required under these circumstances.

Additional Information May Be Requested

Medicare and NGS require that when additional information is required for accurate claims processing, the provider must supply all information requested or risk not having the service(s) paid. Providers should note that certain drugs and biologicals, as well as additional items that are typically high cost, may require additional information in order to properly price and process the claim.

When a service is covered by an LCD, the claim must include sufficient information to ensure that the service was provided in accordance with the LCD. For example, when the LCD provides coverage for a specific item or service after certain measures have been tried (such as prior chemotherapy drugs used) then the claim should include information (in the remarks section) specific to the previous medications/services used. One important item to include in the remarks section of the claims is the date of services and/or DCN for a previous claim for that patient and item; this information allows NGS to look for previous claim results. 

NGS provides basic coverage guidelines in the Medical Policy, “Article For Drugs and Biologicals, Coding Article (A52855)” including that for claims submitted to the Part A MAC, the provider should list the appropriate HCPCS/CPT code to indicate the specific drug/service provided.

Note: Some drugs and high cost items require additional information such as prior treatments received. When additional information is necessary, NGS will return the claim to the provider along with a request for specific information.

FISS DDE information: The FISS Remarks Field (MAP1714) on claim page 04 is a 78 position alphanumeric field with ten lines available. Providers may utilize the <F6/PF6> key to scroll forward for two additional pages of remarks space, if needed. Thus, there are 10 lines per each of 3 pages available. Therefore, 78 spaces x 10 lines per page is 780 x 3 = 2340 spaces. 

Note: The FISS system does not currently allow looking up the claims history for specific items and services. However, if the item/service has previously been paid for a beneficiary and date of service is provided in the remarks, the nurse will check for the claim in history.

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Revised 5/30/2023