Resources

Resources You Can Help Your Patients Quit Tobacco Use Smoking Cessation Tools and Resources Smokefree.gov Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tips from Former Smokers campaign Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Office on [...]

COVID-19 Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody

COVID-19 Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody With the end of the PHE, as of 5/11/2023, this information no longer applies. We will keep the information available for PHE-related services that occurred prior to the expiration date that have not yet [...]

Prepare and Submit an MSP Claim

Table of Contents Step 1: Determine if an MSP Claim Must be Submitted to Medicare Step 2: Check Medicare’s Eligibility Files via NGSConnex to Determine if There's Other Insurance Primary to Medicare Step 3: Prepare the MSP (Partial-Payment [...]

837D Edit Spreadsheet

NGS Review of Prior Authorization Request

NGS Review of Prior Authorization Request Table of Contents NGS Review of Prior Authorization Request Number of Trips Extended Affirmation Periods for Beneficiaries with Chronic Conditions Decision Letters Resubmitting a Prior [...]

Safeguard Your Finances: Know Your Provider Enrollment Revalidation

Safeguard Your Finances: Know Your Provider Enrollment Revalidation  Attention: Provider Enrollment and Credentialing Teams Ensure you revalidate before your deadline to prevent a "Stay of Enrollment" or claim rejections, which could [...]

Office/Outpatient Evaluation and Management Visit Complexity Add-on Code G2211

Office/Outpatient Evaluation and Management Visit Complexity Add-on Code G2211 Effective 1/1/2024 Definition of G2211 Visit complexity inherent to evaluation and management associated with medical care services that serve as the continuing [...]

Provider Enrollment: Top Reasons Behind Delays in Processing the Application

Provider Enrollment: Top Reasons Behind Delays in Processing the Application Medicare enrollment plays a vital role in ensuring compliance with CMS requirements. To help streamline the process and achieve the best results, it's important to [...]

Fiscal Intermediary Standard System Direct Data Entry Screen Changes – April 2025

Fiscal Intermediary Standard System Direct Data Entry Screen Changes – April 2025 The April 2025 quarterly system release will update FISS DDE as described below: Inquiries Submenu (01) Option 1C (CMHC Payment Totals)/MAP1D62 - Monetary [...]

Tobacco Cessation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Tobacco Cessation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT is a type of psychotherapy that’s problem oriented. It may help your patients learn how to change unhelpful or unhealthy ways of thinking, feeling and behaving especially when related to [...]

Provider Enrollment: Top Reasons Behind Delays in Processing the Application

Provider Enrollment: Top Reasons Behind Delays in Processing the Application Medicare enrollment plays a vital role in ensuring compliance with CMS requirements. To help streamline the process and achieve the best results, it's important to [...]

MCReF Hospice Cap Functionality

MCReF Hospice Cap Functionality Attention Hospice providers: The new MCReF Hospice Cap functionality will be covered in the upcoming MCReF Webinar scheduled for 3/19/2025, from 1:00 – 3:00PM ET.  The Hospice Cap provider community is [...]

Hospital Inpatient or Observation Evaluation and Management Add-On Code G0545 for Infectious Diseases

Hospital Inpatient or Observation Evaluation and Management Add-On Code G0545 for Infectious Diseases Effective 1/1/2025 Definition of G0545 Visit complexity inherent to hospital inpatient or observation care associated with a confirmed or [...]

Log In

Log In Table of Contents Log In Log into NGSConnex Log In Issues [Return to Top] Log In In order to login to NGSConnex, go to our website landing page. Read the standard disclaimer and click Accept to continue. [Return to [...]

Account Suspensions

Account Suspensions Table of Contents Account Suspensions Unsuspend Your Account Invalid Login Attempts [Return to Top] Account Suspensions If an NGSConnex account has not been used within the last 30 days, the account will be [...]

Caregiver Training Services

Caregiver Training Services Effective 1/1/2024, payment will be made when practitioners train caregivers to support patients with certain diseases or illnesses (e.g., dementia) in carrying out a treatment plan. A caregiver is defined as a [...]

Safeguard Your Finances: Know Your Provider Enrollment Revalidation

Safeguard Your Finances: Know Your Provider Enrollment Revalidation Attention: Provider Enrollment and Credentialing Teams Ensure you revalidate before your deadline to prevent a "Stay of Enrollment" or claim rejections, which could result in [...]

Navigating Medicare Home Health & Hospice Insights for Providers Podcast

Navigating Medicare Home Health & Hospice Insights for Providers Podcast Listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!   We invite you to join our thoughtful conversations and helpful insights into the Home Health & [...]

Navigating Medicare Part A Insights for Providers Podcast

Navigating Medicare Part A Insights for Providers Podcast Listen to our podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Listen to our podcast, Navigating Medicare Part A Insights for Providers, now available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! We will be [...]

Common Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms

Common Tobacco Withdrawal Symptoms Trying to quit tobacco use feels different for each person, but almost everyone will have some symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. When stopped, the body and brain must get used to not having nicotine. This can [...]

Reopening versus Redetermination

Reopening versus Redetermination Table of contents Reopening versus Redetermination Reopening Telephone Reopening Unit Redeterminations [Return to Top] Reopening versus Redetermination Understanding your next steps are very [...]

Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program 2025 Changes

Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program 2025 Changes The MDPP Expanded Model is intended to prevent Medicare beneficiaries with an indication of prediabetes from developing diabetes. Prevention of diabetes among this high-risk group of Medicare [...]

Home Health Claims Returning to Provider RC 19963

HH claims are returning to provider in error with RC 19963. This impacts HH claims with NOA/processed dates in January 2022. NOAs are being purged after 24 months. Please keep in mind there are claims that edit correctly for this reason code. [...]

NGS Office of Congressional Affairs Welcome Letter

Dear Members of Congress and Staff: As your work continues in the 119th Congress, National Government Services, Inc. maintains its dedicated role in serving your district/state as a Medicare contractor for Original Medicare. We are your [...]

Screening Mammography

Preventive Services Guide Screening Mammography A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Screening mammograms are routinely administered to detect breast cancer in women who have no apparent symptoms. Coverage Guidelines and Frequency Limits [...]

PC-ACE Software Instructions, Resources and Guides

PC-ACE Software Instructions, Resources and Guides Creating a 276 Claim Status Request in PC-ACE and Importing and Reading the 277 Claim Status Report PC-ACE Software – For Professional Users: Importing and Reading the 999 & 277CA Files [...]

MLN Connects® Newsletter: March 25, 2025

MLN Connects® Newsletter: March 25, 2025 News ESRD: Payment for Phosphate Binders Effective January 1, 2025 Hospitals: Apply for Additional Residency Positions by March 31 Skilled Nursing Facilities: Revalidation Deadline is May 1 [...]

Medical Review: Targeted Probe and Educate Review Topics

Jurisdiction K Part A Targeted Probe and Educate: Medical Review Topics Topic CPT Code(s) Common Denials Resources Debridement, subcutaneous tissue (includes epidermis and dermis, if performed) 11042, 11045 [...]

About Appeals

About Appeals Table of Contents About Appeals Reopening vs. Redetermination Reopening Redetermination [Return to Top] About Appeals Providers and beneficiaries have the right to appeal claim determinations made by National [...]

Understanding the Approval Recommendation Process for Certified Providers

Understanding the Approval Recommendation Process for Certified Providers The certified provider completes and submits a CMS-855 enrollment application and all supporting documentation to its MAC, including any state require documentation [...]

About Us

National Government Services, Inc., a subsidiary of Elevance Health, Inc., has a long history of supporting federal health agencies, including CMS. Throughout the country, NGS has served as a Medicare contractor since the inception of the [...]

REMITTANCE: What do the two-letter codes on my remittance advice mean?

PC-ACE: Where can I find out more about the PC-ACE free billing software?

PC-ACE: Why did my PC-ACE software expire?

Ambulance Duplicate Claim Denials

Ambulance Duplicate Claim Denials Duplicate trips may be reported on the same claim if the ZIP code for the point of pick-up for both trips is the same. If separate claims are submitted for the same beneficiary on the same day with the same [...]

Top JK Part B Claim Errors are Available

Top JK Part B Claim Errors are Available We conduct a comprehensive data analysis on a quarterly basis to update and disseminate the latest insights on the most common claim errors. This initiative provides:  Claim Error Reason Code [...]

Ambulance Billing Guidance

Ambulance Billing Guidance Table of Contents Ambulance Billing Ambulance Billing HCPCS Codes How to Bill Units with Transpiration HCPCS Codes Using Ambulance Modifiers When Billing Transportation Indicators Related Content [Return [...]

Level 1: Redetermination Request Form

Ensure Accurate Provider Enrollment Information on File

Ensure Accurate Provider Enrollment Information on File ATTENTION: Claims and Provider Enrollment Verify that accurate provider enrollment information is on file with Medicare. Are you familiar with the details identified in the PECOS system [...]

Medical Review: Targeted Probe and Educate Review Topics

Jurisdiction K HHH Targeted Probe and Educate: Medical Review Topics Topic CPT Code(s) Common Denials Resources Home Health Medical Necessity N/A 55H3V– The documentation did not support the medical [...]

Understanding the Approval Recommendation Process for Certified Providers

Understanding the Approval Recommendation Process for Certified Providers The certified provider completes and submits a CMS-855 enrollment application and all supporting documentation to its MAC, including any state require documentation [...]

Ambulance Services and the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage

Ambulance Services and the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage To follow are Medicare’s guidelines regarding the use of an ABN for ambulance services. Per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Internet-Only Manual (IOM) [...]

MLN Connects® Newsletter: March 27, 2025

MLN Connects® Newsletter: March 27, 2025 News Extension of Medicare Provisions Final National Coverage Determination: Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement Nutrition-Related Health Conditions: Recommend Medicare Preventive Services [...]

Fundamentals of Medicare

LCD Open Meeting Records

Open Meeting Records Jurisdiction 6 and Jurisdiction K Open Meeting Records Meeting Date Audio Transcript 3/13/2025 – J6/JK Open Meeting Recording Transcript  10/24/2024 – J6/JK Open Meeting [...]

Hospital Acquired Conditions and Present on Admission Resource for Acute Care Hospital Facilities

Hospital Acquired Conditions and Present on Admission Resource for Acute Care Hospital Facilities The hospital is the entity required to bill POA indicators on all inpatient claims billed to Medicare. However, accurate coding of all diagnosis [...]

NCCI Lookup Tool Top

National Correct Coding Initiative Lookup Tool The NCCI PTP lookup tool is designed to help providers identify when certain codes are subject to the automated code pair edits. When two codes of an edit pair are identified, the major code [...]

Provider Outreach and Education Reminders

Additional Events Links

Resources Education Partnership Request Form Five Steps to Webinar Success Provider Outreach and Education Reminders

Additional Events Links

Resources Education Partnership Request Form Five Steps to Webinar Success Provider Outreach and Education Reminders

Telehealth Services

Telehealth Services Table of Contents General Information Originating Site Distant Site List of Covered Medicare Telehealth Services Billing Facility Fee for Originating Site Payment for Professional Fee Place of [...]

Telehealth Extension 2025

Telehealth Extension 2025 A Congressional continuing resolution bill has extended telehealth coverage for services in all U.S. geographic locations through 9/30/2025. Based on this guidance, National Government Services will continue to pay [...]

Credentialing, Enrollment and Revalidation

Credentialing, Enrollment and Revalidation Table of Contents Requirements Facilities that are not qualified Qualifications Application Forms You Will Need Required Application Fee Documentation State Survey, Tie-in Notice [...]

Learn About PECOS Web

Learn About PECOS Web Table of Contents CMS Provider Enrollment Systems Advantages of Online Enrollment Get Started Other Resources Get Access Password Requirements Multi-Factor Authentication Get Help [Return to [...]

Targeted Probe and Educate Educational Videos

Targeted Probe and Educate Educational Videos Video Description MAC Medical Review Best Practices: Updating Your Contact Information Did you know providers can now designate a separate [...]

Medical Review: Targeted Probe and Educate Review Topics

Medical Review: Targeted Probe and Educate Review Topics Prevent technical denials by ensuring your medical records are legible and include a valid, legible provider signature. If you notice the provider signature is illegible when asked to [...]