Bad Debts
We can provide assistance for complete Medicare reimbursement for bad debts claimed on the cost report through the following:
- Proper bad debt policy for write-offs for all payer classes
- Proper preparation of bad debt claims listing
- Proper reporting of bad debt claim amount (deductible/coinsurance for covered Medicare services)
- Proper documentation of 120 days of collection efforts for non-indigent patients
- Review of collection processes for “in-house” and collection agency practices for consistency with current Fiscal Intermediary policies
- Proper documentation for handling of Medicare as secondary payer claims
- Proper documentation for supporting determination of indigent status
- Use of a collection agency for documenting proper collection efforts, including application of the recent Sutter-Merced Appeal policy implementation
- Proper reporting of recoveries related to prior years claimed bad debts
- Proper treatment of dual-eligible (Medicare/Medicaid patients)
