Practice Management Alert

Question: We file our Medicare claims electronically. Recently, we received a payment from Medicare that was misdirected. Can we return the payment electronically? Nebraska Subscriber Answer: At present, you cannot do this type of transaction electronically. You need to contact Medicare and resolve the mistake through paper correspondence or over the phone. In this case, misdirected funds can be returned without much concern. If, however, you discover an overpayment related to your billing methods, you should consult your lawyer about making a proper disclosure to officials about the problem.

When all of the transactions and code-sets standards of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) take effect, you will be able to refund the overpayment electronically. You Be the Expert and Reader Questions answered by Catherine Brink, CMM, CPC, president of Healthcare Resource Management Inc., Spring lake, N.J; Betsy Nicoletti, CPC, a consultant with Helms, in Concord N.H.; Elizabeth Mauer, PharmD, MBA, with Deloitte and Touche's Chicago office; and Charles Carpenter, JD, a partner with Pulley Watson King & Lischer in Durham, N.C.