By Eileen Turner, Senior Technical Advisor, CMS

Over the coming months and years, CMS’s Medicare Administrative Contractors will begin to request that practitioners revalidate their Medicare provider enrollment information.

The revalidation effort will require that each practitioner submit a complete and up-to-date provider enrollment application with all of their current information. Providers will be able to submit either an appropriate paper application (CMS 855) or electronically through internet-based PECOS. CMS urges all providers to use internet-based PECOS for responding to the request for revalidation — and for most other updates that may need to be made to your provider enrollment records — because PECOS will already contain all information currently on file for you.

Between now and April 2012, CMS will continue to improve internet-based PECOS to make it easier for the providers to update their information and submit their revalidation application. We have already streamlined the application process with fewer screens and new helpful prompts to let you know if information is incomplete. You are now also able to pay the application fee (if applicable) during the online submission process.

Soon, internet-based PECOS will also include:

• A new “My Enrollments” page that will allow the provider to easily manage and search his or her enrollment applications
• A new “Fast Track” tab that will enable a provider to view all application data on a single screen, reducing data entry and duplication of data
• A bulk upload process that will allow large providers to upload multiple applications at one time
• A simplified registration process for Authorized Representatives who submit provider enrollment applications on behalf of physicians
• The ability for individual practitioners to assign office managers as Authorized Representatives who can complete the Provider Enrollment action on behalf of the individual practitioner
• Digital document upload capability so that providers can submit any support documents electronically rather than by mailing them in
• Integration of the electronic funds transfer forms (CMS 588), and the Participating Provider Agreement forms CMS (460)
• New E-Signature capability so an enrollment application can be electronically submitted without the need to send a certification statement in the mail

We urge providers use internet-based PECOS to view your records and update any information. Use PECOS web — it is faster, safe, and secure.

Source: HBMA – http://www.hbma.org/news/public-news/n_medicares-provider-enrollment-revalidation-process