Upcoming Deadline for EFT Payments
If you are not receiving Medicare payments via electronic funds transfer, your billing privileges are at risk of deactivation. This article will discuss the upcoming deadline, who it applies to, and instructions on how to submit your EFT Form.
What You Need to Know
According to the Requirements for Enrolling in the Medicare Program (42 CFR 424.510), Medicare providers must agree to receive Medicare payments via Electronic Funds Transfer. Currently, providers are required to send an EFT Authorization Agreement Form (CMS 588) to their National Provider Enrollment contractor when initially enrolling as a DMEPOS supplier or when submitting an application for a new location. If not already enrolled to receive electronic payments, suppliers are required to submit the EFT agreement during revalidation, reactivation, or when requesting a change of information. Any updates to existing EFT information should also be sent directly to the NPE contractor for processing. On April 25, 2024, Novitas Solutions (NPEast) sent letters to all their DMEPOS suppliers who are not yet receiving EFT payments from Medicare, requiring them to submit the CMS 588 EFT form by July 24, 2024. If a supplier does not send in their completed form by this deadline, their billing privileges will be deactivated.
What this Means for You
NPEast services DMEPOS suppliers in the following states and territories: AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MS, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI, DC, PR and VI. If you are in one of these states/territories and you are still receiving paper checks from Medicare, be sure to submit a CMS 588 form to Novitas Solutions before July 24, 2024. Even if you did not receive a letter, you are still at risk of deactivation if you do not authorize EFT payments by this deadline. The completed form needs to be signed by an authorized or delegated official, and you need to verify your account by either including a voided check or a letter from the bank with your account information. If you did receive a letter from Novitas Solutions requesting submission of your CMS form, you should also include a copy of the letter with your submission for easier identification. The completed form and attachments can either be uploaded into the Enrollment Gateway or mailed directly to Novitas Solutions:
Novitas Solutions, Inc.
NPEAST DMEPOS
PO Box 3704
Mechaniscsburg, PA 17055-1863
Click here for the full announcement from Novitas Solutions posted on May 1, 2024.
Note: Although the EFT requirement applies to all DMEPOS suppliers, Palmetto GBA (NPWest) does not have any information on their website about this deadline. If you received a letter from Palmetto GBA requesting submission of the EFT Authorization Agreement Form, be sure to follow the letter's instructions for submission and adhere to any noted deadlines to prevent deactivation.