We are now two weeks into the transition of the administration of Medicare Part B from NHIC to Palmetto GBA. Palmetto has informed CMA that its phone lines are overwhelmed and people are having a hard time getting through. According to Palmetto, the answers to the majority of callers’ questions are readily available on the website. Physicians and their staff are urged to check the FAQ on the Palmetto website before calling so that the phone lines are freed up for those with urgent payment issues.

CMA has been in close contact with Palmetto during this transition and continues to have weekly calls to discuss physician concerns. Because physicians have complained of busy signals and long wait times when calling Palmetto, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has authorized Palmetto to hire 35 additional call center staff and add more telephone lines. In a few weeks, after these new staff are hired and trained, you should experience significantly less hold time and get fewer busy signals.

Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the transition. Additional FAQ can be found at http://www.palmettogba.com/J1B.

Q: How can I find out the status of claims I submitted before transition?

A:  To check the status of a claim, call Palmetto’s Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system at 866/931-3903. If you have questions about the IVR, please see the user guide at the palmetto website.

Q: I early boarded (or sent my submitter application prior to August 15) but did not receive my submitter number. When will I get it?

A:  All passwords were emailed to early boarders/registrants before the transition. Check your junk or spam mail for a message from medicare.edi@palmettogba.com. If you still cannot find your password, e-mail medicare.edi@palmettogba.com with “Resend Password” in the subject and someone will respond as soon as possible with that information.

Q: I just submitted a new EDI submitter application. How do I find out if Palmetto received it and when will I receive my submitter number?

A: When your application is processed, you will receive an e-mail containing your submitter number. Given the current backlog of applications, you can expect to receive your password within 20 days of submission. If after 20 days you have not received your password, check your junk or spam filter for a message from medicare.edi@palmettogba.com. If you still cannot find your password, e-mail medicare.edi@palmettogba.com with the subject line “Resend Password” and someone will respond as soon as possible with that information.

Q:  When can I expect to get payments from Palmetto?

A:  All claims that were still pending at the time of the transition were transferred to Palmetto and will be processed as usual (14 day hold for electronic claims, 29 days for paper). Palmetto has assured CMA that the volume and amount of claims being processed on a daily basis has not changed since the transition.

Q:  Where can I get Palmetto’s addresses and phone numbers?

A:  All contact information for Palmetto is available at http://www.palmettogba.com/J1B.

Q: I have had trouble getting through to Palmetto by phone. What is the best time to call?

Because of an unusually high call volume due to the transition, Palmetto is asking physicians to first read the FAQ on its website before calling. If you have an urgent payment issue, the best time to call Palmetto is between 7 am and 9 am (operating hours are 7 am to 5 pm). For EDI/EFT related questions, call 866/749-4301. For all other issues, call the main customer service line, 866/931-3901.

Contact: Michele Kelly, 888/401-5911 or mkelly@cmanet.org.