Changes in billing:

In an effort to expedite provider bill processing, the CDS-Cumberland business office will be making the following changes, effective December 1, 2002. 

ALLOWABLE BILLING FORMS

All providers must bill using one of the following three forms:

	The 8½” X 11” CDS-Cumberland County standard billing form (included in this mailing); there is a column for make-up sessions that has been added.  After November 15th, the latest billing form will be made available on our website www.cds-cumberland.org.
	The HCFA 1500; or
	The UB 92 HCFA 14

HINTS TO EXPEDITE CLAIMS PROCESSING

	Do not bill ECT’s as collateral contacts.  Collateral contact time is limited by what is written on the service page of the IFSP.  If you bill CDS for ECT attendance as collateral contact, it may appear that you are over the collateral contact frequency and intensity imposed by the IFSP.  The reason for this is that ECT time is coded differently than collateral contact time at CDS.  CONTINUE TO BILL ECT’S AS COLLATERAL CONTACT TO MAINE CARE.
	Consultations are provided in the classroom and cannot be billed to Maine Care.  Please bill CDS for these sessions.
	Do not bill consultations as collateral contacts.  If you bill consultation sessions as collateral contact sessions, it may appear that you are over the collateral contact frequency and intensity imposed by the IFSP.  Also, if collateral contact is not listed on the IFSP, and you bill a consultation as collateral, your collateral contact portion of the bill will be denied.
	Please use the child’s full name and date of birth on all bills.  No nicknames or initials please.  This inhibits the quick processing of the bills when we have to find out what the child’s real name is.
	If Maine Care or insurance denies your bill, please attach the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to your bill when sending it to CDS for payment.

Note the new column on our billing form called Make-Up Session.  Use this column when you are having a therapy session with a child to make up for a missed session.  In this column write the date you are making up.  See the enclosed sample bill.

CDS-Cumberland realizes that billing units vary among the disciplines when billing Maine Care and insurance companies.  With this in mind, CDS will allow providers to continue to bill in units of their choice.  However, please keep the units consistent on all claims.  There has been a unit options box added to the CDS billing form.  Please check off the unit of your choice when billing.  See the enclosed sample bill.

If bills, evaluation reports, and quarterly progress notes are dropped off at CDS, they MUST go directly to the front desk in order for them to be processed.  If these documents are handed directly to the case manager, the business office may not be aware that they have been received, and payment will be delayed.