Internet PECOS outage announced

by: CHARLES FIEGL Apr 10, 2009

CMS will temporarily take down the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) next week in order to make changes.

PECOS will be down from 9 p.m. EST April 16 until 9 a.m. EST April 20 (a span of 84 hours) while it updates its "Data Center," the agency said in a short e-mail message. This means physicians, non-physician practitioners, and provider and supplier organizations will not be able to use the online Medicare enrollment system during this period.

CMS says it's sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Internet PECOS only recently became available to provider and supplier organizations. CMS has also deleted language that prohibited providers from allowing office staff, consultants and other third parties from completing enrollment applications and updates via PECOS online.

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PETER MERTZANIS

Apr 10, 2009 5:44 PM

Allowing the staff to access the site only makes sense. A few other comments:

My employer was an early user, apparently. We found an error in that an application for a Pennsylvania physician under Highmark was sent to Texas. The Texas "processor" (name?) was graious to send it back. Based on this, I voiced my irritation to MGMA. The MGMA legal staff contacted me and the CMS.

The upshot is that the immediate issue was resolved, but MGMA also made a strong pitch to CMS to allow staff to use the site. I of course urged MGMA to make the case. I added that the physician must sign the certification form, which is the key element of the application. I also pointed out that CMS would have a better process if it put the certification form one ONE page, so that the physician could see what he/she is signing. I also commented (and I believe MGMA passed it along) that the wording was confusing as to what needed mailing. It almost seemed that you had to complete the online forms, print them and mail that plus the required documents and the certification page. Of course, that's not was intended.

So, we'll see what CMS does to the site. My best to you. Pete

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