INTERNET-BASED PECOS EVEN MORE USER-FRIENDLY

Healthcare providers who use or plan to use the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) to file and track their Medicare enrollment record and specialty status have even more reason to enjoy the convenience of internet-based PECOS. The internet-based system received a series of enhancements during the month of January, including: •An improved submission process, including simpler directions for signing up and a clearer process for follow-up; •A tracking bar for the application process, indicating progress through the system; and •A new application status module on the website for checking whether enrollment applications have been: o received by the MAC (Medicare Administrative Contractor), o reviewed by the MAC, o returned for additional information, or o approved or rejected; and Additionally, providers now have 15 days to submit signed paperwork required to complete the enrollment process. Source: LEARNRESOURCE-L Email Update, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dated March 10, 2011