MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT (been waiting a long time)

[VLITTLENP]

I am an NP who entered into private practice June 2011. I make home visits to geriatric patients unable to leave their residence to see their primary MD due to physical limitation/dementia/etc. I love what I'm doing, except for not getting paid. That's right, I've been doing this since JUNE and have not seen any reimbursement, despite submitting weekly claims. Medicare knows a million ways to delay payment, apparently. The last glitch was their mistaking an "i" for an "l" on my NPI number. The time before that, something was faxed but the "bar code" page wasn't faxed first, so they rejected all 16 pages. You get the idea. The last message I got from CMS last week said that all the claims I've submitted are "clean" and my deposit should be forthcoming. I'm hoping this means within the next week. Anyone else played this waiting game, and if so, how long did it take for you to get reimbursed?

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Not quite the same, but my uncle is a psychiatrist who did not get paid by medicare for 2 years, lol. When they finally paid him, they owed him over half a million dollars.

[VLITTLENP]

Now that's what I call payday!

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Can you imagine the FICA burden? He is not my favorite uncle (there is one in every family, right?), so my heart is not breaking for him.

[mammac5]

And think of how you're going to pay your staff, utilities, rent, etc. if you're in private practice and have to keep all those things paid up to keep the doors open while you wait for payment. *shivers*

[Sharon Meek]

I am appauled as usual by some of the things going on; we were told today in meeting that medicare has decreased payments to home health;effective 10-1-2011. Is this a fact? Ok, can't believe all that is said by administration!!! Go figure.

[Sharon Meek]

As you can see by my using my name, that I really am not worried about who reads this, age 63 and just can't believe all that is said Lol