This is exciting news from Cahaba GBA.

Internet-Based Medicare Enrollment Is NOW Available

Internet-Based Medicare Enrollment is now available for Medicare Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners (All States and the District of Columbia).

It’s Fast, Secure, and Easy!

Now there’s a better way for physicians and non-physician practitioners to enroll or make a change in their Medicare enrollment information.  The Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) will allow physicians and non-physician practitioners to enroll, make a change in their Medicare enrollment, view their Medicare enrollment information on file with Medicare, or check on the status of a Medicare enrollment application via the Internet.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will make Internet-based PECOS to all organizational providers and suppliers (except durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers) later this year.

Fast
By submitting the initial Medicare enrollment application through Internet-based PECOS, a physician or non-physician practitioner’s enrollment application can be processed as much as 50 percent faster than by paper.  This means that it will take less time to enroll or make a change in an existing enrollment record.  For additional information about the types of changes that must be reported, go to the download section of www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.

Secure
Internet-based PECOS meets all required Government security standards in terms of data entry, data transmission, and the electronic storage of Medicare enrollment information.  Only authorized individuals can enter enrollment information into PECOS or view PECOS data from the Internet.  Authorized individuals include physicians and non-physician practitioners.  Their User IDs and passwords protect the access to their enrollment information.  After physicians or non-physician practitioners create User IDs and passwords or change their passwords, they should keep this information secure and not share it with anyone.  By safeguarding their User IDs and passwords, they are taking an important step in protecting their enrollment information.  CMS does not disclose Medicare enrollment information to anyone except when we are authorized or required to do so by law.

Easy
Internet-based PECOS is a scenario-driven application process with front-end editing capabilities and built-in help screens.  The scenario-driven application process will ensure that physicians and non-physician practitioners complete and submit only the information necessary to enroll or make a change in their Medicare enrollment record. 

There are three basic steps to completing an enrollment action using Internet-based PECOS.  Physicians and non-physician practitioners must:

1. Have an NPPES User ID and password to use Internet-based PECOS.
   • For security reasons, physicians and non-physician practitioners should change passwords periodically, at least once a year.  For information on how to change a password, go to the NPPES Application Help page available at https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES/Welcome.do and select the “Reset Password Page” under the NPPES Application help page.

2. Go to Internet-based PECOS at https://pecos.cms.hhs.gov and complete, review, and submit the electronic enrollment application via Internet-based PECOS.

3. Print, sign and date the Certification Statement (blue ink recommended) and mail the Certification Statement and all supporting paper documentation to the Medicare contractor. 

Note: A Medicare contractor will not process an Internet enrollment application without the signed and dated Certification Statement and the required supporting documentation.  In addition, the effective date of filing an enrollment application is the date the Medicare contractor receives the signed Certification Statement that is associated with the Internet submission. 

Additional Information

For information about Internet-Based PECOS, including important information that physicians and non-physician practitioners should know before submitting a Medicare enrollment application via Internet-based PECOS, go to www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.