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Find-A-Code Articles, Published 2014, August 1

What does accept assignment mean.

by   InstaCode Institute Aug 1st, 2014 - Reviewed/Updated Mar 5th

What does it mean to accept assignment on the CMS 1500 claim form - also called the HCFA 1500 claim form.? Should I accept assignment or not? What are the guidelines for accepting assignment in box 27 of the 1500 claim?

These commonly asked questions should have a simple answer, but the number of court cases indicates that it is not as clear cut as it should be. This issue is documented in the book “Problems in Health Care Law” by Robert Desle Miller. The definition appears to be in the hands of the courts. However, we do have some helpful guidelines for you.

One major area of confusion is the relationship between box 12, box 13 and box 27.  These are not interchangeable boxes and they are not necessarily related to each other.

According to the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), the "Accept Assignment" box indicates that the provider agrees to accept assignment.  It simply says to enter an X in the correct box.  It does NOT define what accepting assignment might or might not mean.

It is important to understand that if you are a participating provider in any insurance plan or program, you must first follow the rules according to the contract that you sign. That contract supersedes any guidelines that are included here.

Medicare Instructions / Guidelines

PARTICIPATING providers MUST accept assignment according to the terms of their contract.  The contract itself states:

“Meaning of  Assignment  - For purposes of this agreement, accepting  assignment  of the Medicare Part B payment means requesting direct Part B payment from the Medicare program.  Under an  assignment , the approved charge, determined by the Medicare carrier, shall be the full charge for the service covered under Part B.  The participant shall not collect from the beneficiary or other person or organization for covered services more than the applicable deductible and coinsurance.”

By law, the providers or types of services listed below MUST also accept assignment:

  • Clinical diagnostic laboratory services;
  • Physician services to individuals dually entitled to Medicare and Medicaid;
  • Services of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse midwives, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical psychologists, and clinical social workers;
  • Ambulatory surgical center services for covered ASC procedures;
  • Home dialysis supplies and equipment paid under Method II;
  • Ambulance services;
  • Drugs and biologicals; and
  • Simplified Billing Roster for influenza virus vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine.

NON-PARTICIPATING providers can choose whether to accept assignment or not, unless they or the service they are providing is on the list above.

The official Medicare instructions regarding Boxes 12 and 13 are:

“Item 12 – The patient's signature authorizes release of medical information necessary to process the claim. It  also authorizes payments of benefits  to the provider of service or supplier when the provider of service or supplier accepts assignment on the claim.” “Item 13 - The patient’s signature or the statement “signature on file” in this item  authorizes payment of medical benefits  to the physician or supplier. The patient or his/her authorized representative signs this item or the signature must be on file separately with the provider as an authorization. However, note that when payment under the Act can only be made on an assignment-related basis or when payment is for services furnished by a participating physician or supplier, a patient’s signature or a “signature on file” is not required in order for Medicare payment to be made directly to the physician or supplier.”

Regardless of the wording on these instructions stating that it authorizes payments to the physician, this is not enough to ensure that payment will come directly to you instead of the patient.To guarantee payment comes to you, you MUST accept assignment.

Under Medicare rules, PARTICIPATING providers are paid at 80% of the  physician fee schedule allowed amount  and NON-participating providers are paid at 80% of the allowed amount, which is 5% less than the full Allowed amount for participating providers. Only NON-participating providers may "balance bill" the patient for any amounts not paid by Medicare, however, they are subject to any state laws regarding balance billing.

TIP: If you select YES, you may or may not be subject to a lower fee schedule, but at least you know the payment is  supposed  to come to you.

NON-MEDICARE Instructions / Guidelines

PARTICIPATING providers MUST abide by the terms of their contract.  In most cases, this includes the requirement to accept assignment on submitted claims.

NON-PARTICIPATING providers have the choice to accept or not accept assignment.

YES means that payment should go directly to you instead of the patient.  Generally speaking, even if you have an assignment of benefits from the patient (see box 12 & 13), payment is ONLY guaranteed to go to you IF you accept assignment.

NO is appropriate for patients who have paid for their services in full so they may be reimbursed by their insurance.  It generally means payment will go to the patient.

What Does Accept Assignment Mean?. (2014, August 1). Find-A-Code Articles. Retrieved from https://www.findacode.com/articles/what-does-accept-assignment-mean-34840.html

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CMS-1500 Claim Form Cheat Sheet

Here is a breakdown of each box on the cms-1500 and where they populate from within your unified practice account..

Jump to: 

  • Boxes #1 through #13
  • Boxes #14 through #23
  • Box #24a-#24j
  • Boxes #25 through #33b

Box Number: 1 - Insurance Name Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Insurance Type Description: Where the type of health insurance coverage applicable to this claim is selected. There are seven plan types to select from, by checking the appropriate box. Only one plan type is allowed to be selected.

Box Number: 1a - Insured’s ID Number Where this populates from: Patient File > Insurance tab > Card Info, ID on Card (patient can fill this out during onboarding if you are accepting insurance info). Description: Where the insured's ID number is entered as shown on their ID card for the payer to which the claim is being submitted. 

Box Number: 2 - Patient’s Name Where this populates from: Personal tab of Patient File Description: Where the patient's full name is entered as Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial , separated by commas.

Box Number: 3 - Patient’s Birthdate and Sex Where this populates from: Personal tab of Patient File Description: Where the patient's 8-digit birth date is entered in the format MMDDYYYY. As well, the appropriate box should be marked indicating the sex (gender) of the patient. Only one box can be marked.

Box Number: 4 - Insured’s Name Where this populates from: Personal tab of Patient File OR if covered under someone else, Patient File > Insurance Tab > Card Info > ID on Card (patient can fill this out during onboarding if you are accepting insurance info). Description: Where the insured's full name is entered as Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial , separated by commas.

Box Number: 5 - Patient’s Address Where this populates from: Personal tab of Patient File Description: Where the patient's address information is entered. This is the patient's permanent residence. The first line is for the street address. The second line is for the city and state. The third line is for the zip code and phone number.

Box Number: 6 - Patients relationship to Insured Where this populates from: Insurance tab of the Patient File (If "Covered under someone else's insurance plan?" is switched to Yes OR patient can fill out during onboarding). Description: Where the patient's relationship to the insured is entered. Only one box can be marked.

Box Number: 7 - Insured Address Where this populates from: Personal tab of Patient File OR Patient File >   Insurance Tab > Insured under someone else fields. Description: Where the patient's address information is entered. This is the patient's permanent residence. The first line is for the street address. The second line is for the city and state. The third line is for the zip code and phone number.

Box Number: 8 - Reserved for NUCC Use Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Reserved field. It was previously used to report Patient Status. Patient Status no longer exists, so this field has been eliminated.

Box Number: 9 - Other Insured’s Name Where this populates from: Insurance tab must have Primary/Secondary/other insurance info filled out. Then in Billing Info > Billing Preferences , select Primary and Secondary insurances from the drop-down boxes. Description: Indicates that there is a holder of another policy that may cover the patient. The insured's name is entered as Last Name, First Name, Middle Initial, separated by commas. If Box 11d is marked, complete boxes 9, 9a, and 9d, otherwise leave blank.

Box Number: 9a - Other Insured's Policy or Group Number Where this populates from: Insurance tab must have Primary/Secondary/other insurance info filled out. Then in Billing Info > Billing Preferences , select Primary and Secondary insurances from the drop-down boxes. Description: The other insured's policy or group number as it appears on the insured's health care identification card for secondary insurance. If Box 11d is marked, complete boxes 9, 9a, and 9d, otherwise leave blank. 

Box Number: 9b - Reserved for NUCC Use Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Box 9b is now a reserved field. It was previously used to report Other Insured's Date of Birth, Sex . Other Insured's Date of Birth, Sex no longer exists, so this field has been eliminated.

Box Number: 9c - Reserved for NUCC Use Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Box 9c is now a reserved field. It was previously used to report Employer’s Name or School Name . Employer’s Name or School Name no longer exists, so this field has been eliminated.

Box Number: 9d - Insurance Plan Name or Program Name Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Box 9d is the name of the insurance plan or program of the other insured as indicated in Box 9. If Box 11d is marked, complete boxes 9, 9a, and 9d, otherwise leave blank.

Box Number: 10 - Is Patient's Condition Related To Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Is Patient's condition related to (this carries over from treatment to treatment). Description: Indicate whether the patient’s illness or injury is related to employment, auto accident, or other accident. Only one box on each line can be marked.  Any item marked “YES” indicates there may be other applicable insurance coverage that would be primary, such as automobile liability insurance. Primary insurance information must then be shown in Box 11.

Box Number: 10a - Employment Where this populates from: Employment (current or previous) would indicate that the condition is related to the patient’s job or workplace. Description: Indicate whether the patient’s illness or injury is related to employment, auto accident, or other accident. Only one box on each line can be marked.  Any item marked YES  indicates there may be other applicable insurance coverage that would be primary, such as automobile liability insurance. Primary insurance information must then be shown in Box 11.

Box Number: 10b - Auto Accident Where this populates from: Auto accident would indicate that the condition is the result of an automobile accident. The state postal code where the accident occurred must be reported if YES  is marked in 10b for “Auto Accident.” Description: Indicate whether the patient’s illness or injury is related to employment, auto accident, or other accident. Only one box on each line can be marked.  Any item marked YES  indicates there may be other applicable insurance coverage that would be primary, such as automobile liability insurance. Primary insurance information must then be shown in Box 11.

Box Number: 10c - Other Accident Where this populates from: Other accident would indicate that the condition is the result of any other type of accident. Description: Indicate whether the patient’s illness or injury is related to employment, auto accident, or other accident. Only one box on each line can be marked.  Any item marked YES  indicates there may be other applicable insurance coverage that would be primary, such as automobile liability insurance. Primary insurance information must then be shown in Box 11.

Box Number:  10d - Reserved for Local Use Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Used to identify additional information about the patient’s condition or the claim. When required by payers to provide the sub-set of Condition Codes approved by the NUCC, enter the Condition Code in this field.

Box Number: 11 - Insured Policy Group or FECA Number Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > select which company is being used as Primary for this visit. Description: The insured's policy or group number as it appears on the insured's health care identification card.

Box Number: 11a - Insured Date of Birth and Sex Where this populates from: Personal tab of Patient File Description: Where the insured's 8-digit date of birth in the format MMDDYYYY is entered and a box indicating the insured's gender is marked.

Box Number: 11b - Other Claim ID (Designated by NUCC) Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: The other claim ID. Claim identifiers are designated by the NUCC.

Box Number: 11c - Insurance Plan Name Or Program Name Where this populates from: Insurance tab of Patient File by selecting the Insurance Plan (goes for all types). Description: The name of the insurance plan or program of the insured. Some payers require an identification number of the primary insurer rather than the name in this field.

Box Number: 11d - Is there another Health Benefit Plan Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Secondary Insurance Description: If Box 11d is marked, complete boxes 9, 9a, and 9d, otherwise leave blank. This specifies if there is another health benefit plan attached to this claim. Mark the appropriate box ( Yes or No ). Only one box can be marked.

Box Number: 12 - Patients or Authorized Person’s Signature Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences >  Signature Date . If switched to Yes, you can enter the date. Otherwise, this is left blank. Description: Where the signature and date indicating authorization to release any medical information needed to process and/or adjudicate the claim. This can be done by entering Signature on File , SOF or the actual signature.

Box Number: 13 - Insured’s or Authorized Person’s Signature Where this populates from: This is automatically populated by Unified Practice with Signature on File. Description: Where the signature indicating authorization of payment for medical benefits to the provider of service. This can be done by entering Signature on File , SOF  or the actual signature.

Box Number: 14 - Date of Current Illness, Injury, or Pregnancy Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Onset Date Description: Identifies the first date of onset of illness, the actual date of injury, or the LMP for pregnancy. Enter the 6-digit (MM│DD│YY) or 8-digit (MM│DD│YYYY) date of the first date of the present illness, injury, or pregnancy. For pregnancy, use the date of the last menstrual period (LMP) as the first date. Enter the applicable qualifier to identify which date is being reported.

Box Number: 15 - Other Date Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Other Date Description: Where another date related to the patient’s condition or treatment is entered. Enter the applicable qualifier to identify which date is being reported. 454 Initial Treatment, 304 Latest Visit or Consultation, 453 Acute Manifestation of a Chronic Condition, 439 Accident, 455 Last X-ray, 471 Prescription, 090 Report Start (Assumed Care Date), 091 Report End (Relinquished Care Date), 444 First Visit or Consultation.

Box Number: 16 - Dates patient unable to work in current occupation Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Where the time span the patient is, or was, unable to work is entered if the patient is employed and is unable to work in their current occupation. A 6-digit (MM│DD│YY) or 8-digit (MM│DD│YYYY) date must be shown for the “from–to” dates that the patient is unable to work. An entry in this field may indicate employment-related insurance coverage.

Box Number: 17 - Name of Referring Provider or other Source Where this populates from: [1.] Patient File > Personal Tab >   Edit > Referring Provider [2.] Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Fill in referring providers details  toggle switched to Yes Description: Where the name of the referring provider, ordering provider, or supervising provider who referred, ordered or supervised the service(s) or supply(ies) on the claim. The qualifier indicates the role of the provider being reported. Enter the name (First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name) followed by the credentials of the professional who referred or ordered the service(s) or supply(ies) on the claim. Enter the applicable qualifier to the left of the vertical dotted line to identify which provider is being reported. DN Referring Provider, DK Ordering Provider

Box Number: 17a Where this populates from: This field can not be populated from Unified Practice

Box Number: 17b - NPI Where this populates from: Patient File > Personal Tab > Edit > Referring Provider > Add new provider > NPI Description: Where the NPI number of the referring, ordering, or supervising provider is entered. The NPI number refers to the HIPAA National Provider Identifier number.

Box Number: 18 - Hospitalization dates related to current services Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Where you would refer to an inpatient stay and indicates the admission and discharge dates associated with the service(s) on the claim. Enter the inpatient 6-digit (MM│DD│YY) or 8-digit (MM│DD│YYYY) hospital admission date followed by the discharge date (if discharge has occurred). If not discharged, leave discharge date blank. This date is when a medical service is furnished as a result of, or subsequent to, a related hospitalization.

Box Number: 19 -  Additional Claim Information Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences , Additional Claim Information Description: Used to identify additional information about the patient’s condition or the claim. Please refer to the most current instructions from the public or private payer regarding the use of this field. Some payers ask for certain identifiers in this field. If identifiers are reported in this field, enter the appropriate qualifiers describing the identifier.

Box Number: 20 - Outside Lab, $ charges Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Outside Lab Description: Used to indicate that services have been rendered by an independent provider.

Box Number: 21- Diagnostic or Nature of Illness or Injury (ICD Ind) Where this populates from: Billing Info > ICD codes Description: Used to identify the applicable ICD indicator to specify which version of ICD codes are being reported. 9 ICD-9 0 ICD-10 Box 21, Lines A through L, are used to indicate the sign, symptom, complaint, or condition of the patient relating to the service(s) on the claim. Up to 12 ICD-9-CM or ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes can be entered.

Box Number: 22 - Resubmission Code, Original Ref No. Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Resubmission code (left), Original reference number (right) Description: Used to list the original reference number for resubmitted/corrected claims. When resubmitting a claim, enter the appropriate bill frequency code left justified in the left-hand side of the field. 6 Corrected Claim 7 Replacement of prior claim 8 Void/cancel of prior claim

Box Number: 23 - Prior Authorization number Where this populates from: Patient File > Insurance tab > Prior authorization turned on > Authorization # Description: Used to show the payer assigned number authorizing the service(s).

Box Number: 24 Description: Used to list the completed services for the claim. The six service lines in section 24 have been divided horizontally to accommodate submission of both the NPI and another/proprietary identifier and to accommodate the submission of supplemental information to support the billed service. The top area of the six service lines is shaded and is the location for reporting supplemental information. It is not intended to allow the billing of 12 lines of service. The supplemental information is to be placed in the shaded section of 24A through 24G as defined in each Item Number. Providers must verify requirements for this supplemental information with the payer.

Box Number: 24a - Dates of Service Where this populates from: Appointment Date Description: Indicates the actual month, day, and year the service(s) was provided.

Box Number: 24b - Place of service Where this populates from: Locations & Rooms > Edit Location > Facility Code Description: Used to identify the location where the service was rendered. Enter the appropriate two-digit code from the Place of Service Code list for each item used or service performed.

Box Number: 24c - EMG Where this populates from: can not be modified within Unified Practice Description: Identifies if the service was an emergency. Check with payer to determine if this information (emergency indicator) is necessary. If required, enter Y for “YES” or leave blank if “NO” in the bottom, unshaded area of the field. The definition of emergency would be either defined by federal or state regulations or programs, payer contracts, or as defined in 5010A1.

Box Number: 24d - Procedures, services, or supplies Where this populates from: Appointment bill, CPT codes -or- CPT Fee Schedule [on iPad] Description: Used to identify the medical services and procedures provided to the patient. Enter the CPT code(s) and modifier(s) (if applicable) from the appropriate code set in effect on the date of service. This field accommodates the entry of up to four two-digit modifiers. The specific procedure code(s) must be shown without a narrative description.

Box Number: 24e - Diagnostic pointer Where this populates from: Appointment bill, CPT codes, ICD pointer -or- Chief Complaint & ICD [on iPad] Description: Used to indicate the line letter from Box 21 that relates to the reason the service(s) was performed. Enter the diagnosis code reference letter (pointer) as shown in Box 21 to relate the date of service and the procedures performed to the primary diagnosis. When multiple services are performed, the primary reference letter for each service should be listed first, other applicable services should follow. The reference letter(s) should be A – L or multiple letters as applicable. ICD-9-CM (or ICD-10-CM, once mandated) diagnosis codes must be entered in Box 21 only. Do not enter them in 24e.

Box Number: 24f - Charges Where this populates from: Fee Schedule (or if changed, charge in billing info screen) Description: The total billed amount for each service line. Enter the charge for each listed service, right justified in the dollar area of the field. Do not use commas when reporting dollar amounts. Negative dollar amounts are not allowed. Dollar signs should not be entered. Enter 00 in cents area if the amount is a whole number.

Box Number: 24g - Days or Units Where this populates from: Appointment Billing Info Description: Used to indicate the number of days corresponding to the dates entered in 24A or units as defined in CPT coding manual(s). Enter the number of days or units. This field is most commonly used for multiple visits, units of supplies, anesthesia units or minutes, or oxygen volume. If only one service is performed, the numeral 1 must be entered. Enter numbers left justified in the field. No leading zeros are required. If reporting a fraction of a unit, use the decimal point.

Box Number: 24h - EPSDT Family Plan Where this populates from: cannot be modified within Unified Practice Description: Box 24h is used to identify certain services that may be covered under some state plans.

Box Number: 24i - ID Qualifier Where this populates from: Clinic Staff > Details > Taxonomy Code  OR  Account > My Account > Taxonomy Code, if it is entered,  'ZZ' will appear in the grey area of column 24i Description: Indicate the appropriate qualifier and identifying number in the shaded area.

Box Number: 24j - Rendering Provider ID# Where this populates from:  

Clinic Staff > Details > Practitioner NPI , if it is entered (even if the toggle Use this NPI….. is turned off) If Practitioner NPI is empty it takes the NPI configured in Clinic Settings > Billing Information If both are empty, the field remains empty

Clinic Staff > Details > Taxonomy Code, if it is entered, it will appear in the grey area of column 24j 

Description: Indicates the individual performing/rendering the service.

Box Number: 25 - Federal TAX ID number

Where this populates from:   Account > My Account > Personal Tax ID > switch U se this ID as the Tax ID for my Superbills and Claim forms for billing toggle to Yes . 

  • If Practitioner Tax ID is empty or Use this Tax ID… .. is turned off then it takes the Tax ID configured in Billing Information
  • If both are empty, the field remains empty

Description: Indicates the unique identifier assigned by a federal or state agency. Enter the Federal Tax ID Number (employer ID number or SSN) of the Billing Provider identified in Box 33. This is the tax ID number intended to be used for 1099 reporting purposes. Enter an X in the appropriate box to indicate which number is being reported. Only one box can be marked.

Box Number: 26 - Patient Account Number Where this populates from: cannot be modified within Unified Practice Description: Indicates the identifier assigned by the provider.

Box Number: 27 - Accept Assignment? Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Accept Assignment Description: Indicates that the provider agrees to accept assignment under the terms of the payer’s program. Enter an X in the correct box. Only one box can be marked. Report Accept Assignment? for all payers.

Box Number: 28 - Total Charge Where this populates from: Service balance due in Billing Info Description: Indicates the total billed amount for all services entered in Box 24f (lines 1–6). Enter total charges for the services (i.e., total of all charges in 24F). Enter the number right justified in the dollar area of the field. Do not use commas when reporting dollar amounts. Negative dollar amounts are not allowed. Dollar signs should not be entered. Enter 00 in cents area if the amount is a whole number.

Box Number: 29 - Amount Paid Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > switch Amount Paid - fill-in amount paid by patient for services to Yes and fill in the amount. This will auto-fill from payment received/applied. Description: Indicates the payment received from the patient or other payers. Enter total amount the patient and/or other payers paid on the covered services only. Enter the number right justified in the dollar area of the field. Do not use commas when reporting dollar amounts. Negative dollar amounts are not allowed. Dollar signs should not be entered. Enter 00 in cents area if the amount is a whole number.

Box Number: 30 - Balance Due Where this populates from: Total charge minus balance due that is listed on the CMS-1500 form.

Box Number: 31 - Signature of Physician or Supplier Where this populates from: Name in My Account & the Date of Service - or - Clinic Settings then Clinic Staff and click Details to the right to the Practitioner's name.

  • The signature will reflect the name of the Practitioner assigned to the appointment - or - the last Practitioner to sign and lock the SOAP note.

Box Number: 32 - Service Facility Location Information Where this populates from: Clinic Settings > Locations & Rooms > Edit Location Description: Indicates the name and address of facility where services were rendered identifies the site where service(s) were provided. Enter the name, address, city, state, and ZIP code of the location where the services were rendered.

Box Number: 32a Where this populates from: Clinic Settings > Locations & Rooms > Edit Location > Service Facility NPI

  • If this is not entered, 32a remains empty.  

Box Number: 32b Where this populates from: cannot be modified within Unified Practice Description: Indicates the non-NPI ID number of the service facility as assigned by the payer for the facility. Enter the 2-digit qualifier identifying the non-NPI number followed by the ID number. Do not enter a space, hyphen, or other separator between the qualifier and number.

Box Number: 33 - Billing Provider Info & Phone Number Where this populates from: Defaults from Business Information -or- If alternate pay to info is selected in My Account/Billing Information , will pull from there. Description: Box 33 is used to indicate the billing provider’s or supplier’s billing name, address, ZIP code, and phone number and is the billing office location and telephone number of the provider or supplier. Enter the provider’s or supplier’s billing name, address, ZIP code, and phone number. The phone number is to be entered in the area to the right of the field title. Enter the name and address information in the following format: 1st Line – Name 2nd Line – Address 3rd Line – City, State and ZIP Code Item 33 identifies the provider that is requesting to be paid for the services rendered and should always be completed. Do not use punctuation (i.e., commas, periods) or other symbols in the address (e.g., 123 N Main Street 101 instead of 123 N. Main Street, #101). Enter a space between town name and state code; do not include a comma. Report a 9-digit ZIP code, including the hyphen. Do not use a hyphen or space as a separator within the telephone number.

Box Number: 33a - Billing Information > Billing NPI Where this populates from: Clinic Settings > Clinic Staff > Details   -or- My Account if Use this NPI... is turned on .

  • If this is turned off for the practitioner account page, this populates from Clinic Settings > Billing information . 
  • If both are empty, 33a remains empty. 

Description: Indicates the HIPAA National Provider Identifier number. Enter the NPI number of the billing provider in 33a.

Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > G roup ID Description: Indicates the payer-assigned unique identifier of the professional.

As a Medical Biller, the better you understand the medical insurance payment process, the better you can care for your patients. Your understanding of what a patient will owe and what will be covered can help them navigate the confusing world of medical insurance.

One term that can be very confusing for patients (and for doctors as well) is ‘Accepting Assignment’.

Essentially, ‘assignment’ means that a doctor, (also known as provider or supplier) agrees (or is required by law) to accept a Medicare-approved amount as full payment for covered services.

This amount may be lower or higher than an individual’s insurance amount, but will be on par with Medicare fees for the services.

If a doctor participates with an insurance carrier, they have a contract and agree that the provider will accept the allowed amount, then the provider would check “yes”.  

If they do not participate and do not wish to accept what the insurance carrier allows, they would check “no”.   It is important to note that a provider who does not participate can still opt to accept assignment on just a particular claim by checking the “yes” box just for those services.

In other words by saying your office will accept assignment, you are agreeing to the payment amount being covered by the insurer, or medicare, and the patient has no responsibility.

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Accept Assignment

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  • August 27, 2018 16:08

On every insurance card, you have the ability to indicate whether or not you  Accept Assignment . If you are integrated with WebPT EMR, the Accept Assignment field will default to Yes.  

Important:  The information listed is not meant to be legal or coding advice. You should always check with the individual insurance plan or program for benefit assignment guidelines. If you are a participating provider (in-network) for an insurance company, refer to your contract.

What does Accept Assignment mean?

The definition and use of Accept Assignment vary between payers, especially Medicare. However, the general definition states that:

  • You indicate the case is assigned to you and that payment should be sent to you.
  • You are accepting the payer's rate for the services rendered, even if it is lower than your CPT Fee Schedule.

To adjust the selection:

  • Navigate to  Clients  >  Client List .

Blue_Pencil.jpg

  • Select  Apply Edits .
  • Choose one of the  Save  options.

Do I have to Accept Assignment?

The short answer is no. If you are a non-participating provider (out-of-network), you have the option to not accept the assignment, depending on the insurance program.

I selected to Accept Assignment, but the payer sent payment to the client.

First, you should look at the client's insurance card in the application and verify that  Signature on File  is checked . This relates to Box 13 on the CMS-1500 and indicates if the client authorizes payment to your clinics.

Signature_on_File.jpg

If this is checked, you will need to contact the payer to find out why the payment was not sent to you.

I did not Accept Assignment and payer still paid me.

First, you should look at the client's insurance card in the application and verify that  Signature on File  is unchecked . This relates to Box 13 on the CMS-1500 and indicates if the client authorizes payment to your clinics.

Signature_on_File_-_No.jpg

Whenever Accept Assignment is set to No , the payer should send payment to the client regardless if the  Signature on File  box is checked. However, some payers may ignore this and still send your clinic the payment. You will need to contact the payer find out why the payment was not sent to the client.

What does the application do when I do not Accept Assignment?

As mentioned previously, if you do not Accept Assignment, you are expecting the insurance company to reimburse the client directly. This indicates that you will need to collect payment for the services from the client.

When a claim is created for which you do not Accept Assignment, the session will automatically be set to a  Closed/Patient Due  status and appear under  Finalized Charges  on the Client Balance Statement.

Set Accept Assignment Default

Remember:  The default will not affect clinics that are integrated with WebPT. For these clinics, Accept Assignment will always default to  Yes .

  • Navigate to  Admin  >  Defaults/Settings  >  Client .
  • Next to  Accept Assignment , click the desired radio button.
  • Select  Save Changes .

Note : This will only affect future insurance cards that are added into the system.

Related articles

  • How to Create an Electronic Claim
  • Change Healthcare Electronic Payer
  • Use P.O. Box for Insurance Payments (Box 33)
  • Worldpay - Account Setup and Device Overview

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Accepting Assignment: HCFA 1500 claim form Boxes 27 and 13

As a provider, you have the option to accept or decline assignment of benefits in chirofusion..

When adding a new Payer in ChiroFusion, you have the ability to specify whether or not you are accepting assignment. By accepting assignment of benefits, the Payer will remit payment directly to you and not the patient. Conversely, if you choose to not accept assignment, the Payer will remit payment directly to the patient. 

You can specify assignment for a particular Payer in ChiroFusion in Settings > Add/Edit Insurance Company > Clearinghouse Details. By default, this selection will apply to all patients associated with this Payer and place the "Signature on File" in Box 13 if necessary.

Insurance Company Settings:

Assignment-Clearinghouse Details-1

Patient Specific Settings:  

When 'Assignment' is checked in the global insurance settings, it will apply to all patients who are covered by that insurance policy. You have the ability to deselect this box for a specific patient if need be.

In Billing For Refiling Claims: 

You can edit this directly in the HCFA Claim tab and it will update all claims pertaining to specific patients.

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To view instructions, hover over each field.

Check the Medicare Box.

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Item 1a

Patient's Medicare number.

what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

Insured's name if Medicare is not primary. Leave blank if Medicare is primary. May have "SAME" when insured is the patient.

These are situational if Medicare is not primary. For Electronic claims “SAME” is not acceptable.

Item 2

Patient's name - last name, first name, middle initial - must be as it appears on the Medicare Card.

Item 3

Date of birth - 8 digits - MM DD YYYY entered into spaces and appropriate box checked for sex.

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what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

Enter the patient's mailing address and telephone number. On the first line enter the street address; the second line, the city and state; the third line, the ZIP code and phone number.

Telephone number field not available in this format.

Item 6

Check the appropriate box for patient's relationship to insured when item 4 is completed.

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Item 7

Enter the insured's address and telephone number. When the address is the same as the patient's, enter the word SAME. Complete this item only when items 4, 6, and 11 are completed.

Item 8

Leave blank.

Patient status field is not available in this format.

Item 7

Enter the last name, first name, and middle initial of the enrollee in a Medigap policy if it is different from that shown in item 2. Otherwise, enter the word SAME. If no Medigap benefits are assigned, leave blank. This field may be used in the future for supplemental insurance plans.

Items 10a - 10c

Items 10a - 10c

Check "YES" or "NO" to indicate whether employment, auto liability, or other accident involvement applies to one or more of the services described in item 24. Enter the State postal code. Any item checked "YES" indicates there may be other insurance primary to Medicare. Identify primary insurance information in item 11.

Item 11

If Medicare is primary, enter the word "NONE". If Medicare is secondary, enter the insured's policy or group number and proceed to items 11a through 11c. This field is required on a paper claim.

Item 9a

Policy number and or group number of the Medigap insured preceded by "MEDIGAP", "MG", or "MGAP."

Item 11a

Enter the insured's birth date and sex, if different from item 23.

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Item 9b

ANSI 5010 - This segment has been deleted.

Item 11b

Enter employer's name, if applicable. If there is a change in the insured's status, e.g., retired, enter either a 6-digit (MM | DD | YY) or 8-digit (MM | DD | CCYY) retirement date preceded by the word, "RETIRED." Form version 02/12: provide this information to the right of the vertical dotted line.

This field is not available in this format.

Item 9c

Leave blank if item 9d is completed . Otherwise, enter the claims processing address of the Medigap insurer. Use an abbreviated street address, two-letter postal code, and ZIP code copied from the Medigap insured's Medigap identification card.

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Item 11c

Enter the 9-digit PAYERID number of the primary insurer. If no PAYERID number exists, then enter the complete primary payer’s program or plan name. If the primary payer’s EOB does not contain the claims processing address, record the primary payer’s claims processing address directly on the EOB. This is required if there is insurance primary to Medicare that is indicated in item 11.

Item 9d

Enter the Coordination of Benefits Agreement (COBA) Medigap-based Identifier(ID) .

Item 10d

Patient’s Medicaid number - If patient is not enrolled in Medicaid, leave blank.

Not Needed - Medicaid automatically crosses over.

Item 11d

Leave blank - this is not required by Medicare.

Item 12

The patient or authorized representative must sign and enter either a 6-digit date (MM | DD | YY), 8-digit date (MM | DD | CCYY), or an alpha-numeric date (e.g., January 1, 1998) unless the signature is on file. In lieu of signing the claim, the patient may sign a statement to be retained in the provider, physician, or supplier file in accordance with Chapter 1, “General Billing Requirements.” If the patient is physically or mentally unable to sign, a representative specified in chapter 1, may sign on the patient’s behalf. In this event, the statement’s signature line must indicate the patient’s name followed by “by” the representative’s name, address, relationship to the patient, and the reason the patient cannot sign. The authorization is effective indefinitely unless the patient or the patient’s representative revokes this arrangement.

NOTE: This can be “Signature on File” and/or a computer generated signature.

The patient’s signature authorizes release of medical information necessary to process the claim. It also authorizes payment of benefits to the provider of service or supplier when the provider of service or supplier accepts assignment on the claim.

Signature by Mark (X) - When an illiterate or physically handicapped enrollee signs by mark, a witness must enter his/her name and address next to the mark.

Note: The signature date field is not available in this format

Item 13

Enter either a patient’s or authorized person’s signature and date or enter “Signature on File” (SOF).

Item 14

Enter the date of the current illness, injury or pregnancy. For Chiropractic services, enter the date of the initiation of the course of treatment.

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*Use if different information given at the claim level

Item 15

Leave blank. Not required by Medicare.

Item 16

If the patient is employed and is unable to work in his/her current occupation, enter an 8-digit (MM | DD | CCYY) or 6-digit (MM | DD | YY) date when patient is unable to work. An entry in this field may indicate employment related insurance coverage.

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Item 17

Enter the name of the referring or ordering physician if the service or item was ordered or referred by a physician. All physicians who order services or refer Medicare beneficiaries must report this data. Similarly, if Medicare policy requires you to report a supervising physician, enter this information in item 17. When a claim involves multiple referring, ordering, or supervising physicians, use a separate CMS-1500 claim form for each ordering, referring, or supervising physician.

Enter one of the following qualifiers as appropriate to identify the role that this physician (or non-physician practitioner) is performing:

Qualifier Provider Role

DN Referring Provider

DK Ordering Provider

DQ Supervising Provider

Enter the qualifier to the left of the dotted vertical line on item 17.

qualifier
Referring provider's first name
 
 
qualifier*
  Referring provider's first name*
 
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  Ordering provider's first name

Item 17a

This block is not used after May 23, 2008.

This is not used after May 23, 2008.

Item 18

Enter either an 8-digit (MM | DD | CCYY) or a 6-digit (MM | DD | YY) date when a medical service is furnished as a result of, or subsequent to, a related hospitalization.

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Item 17b

Enter the NPI of the referring, ordering, or supervising physician or non-physician practitioner listed in item 17. All physicians and non-physician practitioners who order services or refer Medicare beneficiaries must report this data.

what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

Enter applicable dates (either an 8-digit (MM | DD | CCYY) or a 6-digit (MM | DD | YY) date), dosage, global surgery period, or other narrative information. All information listed in Item 19 and its electronic equivalent is situational.

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-
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Item 20

Enter the acquisition price under “$ Charges” if the “Yes” box is checked. A “Yes” check indicates that an entity other than the entity billing for the service performed the diagnostic test. A “No” check indicates that no anti-markup tests are included on the claim. When Yes is annotated, Item 32a shall be completed.

When submitting a PS1 segment, the facility information must also be in either loop 2310D or 2420C.

what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

The “ICD Indicator” identifies the ICD code set being reported. Enter the applicable ICD indicator according to the following:

Indicator Code Set

9 ICD-9-CM diagnosis

0 ICD-10-CM diagnosis

Enter the indicator as a single digit between the vertical, dotted lines.

  • Do not report both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes on the same claim form. If there are services you wish to report that occurred on dates when ICD-9-CM codes were in effect, and others that occurred on dates when ICD-10-CM codes were in effect, then send separate claims such that you report only ICD-9-CM or only ICD-10-CM codes on the claim. (See special considerations for spans of dates below.)
  • If you are submitting a claim with a span of dates for a service, use the “from” date to determine which ICD code set to use.
  • Enter up to 12 diagnosis codes. Note that this information appears opposite lines with letters A-L. Relate lines A- L to the lines of service in 24E by the letter of the line. Use the highest level of specificity. Do not provide narrative description in this field.
  • Do not insert a period in the ICD-9-CM or ICD-10-CM code.
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Note: Up to eight diagnosis codes may be entered in priority order on electronic claims. Do not use decimal points.

ANSI 5010 - In addition: Up to 12 diagnoses may be entered.

Item 22

Leave blank or enter one of the following items as applicable:

  • Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) prior authorization number
  • Seven-digit Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) number when used in a clinical trial
  • NPI of Home Health Agency or Hospice facility when Care Plan Oversight is billed
  • Ten-digit CLIA number when lab services are billed
  • For ambulance claims, enter the ZIP code of the point-of-pickup for the loaded ambulance trip
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qualifier
 
- In addition to those listed above:
qualifier
 
  Ambulance Pick Up address line 1
 
  Ambulance Pick Up city name
 
 
qualifier
 
 

Item 24a

Enter the date of service - 6 digits (MMDDYY) or 8-digit (MMDDYYYY) date for each procedure or service.

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if a single date of service
if a range of dates

Item 24b

Enter the appropriate two-digit place of service (POS) code to identify where the item is used or the service is performed.

Item 24c

Enter the procedure code and up to four applicable modifiers.

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Item 24e

This is a required field. Enter the diagnosis code reference letter (as appropriate, per form version) as shown in item 21 to relate the date of service and the procedures performed to the primary diagnosis.

Item 24f

Enter the charge for each listed service. Note: Nonparticipating providers may not exceed the limiting charge fee for each service.

Item 24g

Enter the number of days or units. For anesthesia, convert hours into minutes, if necessary, and enter the total minutes required for the procedure.

Item 24h

This field should be blank on all claims received after May 23, 2008. Exception: Providers who have terminated their Medicare provider numbers and were never assigned an NPI. The 1C qualifier must be in this field and there must be a comment in block 19 that this is a submission from a terminated provider.

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This is only used when the exception is met and there are comments in the narrative field that the submission is from a terminated provider.

Item 24j

Enter the rendering provider’s NPI in the unshaded portion.

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Item 25

Enter the Federal Tax ID (Employer Identification Number or Social Security Number) of the provider and check the appropriate box.

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Item 26

Enter the patient's account number.

Item 27

Check the appropriate box to indicate whether the provider accepts assignment of Medicare benefits.

Item 28

Enter the total charges for the services.

Item 29

Enter the total amount that the patient paid for covered services only.

Item 30

Enter the signature of provider of service or supplier, or his/her representative, and either the 6-digit date (MM | DD | YY), 8-digit date (MM | DD | CCYY), or alpha-numeric date (e.g., January 1, 1998) the form was signed.

Item 32

Enter the name and complete address including the ZIP code of the facility where the services were rendered. If the supplier is a certified mammography screening center, enter the six-digit FDA approved certification number.

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- In addition to those listed above:
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Item 33

Enter the provider’s billing name, address, ZIP code and telephone number.

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Item 32a

Enter the NPI of the service facility. This is a conditional field. There should be nothing in this field unless there is a purchased test as listed in Item 20. The NPI of the provider from whom the test was purchased will be listed if this is the case.

-
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Item 32b

Effective May 23, 2008 this field is not to be reported.

Item 33a

Enter the NPI of the billing provider or group.

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Item 33b

Item 33b is not generally reported. However, for some Medicare policies you may be instructed to use this item; direction as to how to use this item will be in the instructions you received regarding the specific policy, if applicable.

what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

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Medicare Assignment

Home / Medicare 101 / Medicare Costs / Medicare Assignment

Summary: If a provider accepts Medicare assignment, they accept the Medicare-approved amount for a covered service. Though most providers accept assignment, not all do. In this article, we’ll explain the differences between participating, non-participating, and opt-out providers. You’ll also learn how to find physicians in your area who accept Medicare assignment. Estimated Read Time: 5 min

What is Medicare Assignment

Medicare assignment is an agreement by your doctor or other healthcare providers to accept the Medicare-approved amount as the full cost for a covered service. Providers who “accept assignment” bill Medicare directly for Part B-covered services and cannot charge you more than the applicable deductible and coinsurance.

Most healthcare providers who opt-in to Medicare accept assignment. In fact, CMS reported in its Medicare Participation for Calendar Year 2024 announcement that 98 percent of Medicare providers accepted assignment in 2023.

Providers who accept Medicare are divided into two groups: Participating providers and non-participating providers. Providers can decide annually whether they want to participate in Medicare assignment, or if they want to be non-participating.

Providers who do not accept Medicare Assignment can charge up to 15% above the Medicare-approved cost for a service. If this is the case, you will be responsible for the entire amount (up to 15%) above what Medicare covers.

Below, we’ll take a closer look at participating, non-participating, and opt-out physicians.

Medicare Participating Providers: Providers Who Accept Medicare Assignment

Healthcare providers who accept Medicare assignment are known as “participating providers”. To participate in Medicare assignment, a provider must enter an agreement with Medicare called the Participating Physician or Supplier Agreement. When a provider signs this agreement, they agree to accept the Medicare-approved charge as the full charge of the service. They cannot charge the beneficiary more than the applicable deductible and coinsurance for covered services.

Each year, providers can decide whether they want to be a participating or non-participating provider. Participating in Medicare assignment is not only beneficial to patients, but to providers as well. Participating providers get paid by Medicare directly, and when a participating provider bills Medicare, Medicare will automatically forward the claim information to Medicare Supplement insurers. This makes the billing process much easier on the provider’s end.

Medicare Non-Participating Providers: Providers Who Don’t Accept Assignment

Healthcare providers who are “non-participating” providers do not agree to accept assignment and can charge up to 15% over the Medicare-approved amount for a service. Non-participating Medicare providers still accept Medicare patients. However they have not agreed to accept the Medicare-approved cost as the full cost for their service.

Doctors who do not sign an assignment agreement with Medicare can still choose to accept assignment on a case-by-case basis. When non-participating providers do add on excess charges , they cannot charge more than 15% over the Medicare-approved amount. It’s worth noting that providers do not have to charge the maximum 15%; they may only charge 5% or 10% over the Medicare-approved amount.

When you receive a Medicare-covered service at a non-participating provider, you may need to pay the full amount at the time of your service; a claim will need to be submitted to Medicare for you to be reimbursed. Prior to receiving care, your provider should give you an Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) to read and sign. This notice will detail the services you are receiving and their costs.

Non-participating providers should include a CMS-approved unassigned claim statement in the additional information section of your Advanced Beneficiary Notice. This statement will read:

“This supplier doesn’t accept payment from Medicare for the item(s) listed in the table above. If I checked Option 1 above, I am responsible for paying the supplier’s charge for the item(s) directly to the supplier. If Medicare does pay, Medicare will pay me the Medicare-approved amount for the item(s), and this payment to me may be less than the supplier’s charge.”

This statement basically summarizes how excess charges work: Medicare will pay the Medicare-approved amount, but you may end up paying more than that.

Your provider should submit a claim to Medicare for any covered services, however, if they refuse to submit a claim, you can do so yourself by using CMS form 1490S .

Opt-Out Providers: What You Need to Know

Opt-out providers are different than non-participating providers because they completely opt out of Medicare. What does this mean for you? If you receive supplies or services from a provider who opted out of Medicare, Medicare will not pay for any of it (except for emergencies).

Physicians who opt-out of Medicare are even harder to find than non-participating providers. According to a report by KFF.org, only 1.1% of physicians opted out of Medicare in 2023. Of those who opted out, most are physicians in specialty fields such as psychiatry, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and neurology.

How to Find A Doctor Who Accepts Medicare Assignment

Finding a doctor who accepts Medicare patients and accepts Medicare assignment is generally easier than finding a provider who doesn’t accept assignment. As we mentioned above, of all the providers who accept Medicare patients, 98 percent accept assignment.

The easiest way to find a doctor or healthcare provider who accepts Medicare assignment is by visiting Medicare.gov and using their Compare Care Near You tool . When you search for providers in your area, the Care Compare tool will let you know whether a provider is a participating or non-participating provider.

If a provider is part of a group practice that involves multiple providers, then all providers in that group must have the same participation status. As an example, we have three doctors, Dr. Smith, Dr. Jones, and Dr. Shoemaker, who are all part of a group practice called “Health Care LLC”. The group decides to accept Medicare assignment and become a participating provider. Dr. Smith decides he does not want to accept assignment, however, because he is part of the “Health Care LLC” group, he must remain a participating provider.

Using Medicare’s Care Compare tool, you can select a group practice and see their participation status. You can then view all providers who are part of that group. This makes finding doctors who accept assignment even easier.

To ensure you don’t end up paying more out-of-pocket costs than you anticipated, it’s always a good idea to check with your provider if they are a participating Medicare provider. If you have questions regarding Medicare assignment or are having trouble determining whether a provider is a participating provider, you can contact Medicare directly at 1-800-633-4227. If you have questions about excess charges or other Medicare costs and would like to speak with a licensed insurance agent, you can contact us at the number above.

Announcement About Medicare Participation for Calendar Year 2024, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Accessed January 2024

https://www.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-participation-announcement.pdf

Annual Medicare Participation Announcement, CMS.gov. Accessed January 2024

https://www.cms.gov/medicare-participation

Does Your Provider Accept Medicare as Full Payment? Medicare.gov. Accessed January 2024

https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs/provider-accept-Medicare

Kayla Hopkins

Kayla Hopkins

Ashlee Zareczny

Ashlee Zareczny

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Medical Billing and Coding - Procedure code, ICD CODE.

Types of Claims – assigned and non assigned claims

Jun 9, 2010 | Medical billing basics

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What does ‘accepting assignment’ mean?

Accepting assignment is a real concern for those who have Original Medicare coverage. Physicians (or any other healthcare providers or facilities) who accept assignment agree to take Medicare’s payment for services. They cannot bill a Medicare beneficiary in excess of the Medicare allowance, which is the copayment or coinsurance. While providers who participate in the Medicare program must accept assignment on all Medicare claims, they do not have to accept every Medicare beneficiary as a patient. 

There are basically three Medicare options for physicians.

  • Physicians may sign a participating agreement and accept Medicare’s allowed charge as payment-in-full for all of their Medicare patients. Use the Physician Compare database to find physicians who accept assignment. 
  • They may elect to be non-participating, in which case, they make decisions about accepting Medicare assignment on a case-by-case basis. They can bill patients up to 15% more than the Medicare allowance. Some Medigap policies offer a benefit to cover this amount, known as Part B excess charges.
  • Or, they may opt out of Medicare entirely and become private contracting physicians.  They establish contracts with their patients to bill them directly. Neither the physicians nor the patients would receive any payments from Medicare.

Accepting assignment can also be a concern for beneficiaries with coverage other than Original Medicare, including those:

  • in a Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-service (PFFS) plan who get services outside the network.
  • in a Medicare Advantage Medical Savings Account (MSA) plan because this plan does not utilize networks.

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IMAGES

  1. Instructions: Review the CMS-1500 Claim with Errors

    what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

  2. What'S A Cms 1500 Claim Form? Top Answer Update

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  3. CMS1500 Claim Forms Version 02 12

    what does accept assignment mean on cms 1500

  4. Mental Health CMS1500 Form [Download JPG + PDF]

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  5. CMS 1500 Claim Form Instructions

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  6. Claim 1500 form Template Quit Claim form Free Download form Resume Examples in 2020

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COMMENTS

  1. What Does Accept Assignment Mean?

    These are not interchangeable boxes and they are not necessarily related to each other. According to the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), the "Accept Assignment" box indicates that the provider agrees to accept assignment. It simply says to enter an X in the correct box. It does NOT define what accepting assignment might or might not mean.

  2. CMS-1500 Claim Form Cheat Sheet

    Here is a breakdown of each box on the CMS-1500 and where they populate from within your Unified Practice account. Jump to: Boxes #1 through #13. Boxes #14 through #23. Box #24a-#24j. Boxes #25 through #33b. Box Number: 1 - Insurance Name. Where this populates from: Billing Info > Billing Preferences > Insurance Type.

  3. Medicare Assignment

    Medicare assignment is a fee schedule agreement between the federal government's Medicare program and a doctor or facility. When Medicare assignment is accepted, it means your doctor agrees to the payment terms of Medicare. Doctors that accept Medicare assignment fall under one of three designations: a participating doctor, a non ...

  4. Accept Assignment

    This relates to Box 13 on the CMS-1500 and indicates if the client authorizes payment to your clinics. Whenever Accept Assignment is set to No, the payer should send payment to the client regardless if the Signature on File box is checked. However, some payers may ignore this and still send your clinic the payment.

  5. Assignment and Nonassignment of Benefits

    Item 27 on the CMS-1500 claim form allows the provider to indicate whether they accept or do not accept assignment. When accepting assignment, the beneficiary may be billed for the 20% coinsurance, any unmet deductible and for services not covered by Medicare. The difference between the billed amount and the Medicare approved amount cannot be ...

  6. PDF Medicare Claims Processing Manual

    The term, "CMS-1500 claim form" refers to the form generically, independent of a given version. Medicare will conduct a dual-use period during which providers can send Medicare claims on either the old or the revised forms. When the dual-use period is over, Medicare will accept paper claims on only the revised Form 1500, version 02/12.

  7. What does 'Accept Assignment' mean in Medical Billing Terms?

    Essentially, 'assignment' means that a doctor, (also known as provider or supplier) agrees (or is required by law) to accept a Medicare-approved amount as full payment for covered services. This amount may be lower or higher than an individual's insurance amount, but will be on par with Medicare fees for the services. If a doctor ...

  8. Accept Assignment

    What does Accept Assignment mean? The definition and use of Accept Assignment vary between payers, especially Medicare. However, the general definition states that: ... This relates to Box 13 on the CMS-1500 and indicates if the client authorizes payment to your clinics.

  9. CMS-1500 Claim Form Instructions

    The CMS Internet Only Manual (IOM), Publication 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 26 was used to create this tutorial. The following instructions apply to the CMS-1500 Claim Form versions 08/05 and 02/12. A space must be reported between month, day, and year (e.g., 12 | 15 | 06 or 12 | 15 | 2006).

  10. PDF Instructions on how to fill out the CMS 1500 Form

    Patient's Address and Telephone Number. Item 5. This is a required field and must be filled in completely. Enter the patient's mailing address and telephone number. On the first line enter the street. address; the second line, the city and state; the third line, the ZIP code and. telephone number. Item 6.

  11. Assignment and Non-assignment of Benefits

    Non-assignment of Benefits. Non-assigned is the method of reimbursement a physician/supplier has when choosing to not accept assignment of benefits. Under this method, a non-participating provider is the only provider that can file a claim as non-assigned. When the provider does not accept assignment, the Medicare payment will be made directly ...

  12. Accepting Assignment: HCFA 1500 claim form Boxes 27 and 13

    By accepting assignment of benefits, the Payer will remit payment directly to you and not the patient. Conversely, if you choose to not accept assignment, the Payer will remit payment directly to the patient. You can specify assignment for a particular Payer in ChiroFusion in Settings > Add/Edit Insurance Company > Clearinghouse Details.

  13. CMS 1500 Claim Form Instructions Tool

    When a claim involves multiple referring, ordering, or supervising physicians, a separate CMS-1500 claim form for each ordering, referring, or supervising physician. Enter the qualifier to the left of the dotted vertical line on item 17. Enter either an 8-digit (MM | DD | CCYY) or a 6-digit (MM | DD | YY) date when a medical service is ...

  14. Medicare Assignment: What Does Accepting Assignment Mean?

    What is Medicare Assignment. Medicare assignment is an agreement by your doctor or other healthcare providers to accept the Medicare-approved amount as the full cost for a covered service. Providers who "accept assignment" bill Medicare directly for Part B-covered services and cannot charge you more than the applicable deductible and ...

  15. PDF National Uniform Claim Committee CMS-1500 Claim

    The 1500 Health Insurance Claim Form (1500 Claim Form) is in the public domain. The NUCC has developed this general instructions document for completing the 1500 Claim Form. This document is intended to be a guide for completing the 1500 Claim Form and not definitive instructions for this purpose. Any user of this document should refer to the ...

  16. Types of Claims

    To accept assignment of Medicare benefits for a claim, the physician must select the appropriate block (27) of Form CMS- 1500 or the applicable electronic claim field. Physicians may collect reimbursement for excluded services, unmet deductible, and coinsurance, from the beneficiary. Certain services may be paid only on an assigned basis:

  17. Does your provider accept Medicare as full payment?

    If your doctor, provider, or supplier doesn't accept assignment: You might have to pay the full amount at the time of service. They should submit a claim to Medicare for any Medicare-covered services they give you, and they can't charge you for submitting a claim. If they refuse to submit a Medicare claim, you can submit your own claim to ...

  18. What does 'accepting assignment' mean?

    Accepting assignment is a real concern for those who have Original Medicare coverage. Physicians (or any other healthcare providers or facilities) who accept assignment agree to take Medicare's payment for services. They cannot bill a Medicare beneficiary in excess of the Medicare allowance, which is the copayment or coinsurance.

  19. Professional Paper Claim Form (CMS-1500)

    How Electronic Claims Submission Works: The claim is electronically transmitted in data "packets" from the provider's computer modem to the Medicare contractor's modem over a telephone line. Medicare contractors perform a series of edits. The initial edits are to determine if the claims in a batch meet the basic requirements of the HIPAA ...

  20. Claim Form Instructions

    The CMS Internet Only Manual (IOM), Publication 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 26 was used to create this tutorial. The following instructions apply to the CMS-1500 Claim Form versions 08/05 and 02/12. A space must be reported between month, day, and year (e.g., 12 | 15 | 06 or 12 | 15 | 2006).

  21. CMS-1500 Claim Form Guidelines and Tips

    Ink Color. The OCR equipment is sensitive to ink color. Follow these guidelines on ink color: Submit the scannable, red-ink version of the CMS-1500 claim form. Do not use red ink to complete a CMS-1500 claim form. OCR scanners "drop out" any red that is on the paper. Use true black ink. Do not use any other color ink such as blue, purple, or red.

  22. More Information on Assignment

    Physician services to people dually entitled to Medicare and Medicaid. Services of Physician Assistants (PA), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), CPs, CSWs, CNSs, nurse midwives, and NPs. Simplified billing roster for flu and pneumonia shots. We'll now review the claim information in this section of Lesson 4 relevant to Medigap.

  23. Mandatory Claim Submission

    Medicare Part B paper claims may be filed using only the red printed CMS-1500 (02/12) claim form. This form is appropriate for filing all types of health insurance claims to private insurers as well as government programs. Detailed instructions on completing the CMS-1500 form are found below under the heading ' CMS-1500 Instructions.'.