Are u kidding, Medicare???

[Barry Santini]

So, I apply a few months ago to maintain my "paper" filing status with Medicare (the *only* insurance we accept), and I get approved (<3 claims per month).

ITMT, I simultaneously (*and* at the same time) apply for electronic submission of claims ('cause I'm reasonably computer savvy with my other ordering needs).

I receive my EDI software today (in a mailer printed "Floppy Disk enclosed?!?), and the instructions state that

I CANNOT USE A CABLE MODEM OR DSL, BUT ONLY A 28000 BAUD DIAL-UP MODEM!

I subsequently learn there are no plans to "upgrade" this software, as Medicare (HIPPA?) has determined that *only* a dial-up modem has the necessary security features.

R U KIDDING???!!!

Barry

PS - I'm going to pray to the LOTTO g** now

[Chris Ryser]

I CANNOT USE A CABLE MODEM OR DSL, BUT ONLY A 28000 BAUD DIAL-UP MODEM!

I just purchased new computers and they are all on boradband connected to the internet. All of them came equipped with a dial up modem. Otherwise they are cheap to buy.

I am using the dial up to tranfer business data with pcAnywhere. It is of course safe as you plug it into the phone wire and the same at the other end. This should be an easy problem to solve.

[obxeyeguy]

Barry, I ran into this months ago also. Couldn't get thru the medicare software. :finger: Tossed it in, and went to visionweb. Still having issues, but it is getting fixed. Well worth the processing fee. When they do go in correctly, money comes faster.

[braheem24]

FYI, for the security of the information transmitted, a cable modem or DSL is not secure since it is transmitted through the WWW (World Wide Web) which is accessable by anyone else with an internet connection.

A modem connection is a direct connection to the recipient, some software goes one step further and requires your modem to be a "Hardware" Modem instead if a typical WinModem which is powered by windows software for further security.

Hope it helps,

Ibrahim

[abocandy]

I sent in my paperwork in Feb 2007 and just now got my provider # in October. I have not been told if there is a limit on claims a month. Will you explain to me what that means? Also how did you get a floppy?Who did you contact? was it a person??. I am having the worse time with this, and am doing it simply for the patients in need...
Please advise
Thanks
Candy

So, I apply a few months ago to maintain my "paper" filing status with Medicare (the *only* insurance we accept), and I get approved (<3 claims per month).

ITMT, I simultaneously (*and* at the same time) apply for electronic submission of claims ('cause I'm reasonably computer savvy with my other ordering needs).

I receive my EDI software today (in a mailer printed "Floppy Disk enclosed?!?), and the instructions state that

I CANNOT USE A CABLE MODEM OR DSL, BUT ONLY A 28000 BAUD DIAL-UP MODEM!

I subsequently learn there are no plans to "upgrade" this software, as Medicare (HIPPA?) has determined that *only* a dial-up modem has the necessary security features.

R U KIDDING???!!!

Barry

PS - I'm going to pray to the LOTTO g** now

[rbaker]

So, I apply a few months ago to maintain my "paper" filing status with Medicare (the *only* insurance we accept), and I get approved (<3 claims per month).

ITMT, I simultaneously (*and* at the same time) apply for electronic submission of claims ('cause I'm reasonably computer savvy with my other ordering needs).

I receive my EDI software today (in a mailer printed "Floppy Disk enclosed?!?), and the instructions state that

I CANNOT USE A CABLE MODEM OR DSL, BUT ONLY A 28000 BAUD DIAL-UP MODEM!

I subsequently learn there are no plans to "upgrade" this software, as Medicare (HIPPA?) has determined that *only* a dial-up modem has the necessary security features.

R U KIDDING???!!!

Barry

PS - I'm going to pray to the LOTTO g** now

Many states welfare IT vendors are still using software that was developed twentyfive years ago. Probably a similar situation exists with Medicare. These old COBOL apps works just fine and they see no reason to change them. Their attitude is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and in this case I have to agree.

Get a modem from newegg.com for under five bucks and dust off that old 386 and you are in business.

It is my understanding that Unysis is still using card readers, thats right card readers, in some states. I last developed a program for a couple of Massachusetts practices in 1999 (remember the year 2000 crisis) and found this to be true. It's a similar situation to the FAA s continued use of vacuum tubes in some old Raytheon equipment in Air Route Traffic Control Centers.

At some point in time they will move into new technology. Of course it will take them a couple of years to get the system debugged and in the meantime your reimbursements will be delayed or lost.

Your tax dollars at work.
.

[HarryChiling]

It is possible to set up VPN's through broad band connections which are secure for these transactions but like rbaker pointed out it is a matter of the technology they are currently using. Believe me when I tell you a modem isn't going to be a big investment or as muh a hassle as you would think. You could run it at night time and just make sure it transmitted in the morning. Just make sure they provide you with alternative numbesr and you may even want to ask what times tend to be heavily used times to avoid busy signals and disconnects. Good luck, with the lotto that is.;)

[chip anderson]

Trust me, my wife and secretary have been doing battle with Medicare and Medicaid over this and other issues for the last eleven months. Appearently this is not resolved at least for the moment as they are accepting and sometimes actually paying claims over DSL.
Now getting the advise from these people and doing things to thier satisfaction is more trouble than a sane person would put up with.
It seems that they have a very large number of personell that they gave jobs to in order to get them off the welfare rolls.
If and when you deal with them, write down the name of the person you deal with, every word they said, and the time it was done. If you can cite this you will eventually be connected with an intelligent person who actually has a work ethic and will help you. You will have to work your way through several of these people before you get results but it can be done.
I personally have gone on medicare rolls recently and find that my part D is "pending" after I had been told it was in effect two months ago. As of my last conversation with these people I asked: "Does that mean that it's just sitting around waiting for some dingbat to get off thier duff and key it in?" Reply: "Yes, but there's nothing I can do until department (I forget which) gets around to doing it."

Chip

[HarryChiling]

I personally have gone on medicare rolls recently and find that my part D is "pending" after I had been told it was in effect two months ago. As of my last conversation with these people I asked: "Does that mean that it's just sitting around waiting for some dingbat to get off thier duff and key it in?" Reply: "Yes, but there's nothing I can do until department (I forget which) gets around to doing it."

Chip

The "not my department" department.:D

[rbaker]

It is quite frustrating especially when you consider the speed and accuracy of your credit card transactions.

This is not rocket science but just another example of your governments inability to do anything right. And yet, most of us want these clowns to take over the health care system. Well, good luck getting approval for CABG surgery or poor old grandpas liver transplant.

The government first breaks your leg and then gives you a crutch.

[chip anderson]

Who says "most of us want the government to take over health care?" beside Hillary and you idiots in Mass?

[1968]

We bill Medicare through Eyefinity, to whom we connect over the Internet via a DSL connection. I think it costs us $0.49 a claim. Do they forward this to Medicare through a dial-up modem? I have no idea, nor do I care.

[cocoisland58]

We bill Medicare through Eyefinity, to whom we connect over the Internet via a DSL connection. I think it costs us $0.49 a claim. Do they forward this to Medicare through a dial-up modem? I have no idea, nor do I care.

We do not take medicare or medicaid any longer but when we did we always billed through Eyefinity. Is it "passing the buck"? Yep, but it works. I bill anything I can through them as it's so easy and payments come quickly. Case in point. We are an Eyemed provider which Cole switched to or merged with a while ago. Cole has the UAW contract. We cannot participate in it due to contract red tape with the union. However, when we bill Eyemed through Eyefinity for a GM patient, we get paid. I contacted Eyemed who told me that we cannot accept nor bill for GM since we are not a UAW provider. Then why do they pay us? Eyemed had no answer other than it must "slip through sometimes". Well, it "slips through" every time. Thank you, Eyefinity. Of course now I hear they have gone over to Davis so who knows what that will mean.

[Jubilee]

yep, they are going to Davis and we actually declined the plan. They wanted to pay us almost half of what any other exam plan will and same for the dispensing fee. The contracted spiffs for the extras was even worse..

Our concern was if we took in more than the few GM employees/retirees that we currently do, it would end up being a losing proposition. It pays worse than Chrysler!

[kdog2020]

We use a Gateway EDI clearinghouse for all our medical insurance including medicare. simple to use, and we get paid in less than two weeks. cost is comperable to eyefinity, and if our number of claims goes up, it the filing cost actually drops to about $.35/claim.

state medicaid is another story. file for materials on paper only, services on another form, or on the internet, but the website is only available from 9-5 on weekdays. Good thing our tax dollars are not paying for overtime for the website!!!:hammer: