This article informs you and your vendors about changes that will allow you to request reopening of claims electronically. To request a reopening, you will report a new type of bill (TOB), XXQ, along with condition codes to indicate that the claim is a request for reopening.
Effective on or after January 1, 2016, all providers must use the new reopening process, TOB XXQ, when a correction is to be made beyond the timely filing limit (one year from the through date of the service). An adjustment TOB XX7 is not allowed, and the claim will return to provider (RTP).
The CMS issued change request CR8581 to assist with billing the TOB XXQ and the reopening adjustment reason code.
Reopenings are different from adjustment bills. Adjustment bills are subject to normal claims processing timely filing requirements (filed within one year of the date of service). Reopenings are subject to timeframes associated with administrative finality and are intended to fix an error on a claim for services previously billed. They are allowed only after the normal claims timely filing period has expired and they are separate and distinct from the appeals process. A reopening will not be granted if an appeal decision is pending or in process.
You may not request a reopening on fully denied claims, or line items denied through medical review. You must appeal these types of claims.
When submitting the Medicare Part A Redetermination and Clerical Error Reopening Form or a Hardcopy Adjustment and Cancel Request Form, do not use new coding created for TOB XXQ. Inaccurate reporting of coding specific to TOB XXQ may result in returned claims.
Electronic or direct data entry (DDE) claims for reopening requests must include the following:
TOB:
XXQ
Reopening condition code:
R1 – Mathematical or computational mistake
R2 – Inaccurate data entry
R3 – Misapplication of a fee schedule
R4 – Computer errors
R5 – Incorrectly identified duplicate
R6 – Other clerical error or minor error or omission
Failure to bill for services is NOT considered a minor error
R7 – Correction other than clerical error
R8 – New and material evidence is available
R9 – Faulty evidence
Condition code to identify what was changed:
D0 – Changes in service date
D1 – Changes to charges
D2 – Change in revenue code/HCPCS/HIPPS rate codes
D4 – Change in clinical codes for diagnosis and/or procedure codes
D9 – Change in condition codes, occurrence codes, occurrence span codes, provider ID, modifiers and other changes
E0 – Change in patient status
Condition code W2 - Attesting that this is a rebilling and no appeal is in process
Note: You cannot request a reopening and an appeal on the same claim simultaneously.
Report a reopening ‘adjustment reason code’ on claim page 3 (MAP1713):
R1 – less 1 year from initial determination date:
Remarks not required, but may be added to provide additional information for claims processing
R2 – 1-4 years from initial determination date:
Remarks are required
R3 – more 4 years from initial determination date:
Remarks are required
Reopenings that require ‘Good Cause’ must have remarks on claim page 4 (MAP1714). ‘Good Cause’ remarks must be the first remarks on the claim and must be formatted as shown below without the parenthetical explanation, failure to follow the required formatting will result in your claim returning to provider (RTP) for reason code 39995.
Good Cause- C-A CC (Changed or added condition code) because…
Good Cause- C-A OC (Changed or added occurrence code) because…
Good Cause- C-A OSC (Changed or added occurrence span code) because…
Good Cause- C-A VC (Changed or added value code) because…
Good Cause- C-A DX (Changed or added diagnosis code) because…
Good Cause- C-A MOD (Changed or added Modifier) because…
Good Cause- C-A PX (Changed or added procedure code) because…
Good Cause- C-A LIDOS (Changed or added line item date of service) because…
Good Cause- C-A PSC (Changed or added patient status code) because…
Good Cause- C-A HCPCS (Changed or added Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System Code) because…
Good Cause- C-A HIPPS (Changed or added Health Insurance Prospective Payment System Code) because…
Good Cause- NME (New and Material Evidence) because…
Good Cause- F-E (Faulty Evidence) because…
Any reopening request that contains changes or additions from the original claim should contain remarks explaining what was changed or added. If the change or addition affects a line item(s), include the affected line(s) in remarks.
If the reopening is less than one year from the claim processed date, no specific remarks are required.
A claim for dates of service 01/05/2015, is processed on 03/17/2015. You can submit an XXQ claim on or after 01/05/2016 with no specific remarks until 03/17/2016.
Any XXQ claims received after 03/17/2016 must include specific remarks as outlined above under ‘Good Cause’.
The following scenarios, submitted after the claim submission timely filing (one year from the date of service) has expired, will not be accepted as a reopening request and will RTP with reason code 39997:
Note: Adjustments/reopening for higher weighted DRGs must be filed within 60 days from the initial claim determination.
For more information on the reopening process, please review the following articles: