TO: Honorable Mayor & Members of the North Port Commission
FROM: A. Jerome Fletcher II, ICMA-CM, MPA, City Manager
TITLE: Approve the Updating of the Online Portal and Completion of the Medicare Enrollment Application and Associated Agreements to Reflect Mayor Pete Emrich as the Assigned Authorized Official to Allow for North Port Fire Rescue District’s Primary Billing Company, Digitech Computer Inc., to Submit Claims and Receive Remits on North Port Fire Rescue District’s Behalf.
Recommended Action
Option 1: Approve the updating of the online portal and completion of the Medicare Enrollment Application and associated Agreements to reflect Mayor Pete Emrich as the Assigned Authorized Official to allow for North Port Fire Rescue District’s primary billing company, Digitech Computer Inc., to submit claims and receive remits on North Port Fire Rescue District’s behalf.
City Commission Options
Option 1: Approve the updating of the online portal and completion of the Medicare Enrollment Application and associated Agreements to reflect Mayor Pete Emrich as the Assigned Authorized Official to allow for North Port Fire Rescue District’s primary billing company, Digitech Computer Inc., to submit claims and receive remits on North Port Fire Rescue District’s behalf.
• Pros: Protects Medicare billing continuity and reduces revenue risk through continued access to Medicare claims submission and remittance receiving. As this is an existing Agreement, the approval of this update follows the existing administrative process.
• Cons: Staff could find no negative outcomes to approval.
Option 2: Do not approve the updating of the online portal and completion of the Medicare Enrollment Application and associated agreements to reflect Mayor Pete Emrich as the Assigned Authorized Official to allow for North Port Fire Rescue District’s primary billing company, Digitech Computer Inc., to submit claims and receive remits on North Port Fire Rescue District’s behalf.
• Pros: Staff could find no positive outcomes to denial.
• Cons: Poses a risk to the suspension of the Medicare provider number and disruption of claims processing which will result in potential for delay, interruption, or loss of significant revenues for Medicare covered services provided by the Fire Rescue Department.
Background Information
The following Agreements will allow North Port Fire Rescue District’s primary billing company, Digitech Computer Inc., to submit claims directly to Medicare. The online portal and applications/Agreements must be created and updated as new Authorized Officials (AO) are assigned. Mayor Pete Emrich has been identified as the AO for these documents for the City of North Port. These were previously completed by former Mayor Jill Luke, Mayor Pete Emrich, Mayor Barbara Langdon, and Mayor Phil Stokes.
Ø Medicare Enrollment Application - CMS-855B will require Section 6: Ownership Interest and/or Managing Control Information (Individuals) be completed by Mayor Pete Emrich in order for Digitech Computer Inc. to populate the remainder of the application via an online portal to subsequentially be digitally signed. Also required, is Section 15: Certification Statement which will certify the application to update Mayor Pete Emrich as the new Authorized Official.
Ø HIPAA Eligibility Transaction System (HETS) Rules of Behavior and Authorization and Acknowledgement Form. Required for access to Medicare eligibility data for certain Medicare Fee-for-Service activities such as claim preparation and required for submission of claims transactions. This form will be signed after completing a virtual attestation.
The updating of the online portal and completion of the Medicare Enrollment Application and Associated Agreements to reflect Mayor Pete Emrich as the Assigned Authorized Official to allow for North Port Fire Rescue District’s primary billing company, Digitech Computer Inc., to submit claims and receive remits on North Port Fire Rescue District’s behalf has been reviewed by the City Attorney and is legally correct as to form.
The Fire Rescue Department will coordinate with the City Clerk’s Office and Digitech Computer Inc. for signatures on the Medicare Enrollment Application and Associated Agreements to reflect Mayor Pete Emrich as the assigned Authorized Official, subject to City Commission approval.
Strategic Plan Pillar
Safe Community
Financial Impact
While there is no cost associated with updating the associated Agreements, failure to submit these Agreements would result in the suspension of North Port Fire Rescue District’s Medicare provider number, resulting in a significant loss of revenue for the General Fund.
Procurement
Not applicable.
Attachments:
1. Medicare Enrollment Application - CMS-855B
2. HETS Rules of Behavior
3. HETS Authorization and Acknowledgement
Prepared by: Deanna Marshall, Senior Business Manager, Fire Rescue Department
Department Director: Scott Titus, Fire Chief