Medicare fee-for-service claims now must be filed within one calendar year of the date of service. The new requirement was part of the health system reform legislation enacted March 23, 2010, but it applies to claims with dates of service since Jan. 1, 2010.
Previously, claims from the first three quarters of the year were required to be filed by Dec. 31 of the year following the year of the date of service. Claims from the last quarter were treated like they were furnished in the following year.
So, for example, claims from January to September 2007 were required to be filed by Dec. 31, 2008. Claims from September to December 2007 were required to be filed by Dec. 31, 2009.
Claims with dates of service before Oct. 1, 2009, will follow these old guidelines. Claims with dates of service between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2009, will have to be submitted by Dec. 31, 2010.