Jan. 14, 2016

Medicare Part D Prescriber Enrollment

As a  Blue Cross Medicare Advantage^SM provider,  you may have recently received an official message from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS),  identifying you as a provider who prescribes drugs for Medicare patients, but who is not currently enrolled in (or validly opted-out of) Medicare.

Effective June 1, 2016, CMS is requiring that all providers who prescribe drugs for Medicare Part D patients must enroll in Medicare (or validly opt out, if appropriate). 

A sample of the CMS letter (hyperlink to letter), which contains more information about this required enrollment (or valid opt out), can be found in the Network Participation/Medicare  section of the bcbsok.com/provider website.

If you do not enroll (or validly opt out) in Medicare  by June 1,  Medicare Part D plans, like the Blue Cross Medicare AdvantageSM Plan,  will be required to notify your Medicare patients that you are not able to prescribe covered Part D drugs. Also note, that if you opt out of Medicare, you will not receive reimbursement from traditional Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, either directly or indirectly (except for emergency and urgent care services; see 42 CFR 405.440 for details.) Please visit go.cms.gov/PrescriberEnrollment  and follow the steps to become an enrolled prescriber today.

A delay on your part could result in your Medicare patients not being able to obtain drugs you prescribe for them.

If you have further questions, please contact Pattie Hulsey at 918-551-3022 or Sherrie Pippin at 918-551-2175.