CMS surveys providers on contractor performance

WASHINGTON - CMS began last week to distribute Medicare Contractor Provider Satisfaction Surveys (MCPSS) to 35,000 Medicare providers. The survey gathers data on provider satisfaction levels with their fee-for-service contractors who process and pay more than $280 billion in Medicare claims each year. CMS notified providers selected to participate in the survey by mail during the first week of January 2007. The survey is designed so that it can be completed in about 15 minutes, and providers can submit their responses via a secure Web site, mail, fax or over the telephone. CMS will ask providers to respond by February 2007. The views of each provider in the survey are important, because they represent many other organizations similar in size, practice type and geographical location, according to AAHomecare. Providers randomly chosen to participate in the 2007 MCPSS implementation have an opportunity to help CMS improve service to all providers, the association stated. The MCPSS focuses on seven major aspects of the provider-contractor relationship: provider communications, provider inquiries, claims processing, appeals, provider enrollment, medical review, and provider audit and reimbursement. Respondents are asked to rate their experience working with contractors using a scale of 1 to 6, with 1 representing "not at all satisfied" and 6 representing "completely satisfied." CMS will use the survey data to support claims processing improvements by contractors and to reform the Medicare program. Further information and results of the 2006 survey are at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MCPSS/.