Find out when and how to file a Blue Medicare HMO℠ and Blue Medicare PPO℠ appeal or inquiry.
To ensure Blue Cross NC reviews your appeal or inquiry quickly, please file appropriately. Submitting an inquiry as an appeal, or vice versa, will cause delays.
File an appeal when you are disputing the billing, coding, or medical necessity of a claim.
File an inquiry when you have a contractual dispute that is not related to billing, coding, or medical necessity.
Instructions
Provider appeals must be submitted within 90 days of the claim adjudication date using one of the following methods
- Electronic submission:
- Use the Blue e and Care Affiliate provider portal for a streamlined and efficient process to submit your appeal along with supporting documentation.
- Fax or mail submission:
- Complete the provider Blue Medicare HMO and PPO appeal form (PDF) and submit with supporting documentation:
Fax:
For billing / coding denials: 919-287-8708
For medical necessity / administrative denials: 919-287-8815
Mail:
Blue Cross NC
Medicare Provider Appeals Department
PO Box 1291
Durham, NC 27702-1291
- Complete the provider Blue Medicare HMO and PPO appeal form (PDF) and submit with supporting documentation:
If you have any questions, you can reach out to us for help submitting an appeal.
Instructions
- Complete the general inquiry form.
- Mail completed form to:
Blue Cross NC
Provider Inquiry Department
PO Box 2291
Durham, NC 27702-2291
Or fax to 866-987-4167.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to us for help submitting an inquiry.
Under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations for Medicare Advantage plans, non-contract providers have the right to request reconsideration for a post service denial of payment by Blue Medicare HMO and Blue Medicare PPO if the payment was denied following an organization determination. Examples of organization determinations include, services that were not prior approved and were determined not to be urgent / emergent; or services that were determined not covered either in the member's Evidence of Coverage or by Medicare. Other payment denials such as untimely filing, coding errors, filing errors, location errors, etc. are not considered organization determinations and are not appealable under Medicare regulations. Specific denial reasons and other claims information necessary to request the reconsideration will be listed on the provider's Explanation of Payment (EOP).
A non-contract physician or other non-contract provider must also formally agree to waive any right to payment from the enrollee for that service by completing a signed Waiver of Liability statement per CMS to file an appeal on his or her own behalf.
Non-contract post service provider appeals are available to physicians, physician groups, physician organizations, and facilities and are handled by Blue Cross NC.
Non-contact providers will have 60 calendar days from the date of the Explanation of Payment (EOP), notice of the organization determination, to submit a non-contracting post-service appeal. However, if the non-contract provider does not complete the Waiver of Liability statement within the appeal time frame, Blue Cross NC will forward the case to the Independent Review Entity (IRE), MAXIMUS with a request for dismissal.
This process is voluntary; however, a third party (such as a provider billing agency) cannot act on the provider's behalf in the appeal process.
For each step in this process, there are specified time frames for filing an appeal and for notification of the decision. Non-contract provider appeal reviews are completed within 60 calendar days of receipt of all information.
To begin the non-contract post-service provider appeal process, providers can download, print, and fill out the Provider Non-Contract Appeal Form (PDF) or mail in a written request and the Waiver of Liability Statement (PDF).
The provider may attach supporting documentation, such as a copy of the original claim, denial notice, and any clinical records, and mail it to the following address within the required time frame.
Blue Cross NC
Medicare Provider Appeals Department
PO Box 1291
Durham, NC 27702-1291