Misc Archives

Tower MSA Partners Maintains  SOC 2 Type II Compliance, Affirms Commitment to Highest Security Standards

September 18, 2024

Tower MSA Partners is proud to announce the successful completion of our annual SOC 2 Type II compliance examination, performed by independent service auditor Insight Assurance. This milestone underscores our unwavering commitment to maintaining and enhancing the highest standards of data security and integrity, essential in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.

Understanding SOC 2 Type II: A Comprehensive Audit of Non-Financial Reporting Controls

A SOC 2 Type II compliance examination is a rigorous assessment performed by an independent auditor to evaluate a service organization’s non-financial reporting controls over time. This involves testing the operational effectiveness of a company’s controls related to the applicable criteria for the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and/or privacy trust services categories developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

This year’s SOC 2 audit added the availability and processing integrity trust service categories (TSCs) to the previously examined security and confidentiality TSCs.

Rita Wilson on Tower MSA Partners’ Commitment to Security

Rita Wilson, CEO of Tower MSA Partners, said, “Achieving the SOC 2 Type II attestation is not just about meeting a regulatory standard, but about affirming our commitment to protect our client’s data with the highest standards of security and confidentiality. This audit reflects the robustness of our internal controls and processes, and it reassures our clients and partners that we are dedicated to the highest levels of trust and integrity.”

From the onset, Tower has integrated technology-driven processes with stringent security measures to ensure the privacy and security of client data. The successful completion of the SOC 2 Type II examination is a testament to our team’s hard work and dedication to excellence.

Tower-sponsored WCI-TV Segments Focus on Empathy

August 14, 2024

Tower MSA Partners Promotes Empathy In Workers' Comp

Empathy. We know we need it, but what exactly is it and how do we use it to help injured employees?

The Miriam-Webster dictionary defines empathy as the “action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts and experience of another.” The Society for General Internal Medicine tweaked the definition to apply to healthcare as “the act of correctly acknowledging the emotional state of another without experiencing that state oneself.”

Empathy: A Key to Enhancing Worker Satisfaction and Streamlining Claims in Workers’ Compensation

The workers’ compensation community has embraced the concept of empathy. In articles and at conferences, experts say that injured employees who receive empathy from their providers, employers and insurers report higher levels of satisfaction with their care and are less likely to hire attorneys. It makes sense that an injured worker who feels heard and understood will be more apt to participate in their care, recover faster and return to work. Settlement professionals, like our partner Ametros, have seen empathetic communication break down barriers to the settlement of claims.

So how does one acknowledge the emotional state of another? What does empathy look like in the real world? Is it a skill that can be taught? Can you be too empathetic? Are there ways to incorporate empathy into claims management processes?

Tower will explore these questions during our sponsored WCI-TV interviews. Our guests include Joan Vincenz, Managing Director, Corporate Safety for United Airlines and Greg Hamlin, Senior Vice President and Chief Claims Officer of Berkley Industrial Comp. Other interviews feature Kristi Montoya, Director of Claims Operations for UPS, and Denise Evans, the Director of Claims for Staffmark. Our Chief Compliance Officer Dan Anders and our Chief Operating Officer Kristine Dudley will also share their views.

Tower is the founding sponsor of WCI-TV, which airs during the WCI conference, in hotel rooms and on shuttles as well as on You Tube and WCI’s website. You can see the interviews on Tower’s Linked In home page, too. The 78^th Annual WCI Conference will be held August 18-21 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

While at WCI, Dan Anders will also moderate a Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance Panel. The “Pre-Settlement Considerations” session runs from 2-3 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20 and features Ametros’ John Kane, Brian Broznowicz with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Ringler’s Jarrod Zea, and Kristi Montoya with UPS.

WCI is always busy, but we’d love to catch up with you there! Dan, Kristine Dudley and Hany Abdelsayed will attend the conference. To schedule a meeting before WCI, email daniel.anders@towermsa.com. Otherwise, grab us in the hallways or at the WCI-TV studio.

CMS Releases NGHP Beneficiary Appeals Guide

August 8, 2024

CMS recently released an NGHP Beneficiary Appeals Reference Guide. This valuable resource explains how a Medicare beneficiary claimant, their attorney or another authorized representative can work with the Benefits Coordination and Recovery Contractor (BCRC) to resolve Medicare conditional payment demands.

This informative document details how and when CMS recovers Medicare conditional payments from claimant Medicare beneficiaries in workers’ compensation, no-fault and liability claims.

Comprehensive Guide to Post-Settlement Medicare Conditional Payment Recovery and Appeals

The NGHP Beneficiary Appeals Guide is a helpful and comprehensive roadmap to the specifics of post-settlement Medicare conditional payment recovery from a claimant Medicare beneficiary. It covers the recovery process, pre-demand calculation options, the appeals process and payment methods. In addition, an appeal submission example and other sample letters are provided.

For cases involving conditional payment recovery from payers, CMS offers the NGHP Applicable Plan Appeals Reference Guide to the resolution of demands from the Commercial Repayment Center (CRC).

We commend CMS for creating this guide to help payers, attorneys, and Medicare beneficiaries better understand the Medicare conditional payment recovery processes and their rights and responsibilities during settlement.

As always, Tower is ready to help you with any conditional payment, Medicare Secondary Payer compliance, or Medicare Set-Aside issue. We especially enjoy your challenging cases! Contact Chief Compliance Officer Dan Anders at daniel.anders@towermsa.com.

Tower’s Physician Follow-Up Service Kicks Costly SCS Out of MSA

June 20, 2024

Nothing can stall settlement faster than a Medicare Set-Aside (MSA) that includes an unnecessary or unwanted medical procedure. Procedures like surgeries, spinal cord stimulators (SCSs), and intrathecal pain pumps significantly raise the costs of MSA allocations. Fortunately, Tower’s client partners have access to our complimentary Physician Follow-up service that Save on MSAs.

In a recent case, this service successfully removed a costly SCS from the MSA, resulting in a savings of $132,232.

Challenges with SCS Trial Inclusion in MSAs: Addressing Worker Reluctance and CMS Requirements

A worker who had suffered a low back injury was advised by his neurosurgeon and pain management physician to consider an SCS trial. A review of treatment records showed that the injured worker was very anxious about the procedure, and a psychological evaluation revealed a diagnosis of major depressive disorder.

Despite the worker’s reluctance to undergo the procedure, CMS will include it in the MSA, assuming that the worker may change their mind. Tower drafted an initial MSA to include the SCS for a total allocation of $157,500.

Successfully Removing SCS from MSA with Physician Statements: Tower’s Approach

The injured worker’s resistance to the procedure and results of the psych evaluation indicated he would not be a suitable candidate for an SCS. Therefore, we recommended that our Physician Follow-up service obtain statements from both physicians that confirmed the SCS is no longer part of the treatment plan. (If only one physician had provided a statement, CMS would likely keep the SCS in the MSA).

After client approval, in compliance with this jurisdiction’s regulations, Tower notified the plaintiff’s attorney of our intention to communicate with the injured worker’s providers. We then contacted the neurosurgeon and pain management specialist and provided them drafts of physician statements that confirmed the SCS is no longer a treatment option.

While it took several weeks of persistent follow-up with the physicians’ offices, Tower successfully obtained both signed statements.

Efficient MSA Revision: Tower Achieves Significant Cost Reduction and Quick CMS Approval

Tower revised the MSA down from $157,500 to $25,268 and submitted it to CMS. CMS approved the MSA within two weeks for the proposed amount.

In response, Tower’s client said, “Great job, Tower! I am so thankful for our partnership and truly appreciate your hard work and persistence. $132k in savings!!! Woohoo!”

The defense attorney said, “you guys work some real magic here, bravo!”

It’s more methodology than magic, but we often find opportunities to reduce the allocation or mitigate potential increases from CMS review when we draft an MSA. Vague references to potential future procedures mean these costs will be included in the MSA. CMS’s exacting review process requires explicit confirmation of the last dates of service and ongoing treatment and medications.

At no extra charge, Tower contacts physicians, clarifies treatment, drafts physician statements, and obtains medical providers’ signatures to document dates of treatment and ongoing and future medical care. This service paves the way to quick CMS MSA approval and mitigates the potential for unexpected increases.

To learn more about our Physician Follow-up service, please get in touch with Hany Abdelsayed at 888.331.4941 or hany.abdelsayed@towermsa.com.

How to Manage Medicare Set-Asides: Tips from Dan Anders

May 29, 2024

Tower MSA Partners Expert Tips on How to Manage Medicare Set Asides

Our Chief Compliance Officer Dan Anders learned how to write Medicare Set-Asides (MSA) the hard way through trial and error in the days before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid published complete guidelines. Even now, the manuals and regulations don’t cover every detail.

And with MSAs details matter. Proper documentation, down to the way the claimant signs and initials their consent form, is essential. Dan compiled some tips for managing MSAs with CMS in his May 21 Leaders Speak article for WorkCompWire. These are among the topics covered:

Rated ages

The article highlights the use of rated ages as a way to calculate a fair allocation for the MSA. Briefly, if an injured worker has comorbidities that will likely reduce their longevity, a rated age can reduce the allocation of the MSA.

How to respond to a dreaded Development Letter from CMS

Dan tells readers how to respond to a CMS Development Letter, which CMS sends when it needs additional information to review submitted MSA. These letters usually request updated treatment records, complete claim payment history of medical, indemnity and expenses, or a document that clearly outlines all the dates of injuries, all carriers, and all accepted and denied body parts.

Development letters can be avoided with the submission of all the correct documents with the MSA. Some submissions provide an Independent Medical Evaluation or Qualified Medical Evaluator report in lieu of medical records. IMEs, QMEs and similar evaluations may influence a decision, but they cannot replace treatment records. And CMS wants ALL the injury-related records even if workers’ compensation did not pay for the treatment.

When to request a Re-Review

Dan also explains how to handle the Re-Review Appeal process. CMS can make mistakes when issuing counter-highers. He cites several common mistakes, including incorrect prescription drug pricing, misinterpretation of medical records, and using the wrong fee schedule. Always analyze counter-highers for potential errors and consider taking advantage of this appeal.

Tower is here to help manage Medicare Set-Asides

Read the article here and remember that Tower consults with its clients on every aspect of MSA submission and other Medicare Secondary Payer issues. Whether you’re a client yet or not, Dan is available to discuss issues you encounter with your MSAs. Contact him at daniel.anders@towermsa.com.

CMS Moves Start Date for WCMSA Reporting to April 2025

April 23, 2024

CMS delays start date for Section 111 reporting of WCMSAs to April 2025 and announces new webinar for Q&A

During last week’s webinar, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an extension of the start date for Section 111 reporting of WCMSAs from January 2025 to April 4, 2025.

(Due to technical difficulties with the April 16 webcast, CMS has scheduled another webinar for Q&A this Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 2:30 ET. Details on the webinar are here.

Remember, CMS requires Section 111 reporting of WCMSAs of any MSA amount, even if $0. These amounts must be reported whether they are CMS-approved MSAs or not.

CMS details new reporting guidelines and start date for Section 111 WCMSA Implementation

CMS reiterated several points that had been detailed in a prior webinar and through the recent Section 111 User Guide update. Please review CMS Updates Section 111 NGHP User Guide and WCMSA Reference Guide for this information. New points are below:

The start date for WCMSA reporting was changed from January 2025 to April 4, 2025, to give Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs) more time to make the needed changes to their reporting processes.
Testing of the new fields will be available beginning on October 7, 2024.
All WCMSA fields except Field 43 (Professional Administration EIN) will result in “hard” errors if reported incorrectly. Hard errors cause the TPOC report to be rejected, which can in turn cause the report to be untimely if it is not corrected promptly.
As such, hard errors may result in the imposition of civil money penalties (CMPs) although CMS will not impose a CMP for two reporting periods after implementation of WCMSA reporting. In other words, only records on or after October 15, 2025, and with a reportable MSA are subject to a CMP.
If an RRE fails to report an MSA, CMS may utilize all available statutory and regulatory options to recover mistakenly made payments, including under the False Claims Act.
No changes are made as to what constitutes a reportable TPOC. If a TPOC is reportable, then the WCMSA fields must be completed. If it is not reportable, such as when the WC settlement is $750 or less, then the WCMSA fields are not completed.
If multiple defendants are parties to a single settlement, they must report the total TPOC amount (and not their “share”) and the total MSA amount.
The Section 111 reporting process is not intended to replace the submission of settlement documents to CMS following the settlement of a claim with a CMS-approved MSA. (Final settlement documents should always be sent to Tower for upload to CMS.)
Receipt of the MSA report through the Section 111 reporting process will allow CMS to send information to the beneficiary on the attestation and exhaustion process. (Currently this is not done for most self-administered non-submit MSAs).

CMS outlines impact of “W” records in common working file (CWF) for MSA reporting

CMS also explained that once the MSA is reported, a “W” record will be posted in the Common Working File (CWF), which prevents payments of medical services related to the reported diagnosis codes. The CWF is part of CMS’s system to accurately coordinate benefits, so Medicare does not make payment when another “primary payer” is available.

A copy of the webinar slides can be found here.

Please contact Dan Anders at daniel.anders@towermsa.com with any questions.

CMS Updates Section 111 NGHP User Guide and WCMSA Reference Guide

April 5, 2024

CMS Updates 111 NGHP User Guide and WCMSA Reference Guide.

CMS Releases Updates to MMSEA Section 111 NGHP User Guide and WCMSA Reference Guide

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began April with updates to two of its popular user guides, the MMSEA Section 111 NGHP User Guide and the WCMSA Reference Guide. Notably, the NGHP User Guide, version 7.5, now includes details on the requirements to report WCMSA amounts with other relevant data. These will need to be reported as of April 4, 2025.

The NGHP User Guide, Section 6.5.1.1 of Chapter III: Policy Guidance, was updated to state:

For workers’ compensation records submitted on a production file with a TPOC date on or after April 4, 2025, Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangements (WCMSAs) must be reported.

CMS also updated Chapter IV: Technical Information with similar language.

CMS Revisions to WCMSA Reporting Fields in Chapter V: Appendices

Additionally, CMS updated Chapter V: Appendices to identify the fields that will be added to the Claim Input File Detail for WCMSA reporting:

Field 37 – MSA Amount: This will be either $0 or an amount greater than $0. If an annuity is used, then the “total payout” is reported.
Field 38 – MSA Period: If the MSA amount is greater than $0, you need to enter the number of years the MSA is expected to cover the beneficiary.
Field 39 – Lump Sum or Structured/Annuity Payout Indicator: If the MSA amount is greater than $0, you will enter “L” for a lump-sum MSA or “S” for a structured/annuity MSA.
Field 40 – Initial Deposit Amount: If an annuity, then the MSA seed amount is reported.
Field 41 – Anniversary Deposit Amount: If an annuity, then the amount of the annual payments.
Field 42 – Case Control Number (CCN): If an MSA is submitted to CMS for review or is otherwise submitted to CMS post-settlement, it will be assigned a CCN. The CCN is entered in this field, although this is optional.
Field 43 – Professional Administrator EIN: Enter the Employer Identification Number of the professional administrator here if there is one. If this EIN is not provided, the “case administrator” defaults to the beneficiary. If the EIN does not match a registered administrator account in the Workers Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Portal (WCMSAP), then “case administrator” will also default to the beneficiary.

CMS provided a table of error codes for errors identified in the above-reported information.

Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs) can start testing these new fields on October 7, 2024. For further details, see the Tower article, CMS Sets Date for Start of Section 111 WCMSA Reporting.

CMS also incorporated the following notice into the NGHP User Guide:

As of January 1, 2024, the threshold for physical trauma-based liability insurance settlements will remain at $750. CMS will maintain the $750 threshold for no-fault insurance and workers’ compensation settlements, where the no-fault insurer or workers’ compensation entity does not otherwise have ongoing responsibility for medicals (Section 6.4).

The $750 reporting threshold has been in place for several years.

CMS included minor updates to the WCMSA Reference Guide, version 4.0

Specifically, CMS added:

Instruction specific to beneficiaries has been added to encourage them to use their Medicare.gov access to the portal for the most efficient method of submitting attestations (Sections 11.1.1 and 17.5).

For further information on electronic reporting of attestations, see the above-referenced sections in the guide or the Tower article, CMS Adds Electronic Submission Option for MSA Attestations.

CMS also amended the link in Section 10.3 to reflect the most recent CDC Life Table link. The life tables are used to determine life expectancy for calculation of the MSA.

CMS Sets April 16 for Webinar on Section 111 Reporting of WCMSAs

March 27, 2024

Prepare for Change: CMS Webinar on Expanding Section 111 NGHP TPOC Reporting to Include WCMSA Information

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has scheduled a webinar for April 16, 2024, at 2 PM ET to provide updates on the implementation of Section 111 reporting of Workers Compensation Medicare Set-Asides (WCMSAs). Per the March 25, 2024 announcement:

CMS will be hosting a second webinar regarding the expansion of Section 111 Non-Group Health Plan (NGHP) Total Payment Obligation to Claimant (TPOC) reporting to include Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside (WCMSA) information. After the first webinar in November, CMS received additional questions and feedback from the industry. The intent of this webinar is to ensure that RREs will be prepared for the change once implemented. With that in mind, this webinar will include a background recap, summary of technical details, updated timelines and CMP impacts. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session. Because this expansion impacts reporting of WCMSAs, it is strongly recommended that Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs) that report Workers’ Compensation settlements attend.

There is no pre-registration for the webinar. Full details can be found here.

As of April 4, 2025, TPOC reporting must include Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangements (WCMSAs). (See CMS Sets Date for Start of Section 111 WCMSA Reporting).

The WCMSA reporting requirement applies to both CMS-approved and non-approved MSAs. This information must be reported if the insurance type is workers’ compensation and the TPOC amount is greater than $0. The rule will be prospective only, meaning it applies to TPOC dates of April 4, 2025 and later.

To collect this data, CMS is adding new fields to the Section 111 Claim Input File.

Tower will provide a post-webinar summary. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Anders at daniel.anders@towermsa.com or 888.331.4941.

Tower Webinar Shared the Best Ways to Manage Conditional Payments

February 29, 2024

Man with magnifying glass and calculator adding up Conditional Payments.

What are conditional payments? How and when should payers respond to Conditional Payment Letters, Notices and Demands? What happens if you don’t? Our Chief Compliance Officer Dan Anders and Director of MSP Compliance Services Ada Lopez covered these topics and much more in our February 7 webinar. Here’s a quick recap.

How does Medicare know who the primary payer is … or that a case has settled?

The Medicare Secondary Payer Act was written to protect the Medicare Trust Fund. And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services developed Coordination of Benefits (COB) rules and processes to keep Medicare from paying for treatment that is covered by a primary payer (workers’ compensation, liability, no-fault). If Medicare has made a payment for which a primary payer exists, then such a payment is considered conditional, meaning it is conditioned upon reimbursement to the Medicare Trust Fund.

Most commonly, CMS learns that a primary payer for a Medicare beneficiary’s claim exists through these Section 111 reporting triggers:

Acceptance of Ongoing Responsibility for Medical (ORM), usually in a WC or no-fault claim
Total Payment Obligation to Claimant (TPOC), typically a settlement

Timeliness and accuracy are keys to protecting the payers who are the Responsible Reporting Entities (RREs)

ORM and TPOC should be reported via Section 111 every quarter.
As of Oct. 11, 2024, RREs will be subject to penalties if ORM or TPOC are reported more than 365 days late. (Link to Penalty blog)
Report valid ICD-10 codes:
- For ORM, report only diagnosis codes that are accepted on the claim.
- For TPOC, only report diagnosis codes that are released as part of the settlement.
- Be careful to report only codes that apply to the claim. (Medical bills and records often contain non-claim-related ICD-10 codes.)

Conditional payment recovery

The webinar took a deep dive into the processes and communications the Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (BCRC) and Commercial Repayment Center (CRC) deploy to obtain reimbursements. Dan and Ada also discussed ways to dispute conditional payment notices and demands. It’s worth requesting a recording of the session from Dan (daniel.anders@towermsa.com) just to get this information.

Some best practices for conditional payments

Make sure claims are accurately and timely reported for ORM and TPOC.
Update ICD-10 codes when additional body parts are accepted or denied or they need correction.
Terminate ORM when appropriate, e.g., settlement.
Identify your Medicare-eligible claimants.
Immediately review and act on conditional payment correspondence and meet the deadlines!
Make sure settlement terms specify who is responsible for conditional payments post-settlement.
When a Demand is received, either pay or appeal. Pay attention to Conditional Payment Letters (CPLs) and Conditional Payment Notices (CPNs) and take action on them, but do not pay before the Demand.
Be sure to respond to the Demand on time. Otherwise, the debt will eventually be transferred to the U.S. Treasury.
Follow-up with the CRC or BCRC to ensure payment was received and applied to the debt and that no debt remains.

If you don’t work with conditional payments on a daily basis, consider partnering with Tower for conditional payment identification, resolutions and appeals. And, if you have any questions about conditional payments, even on specific claims, or any other MSP compliance issues, Dan Anders is happy to answer them. Email daniel.anders@towermsa.com.

Also, let us know what areas of MSP compliance you would like us to cover in future Premier Webinars. We want to help you.

Happy Holidays From Your Friends at Tower MSA Partners

December 20, 2023

Tower wishes you a happy holiday season filled with peace, joy and laughter! We hope you can connect with loved ones and have time to relax and recharge.

This is a time to reflect on the past and prepare for new opportunities in the upcoming year. As we do this, we are filled with gratitude for our clients and other partners. We cherish these strong relationships and deeply appreciate the opportunity to work closely with you.

May your holidays be merry, your New Year prosperous … and your settlements smooth!