Cahaba GBA sent notices to providers last week regarding their upcoming desk reviews. Cahaba requested patient details with all the required data elements be provided in Microsoft Excel for the following:

  1. Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital days
  2. Medicare Inpatient Rehab Facility Low Income Patient days
  3. Medicare bad debts
  4. Uncompensated care if an Electronic Health Record incentive payment is included

The first three items were required to be submitted with the original cost report filing, but the charity care listings were not. Charity care patient details should include the following:

  1. Patient name and account number
  2. Dates of service
  3. Name of health insurer or uninsured status
  4. If private insurer, indicate if hospital has a contractual relationship with the insurer.
  5. Total gross charges
  6. Gross charity care charges as reported on Worksheet S-10, Line 20, which includes total patient responsibility not just the amount written off as charity

Failure to meet Cahaba’s December 31, 2015, deadline will result in disallowance of the amount claimed on the cost report.

If you have any questions, please contact our Albany office at (229) 883-7878 or our Atlanta office at (404) 220-8494.