Effective date: January 1, 2009

Implementation date: January 5, 2009

The Medicare Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 (section 413(b)) mandated that the automated health professional shortage area (HPSA) bonus payment files be updated annually. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) creates a new automated HPSA bonus payment file and provides it to your Medicare contractors in early December of each year. Change request (CR) 6150, from which this MLN Matters article is taken, provides them the names of the test and final 2009 HPSA bonus payment files, which contractors will use for the automated bonus payment for claims with dates of service on or after January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2009.

You will find the annual HPSA bonus payment file (as it becomes available) and other important HPSA information on the CMS Web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/hpsapsaphysicianbonuses/ .

You should also review the CMS Web site to determine whether a HPSA bonus will automatically be paid for services provided in your ZIP code area or whether a modifier must be submitted. You can determine if you are eligible for the automated payment by going to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HPSAPSAPhysicianBonuses/Downloads/instructions.pdf on the CMS Web site and following the instructions on the page.

Here is the link to the MLN Matters article MM6150 .