Medicare / Medi-Cal Chiropractic Collections

[DMK]

Our office is a Medicare provider, but not a Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program) provider.  Until July 1, 2009, Chiropractic was a covered Medi-Cal benefit.  If you were not a Medi-Cal provider, you could not bill the patient for co-pays or deductibles if you were aware of their Medi/Medi status.  Now, due to state budget cuts, Chiropractic has been eliminated as a benefit.  Am I able to or, more importantly am I required to collect the co-pay and come Jan. 1 the deductible?

I don't want to do anything to cause a rift with Medicare!!!

Thank you for your help, I'm new to the site and I've been looking at many different thread and LOVE what I'm seeing.  You guys are very well informed, well disciplined, and appear to be on the moral high ground!!!

[Michele]

Thanks for the compliments.  We try hard to provider a great place for billers to share and help each other.  We wouldn't be able to do it without the GREAT members we have!  Thanks to all!

Now, to your question.  Laws vary from state to state so you will need to check with CA law.  My first instinct is that you would be required to bill the patient the copay/coinsurance based on Medicare's rules, but the Medi-Cal throws a curve. 

Anybody in CA out there???

Michele