General Category > General Questions

Tax ID numbers

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ste:
Given all the interesting replies I’ll continue the story.
First thing Monday morning with two different EOB’s in front of me (as Michele advised) I called the carrier. The conversation focused on why the claim was denied. The rep talked about a contract expiring in 2008, so a different EIN in existence since 2004 was designated as the appropriate one to use. As with previous calls the rep insisted all I had to do was use the new EIN and the claims would be paid. I said, “How can I use an EIN neither you nor the physician will give me?” The rep then calmly gave it to me. I was stunned and couldn’t think of anything to say. Unfortunately, the conversation ended without discussing the second EOB and the reasons why it was accepted.
Feeling falsely pleased that I had a solution I notified the physician saying only that I was given the EIN and would resubmit the claims and had resolved the situation. I then resubmitted the claims with the other EIN and continued on with the morning.
An hour or two had passed when a message arrived from the provider asking me to specify the EIN and to hold off on resubmitting claims. I quickly coughed up the EIN and hit reply. I then scurried into the billing software and into the awaiting batch section, but it was too late. The claims were already being scrubbed. No longer feeling pleased I notified the physician that the claims had already been submitted.
The message from the physician included, “I need to make sure the tax ID number is legitimate”. How would one go about doing this? Since a physician has to apply for a tax ID number shouldn’t he know by looking at it if it is legitimate or not? Is there anything I should do at my end? (Other than next time make sure I listen and follow through with Michele’s advise).       

Michele:
Well, if the physician has worked for other offices the tax ID, EIN could have been for another provider/group that he/she may not have recognized off the top of his head.  I'm sure you already know this now, but never submit a claim using a tax ID/EIN that the provider did not give you or at least verify.  Payment under that EIN may go anywhere.  They shouldn't have given you the EIN over the phone, but they should have dug deeper as to why the one expired in 2008.  Was it at the request of the provider?  Was it do to an internal error?  See what the provider says regarding the EIN given to you over the phone and take it from there.

**Fingers Crossed**

Michele

PMRNC:
Hindsight is 20/20, the EIN should have been checked BEFORE claims were submitted, we are not just talking claim issues here, but IRS problems as well. I would contact the clearinghouse/carriers and get the claims back or rejected, YOU don't want those claims paid if the EIN is NOT correct. This is why the carrier should NOT have given the EIN out to begin with, it opens a whole other can of worms, the provider MUST go through their records, correspond with The IRS and get this sorted out, after that I would get some sort of documentation from your client before submitting claims JUST to cover yourself.

lgentle:
I am new at this and I would like to know what an EIN number is?
Thanks

PMRNC:
Employer identification number

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