Supplier Contact Center (SCC) - JD DME

Our single toll-free number unifies customer service areas and simplifies suppliers contact. Phone calls are directed, through our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, to the most appropriate department Customer Service Representative (CSR) or Telephone Reopenings. Suppliers with issues related to the Noridian Medicare Portal (NMP) passwords, registration and account settings should follow the prompts to be directed to User Security.

877-320-0390

TTY: 711 (M-F 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. CT)

CSRs are available to address inquires during the hours below.

• Supplier Contact Center (SCC): M-F 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. CT
• Phone Reopenings: M-F 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. CT
• User Security: M-F 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. CT

General IVR inquiries are available 24/7.

Beneficiaries must contact Medicare by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Unfamiliar with the IVR?

We offer several self-service options for suppliers to retrieve information from the IVR. See the IVR webpage for details. CMS requires suppliers to use self-service technology to access information available through self-service technology. CSRs are available to assist with information not available through self-service technology.

How do Calls Flow?

• To start the call, a caller will begin at the Main Menu. The IVR will state "Thanks for calling DME Jurisdiction D."
• Any special announcements, closure messages, etc. will be played at this point.
• IVR will instruct the caller: "When you hear the option you want, just say it: Claims, Eligibility, Same and Similar, Phone Re-openings, User Security or Other"
• IVR will collect the National Provider Identifier (NPI), Provider Transaction Access Number (PTAN) and last five digits of the Tax Identification Number (TIN) before transferring the caller to the selected option
• Additional prompts to retrieve necessary authentication information will follow.

Authentication - Be prepared

To ensure that calls flow as quickly and as productively as possible, have the following authentication information available before calling.

• NPI
• PTAN
• TIN

Beneficiary Authentication

Beneficiary authentication is needed when a CSR needs to share information about a beneficiary's claims or eligibility.

• Medicare ID
• Full last name (including hyphenated names, suffixes, (ex. Jr., Sr.) and abbreviation of titles (ex. Fr. For Father, Sr. for Sister)
• First name as it reads on Medicare card
• For beneficiary eligibility inquiries, Date of Birth (DOB) is required
• To ensure accurate eligibility information is provided, Date of Service (DOS) should be obtained
• For claim inquiries, DOS (month, day, and year) is required

Customer Service Representative (CSR)

As required by the CMS, if a provider/supplier calls the SCC, speaks with a CSR and requests information that is available in the Medicare Administrative Contractor's (MAC's) IVR or NMP, the CSR shall inform the caller that the information requested is available via the IVR or in NMP and will direct him/her to these options. Noridian offers both the IVR and NMP as self-service options with extended hours throughout the day and weekend.

It is also a CMS requirement that suppliers contacting the SCC must have the claim status information and a copy of the remittance advice (RA) readily available. This will allow quicker accessibility to CSRs for those requiring additional assistance above and beyond those readily available items which can be obtained via the IVR or NMP.

Below are some common items CSRs cannot provide during a routine phone call.

• Eligibility details
• Same and Similar HCPCS lookup
• Payment Floor
• Checks
• Duplicate Remittance Advice (RA)
• Overpayments
• Provider Enrollment (Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System (PECOS) ordering/referring physician enrollment inquiry)
• Pre-claim Crossover (Supplemental Insurance) Information requested as part of Eligibility request
• Claim Status including:
  • Total Charges
  • Payment and Date
  • Check Number
  • Claim Control Number (CCN) (including Internal Control Number (ICN) and Document Control Number (DCN))
  • Reason Code for Denial

• Any information that is available via the IVR or NMP

Additional information regarding the required use of self-service to complete simple inquiries is available in the CMS Internet Only Manual (IOM), Publication 100-09, Medicare Contractor Beneficiary and Provider Communications Manual, Chapter 6.

The IVR User Guide explains how to use the IVR and what information it offers. CMS regulations do require Medicare providers to use the IVR.

The End User Manual for the NMP provides more details on what can be found within it.

SCC Assistance Structure

To reduce the CERT error rate, provides conference speakers, specialized training for association meetings, supplier training and the like, Noridian Provider Outreach and Education (POE) team provides training for suppliers; however, they do not provide responses for escalated SCC issues. For escalated SCC calls involving research and/or in depth analysis for Medicare questions and claims problems, there is a triage process to manage supplier inquiries in accordance with CMS IOM, Publication 100-09, Medicare Contractor Beneficiary and Provider Communications Manual, Chapter 6, Sections 30.1, 30.5 and 30.5.1. There is no issue or question that cannot be resolved through the SCC.

The use of self-serve technology enables the SCC to more efficiently handle the increasing volume of supplier calls by allowing suppliers access to certain information without direct personal assistance from contractor staff. See SCC triage approach levels below.

1. IVR Level: For general information, a provider/supplier may contact our IVR System or NMP. Self-service technology offers a magnitude of information for Medicare suppliers. At the IVR level, callers must receive information on eligibility, claim status, check information, deductible, etc. If the caller is unable to successfully speak to the IVR, it is programmed to allow for the entry of all data using touch-tone capabilities. See the IVR Instructions User Guide for details.
2. First and Second CSR Tiered Levels: For inquiries that cannot be answered through the IVR, callers (providers/suppliers) may speak "agent" or "customer service" to talk with our first-tier CSRs. These CSRs are trained to answer general, broad-based supplier telephone inquiries. A second tier of CSRs who address more complex telephone inquiries are referred to as Customer Service Specialists (CSSs). CSSs are experienced staff members who demonstrate proficiency and an understanding of the various issues involved in answering more difficult questions. If the issue cannot be resolved initially, both levels have a combined 10 business days to research and respond to your inquiries.
3. Third Tiered Level: Complex issues that cannot be answered by the second-tier level of CSSs are transferred to a Provider Relations Research Specialist (PRRS). The PRRS staff will coordinate their response, by contacting other departments, resources, etc. that are not readily available to our CSRs. PRRSs will respond to all complex inquiries within 45 business days.

Additional Information: If a caller feels he/she is not receiving proper service from the SCC, it may be helpful to keep a record of the dates and individuals to whom he/she spoke with in case feedback is required. Suppliers may always ask for a SCC supervisor if the issues are not being handled correctly. In the event additional assistance or require elevated levels of support beyond a SCC supervisor is needed, see the Noridian Management Contact webpage.

Written Inquiries

Our Customer Service provides an email option for supplier inquiries. Suppliers may submit emails via the Noridian Written Correspondence/Contact Us form for inquiries regarding supplier information requests for Medicare regulations and coverage. This is a 24/7 option. Per CMS regulations, we do have up to 45 days in which to respond. Depending on workload, your inquiry may be answered sooner.

When emailing Noridian, protected health information (PHI) should not be included. This consists of private information including:

• Beneficiary name,
• Medicare ID,
• Social Security Number (SSN),
• Claim information,
• Claim Control Number (CCN), or
• Provider/Supplier number.

If you have a question that contains confidential information, contact the Noridian SCC. Note: This email option is for suppliers only.