CMS released the FY 2025 Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Reports (PEPPERs) for Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals (LTACHs). PEPPER helps LTACHs review their billing data to make sure claims are accurate. They can use it to:

• Spot billing patterns that may need improvement
• Identify areas that may need audits or closer monitoring
• Find Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs) that may be under-coded or over-coded
• Track areas where patient stays are getting longer

How to Get Your PEPPER

Authorized Officials (AOs), Access Managers (AMs), and Staff End Users (SEUs) can now download their organization's PEPPER from the PEPPER Portal.

How to become an SEU and access your organization's PEPPER:

• Sign in to the CMS I&A System using your existing National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) or Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership (PECOS) credentials.
• Request the PEPPER business function under your organization. The Comparative Billing Report (CBR) business function is also available and can be requested at the same time.
• Your request must be approved by your AO or AM.

Once approved, SEUs can log in to the PEPPER Portal and download their organization's PEPPER.

Step‑by‑step instructions for AOs and AMs are available in the Identity & Access (I&A) Management System Quick Reference Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

For assistance, users may contact the PECOS External User Services (EUS) Help Desk.

Visit the CBR/PEPPER website for more information about the release and the IRF PEPPER User Guide.