CMS has recently released Version 3.0 of the WCMSA Reference Guide. Changes in this version of the guide include updated addresses for reporting workers’ compensation cases; for sending yearly WCMSA account attestations; and for sending WCMSA proposals, final settlements, and re-review requests (Sections 2.2, 17.5, and 17.6). Also, changes to the Self Administration Toolkit for […]

Last week, CMS issued version 1.3 of the Self-Administration Toolkit for WCMSAs. The Toolkit can help claimants manage their funds appropriately and satisfy Medicare’s interests to ensure that they don’t jeopardize their entitlement to future Medicare benefits. The Toolkit outlines the entire self-administration process, from establishing the bank account for your WCMSA to exhausting or […]

Effective October 7, 2019, CMS will convert to the CDC’s “Table 1: Life Table for the total population: United States, 2016“, to be utilized for Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set Aside life expectancy calculations. A link to the CDC’s 2016 Life Tables may be found here.

On July 19th, the FDA issued a press release announcing the approval of generic versions of the drug Lyrica (pregabalin). When Lyrica received initial approval by the FDA back in 2004, it was indicated for neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Since then, Lyrica has been indicated for a wide range of off-label uses, […]

As of April 1, 2019 authorized users who manage recovery cases in the Medicare Secondary Payer Recovery Portal (MSPRP) for Non-Group Health Plan (NGHP) cases and the Commercial Repayment Center Portal (CRCP) for Group Health Plan (GHP) cases are able to submit payments electronically via the MSPRP or CRCP. The Electronic Payments Frequently Asked Questions […]

Effective April 1, 2019, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will be adding electronic payment functionality to the Medicare Secondary Payer Recovery Portal (MSPRP). The MSPRP is utilized in non-group health (NGHP) claims which include workers’ compensation, liability and no-fault. CMS is holding a webinar for the MSRP users to discuss key items […]

Version 2.9 of the Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangement (WCMSA) Reference Guide has now been released and is available in the Download section of the Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set Aside Arrangements page on CMS.gov. The new version includes updates to the CDC Life Table for 2015 as well as updates for spinal cord stimulators and […]

One of the most common questions we receive here at MSA Meds is whether or not acupuncture is covered under a client’s MSA. In the past, the answer has been no; however, CMS has recently begun to reconsider this as a viable treatment option. On 1/15/2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) opened […]

Effective January 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin using the CDC’s “Table 1: Life Table for the total population: United States, 2015” when calculating life expectancy for Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set Aside (WCMSA) claimants. Since CMS approvals can take up to 20 business days on average, all WCMSAs submitted […]

Lyrica (pregabalin) received FDA approval in 2004 and was then listed as a schedule V controlled substance, having a low potential for abuse. Approved indications for Lyrica include treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, spinal cord injury and post-herpetic neuralgia; fibromyalgia; and as adjunctive therapy for partial onset seizures. However, it is […]