The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) measures provider satisfaction with the services provided by Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Contractors. The Medicare Contractor Provider Satisfaction Survey (MCPSS), a new initiative sponsored by CMS, is designed to collect data on provider satisfaction with and perceptions about the services provided by Medicare FFS claims processing Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs) and Carriers. The MCPSS is CMS’s initial effort to use provider satisfaction as a standard of measurement to evaluate Contractors’ performance.

CMS has awarded a contract to Westat, a survey research firm, to administer the MCPSS. A pilot survey of the MCPSS will be sent to a sample of approximately 7,400 Medicare FFS providers beginning in January 2005. Data collection for the pilot will continue through March 2005. The survey will give providers the opportunity to rate their Contractor on seven administrative functions: provider communications; provider inquiries; claims processing; appeals; provider enrollment; medical review; and provider reimbursement. Sampled providers will be able to access the survey on a secure Internet Web site, or may request a paper copy of the survey and submit via mail or fax. All information collected will be kept completely confidential, and individual providers will not be identified.

CMS will use the results of the pilot to examine and fine-tune the logistics of the survey administration and further refine the survey instrument. The results will not be used to evaluate Contractor performance. CMS plans to use the MCPSS to support and assist Contractors in using provider feedback to identify and implement “best practices” and quality or process improvement initiatives. CMS values the opinions of the Medicare physician and provider community and understands the important role that FFS Contractors play in representing the Medicare program to providers. The MCPSS represents an important opportunity for providers to be heard. If selected, please be sure to complete and submit the survey as soon as possible.

For further information on the MCPSS, visit the CMS MCPSS Web site at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/providers/mcpss/default.asp , or contact Gladys Valentín (gvalentin@cms.hhs.gov ) or Eva Tetteyfio (gtetteyfio@cms.hhs.gov ).

Posted: 12/20/2004