Alerts

Notice of Issuance of New Medicaid IDs to SSI Recipients

7/15/2021

PDF Version


TO:  All Providers

 

RE:  Notice of Issuance of New Medicaid IDs to SSI Recipients


By August 2021, Alabama Medicaid recipients whose Medicaid benefits were awarded through Supplemental Security Income (SSI-Certifying Agency “S”) should have received a new Medicaid identification card, with a new Medicaid number that starts with 530. A notification was mailed to recipients letting them know to expect a new Medicaid ID card with their new number by the end of August. The letter also informed recipients to present both Medicaid cards to their Medicaid providers. The new Medicaid IDs will be effective on August 1, 2021.

 

These guidelines will assist with eligibility verification/claims submission for those recipients during this transition:

 

  • All information for the previous Medicaid ID and the new Medicaid ID are being combined to allow providers to use either the previous card or new card for eligibility verification and claims submission. When the merging process occurs, all eligibility, Prior Authorizations (PAs), and claims history will be combined and transferred to the new ID. However, due to the large amount of SSI certified recipients affected, this process may not be completed until Labor Day, September 6, 2021.
  • Therefore, during the month of August before all Medicaid IDs are combined, providers must use the new Medicaid ID (beginning with “530”) when checking current eligibility and submitting claims for any recipient whose ID has not been merged by August 1. If the data has not been transferred to the new number yet, the provider may need to ask for the old “500” eligibility number to verify eligibility for previous months.

  • During check-in, providers and staff are encouraged to ask recipients if they have received a new Medicaid ID card, and whether they have more than one Medicaid number. 
  • Providers may use the eligibility verification function in the Provider Web Portal, Provider Electronic Solutions (PES) or the Automated Voice Response System (AVRS) to determine whether a recipient’s Medicaid IDs have been combined.
  • If a provider encounters a recipient who does not have an ID card with their new “530” number, the provider can log into the Provider Web Portal, PES or AVRS and enter the card number the recipient has presented. An eligibility verification request performed using the previous Medicaid ID will return the new Medicaid ID if the IDs have been combined. If the IDs have not been combined, the “530” number will not be displayed. The Provider may then contact the Provider Assistance Center for guidance at 1-800-688-7989.

If you experience any issues related to Prior Authorizations which were previously approved, please contact the Prior Authorization vendor for assistance.



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