CMS announces new Medicare contractor for Ohio

     Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina, which conducts business as Palmetto Government Benefits Administrators (GBA) was recently named the Medicare Part B replacement carrier for Nationwide Insurance Co. by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Nationwide had been the federal government's carrier for Medicare Part B in Ohio and West Virginia, since 1966, providing services for claims processing.

     Palmetto GBA has extensive experience in processing claims and will process and pay Medicare Part B claims for 39,000 physicians and licensed practitioners and 1,900 suppliers in Ohio and West Virginia.  The company also processes national Medicare claims for the Railroad Retirement Board and rural home health agencies in 16 states in the South and Midwest and is the regional claims processing contractor for durable medical equipment in 14 South and Southwestern states.

     Along with the Part B contract awarded to Palmetto GBA, the CMS announced that DynCorp, based in Reston, Virginia, will perform specific program integrity functions in Ohio and West Virginia.  It will provide services for post-payment medical review, benefit integrity and provider education activities under the Medicare Integrity Program.  The transition to Palmetto GBA and DynCorp will begin immediately and be completed by June 30, 2002.