Effective 12/05/10, the fee schedule allowance for anesthesia services will be based upon the formula: (Time Units + Base Units) x Conversion Factor. In addition, every anesthesia procedure billed to OWCP must include one of the following modifiers: AA, QY, QK, AD, QX, or QZ. When multiple procedures are performed during a single anesthetic administration, reimbursement is based on the line item representing the most complex procedure.

The Office of Worker's Compensation (OWCP), Federal Employees Compensation Program; effective 07/01/2010 will no longer utilize DOL homegrown procedure code RP100 (Pain Management). When rendering Pain Management services, providers are to bill and/or submit for prior authorizations the appropriate HCPCS/CPT codes applicable for the services. Request for prior authorizations for pain management services should include but not be limited to a complete and detailed treatment plan.

Effective 07/15/2010, DOL will require the place of service to be present on the HCFA1500 (Box 24b). After the effective date, any HCFA1500 received without the place of service will be returned to the provider for correction. This requirement change does not affect any facility services billed on a UB04 or professional services billed for Third Party Carriers, Billing Agents, Contract Nurses, Second Opinion Contractors, and Vocational Rehabilitation services such as Rehab Maintenance, Assisted Re-Employment, Relocation Expenses, and Counseling.

Effective 03/29/2010 the Office of Workers Compensation Program and the Division of Federal Employees Compensation (DFEC) Program implemented the new "Automated Adjustment Process". This new process will provide the following enhancements in the submission of bill adjustment request, received from the Medical Provider and Claimant community:

• Faster, more efficient processing
• Systematic notification of credit balance(s) owed to DOL
• Automatic recovery of overpayments
• Automated adjustment processing upon receipt of a request

Additional information and training can be found on the ACS Web Billing Processing Portal https://owcp.dol.acs-inc.com titled "DEFC Automated Adjustment Process".

Effective March 29, 2010, the DOL FECA Program implemented an Automated Medical Bill Adjustment Process. Click on the links below to learn more about this new process and how it will affect the Medical Community when submitting adjustment request for medical bills.
Provider Outreach Presentation.
Provider Outreach FAQ.
Provider Outreach Presentation (Spanish).
FECA Claimant Outreach Presentation.
FECA Claimant Outreach FAQ.

The US Department of Labor Office of Workers Compensation Program (OWCP) will adhere to the recent decision by Center of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) that was announced in MLN Matters, #MM6740. Effective March 1, 2010 OWCP will no longer accept the use of the AMA/ CPT Consultation codes ranges 99241-99245 and 99251-99255 for outpatient and office settings. Any line items submitted with date of service on or after March 1, 2010 will be denied and return stating "The requested procedure is not a covered service". For additional information please refer to CMS MLN Matters Number: MM6740 located at:
http://www.cms.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6740.pdf

FECA users can access the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) to utilize bill status inquiry, claimant eligibility inquiry, and medical authorization inquiry functionality 24 hours a day. To access the IVRS system, please dial (866) 335-8319 and select option '1' from the main menu.