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Contacting the COB Contractor



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  • Providing quality customer service
  • Streamlining the payment process
  • Maintaining the integrity of the Medicare Trust Funds

The Coordination of Benefits (COB) Contractor consolidates the activities that support the collection, management, and reporting of other insurance coverage for Medicare beneficiaries. The purposes of the COB program are to identify the health benefits available to a Medicare beneficiary and to coordinate the payment process to prevent mistaken payment of Medicare benefits. The COB Contractor does not process claims, nor does it handle any mistaken payment recoveries or claims specific inquiries. The Medicare intermediaries and carriers are responsible for processing claims submitted for primary or secondary payment. To resolve your questions regarding whom to contact, see below:

Contact the COB Contractor to:
  • Report employment changes, or any other insurance coverage information.
  • Report a liability, auto/no-fault, or workers compensation case.
  • Ask general Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) questions/ concerns.
  • Ask questions regarding Medicare Secondary Development (MSP) letters and questionnaires.
Contact your local Medicare intermediary or carrier to:
  • Answer your questions regarding Medicare claim or service denials and adjustments.
  • Answer your questions concerning how to bill for payment.
  • Process claims for primary or secondary payment.
  • Accept the return of inappropriate Medicare payment.
Contact 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227) to:
  • Obtain general Medicare information.
  • Obtain information about Medicare Health Plan choices.
  • Order Medicare publications.
Contact SSA to:
  • Enroll in the Medicare program.
  • Replace your Medicare card.
  • Change your address.
  • Verify Medicare coverage.

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Workers' Compensation Medicare Set-aside Arrangement (WCMSA)


Beginning on May 1, 2004, all WCMSA proposals submitted for review by CMS' Regional Offices must be sent to a national, centralized point of receipt at:

CMS
c/o Coordination of Benefits Contractor
P.O. Box 660
New York, NY 10274-0660
Attention: WCMSA Proposal

Once recorded in a centralized database, the WCMSA proposal will be electronically forwarded to the Regional Office having jurisdiction for review as listed in the April 21, 2003, Frequently Asked Questions (with the exception of Louisiana and New Jersey, which will be forwarded to the Atlanta Regional Office) at the following URL http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicare/cob/pdf/wc_faqs.pdf. Any WCMSA proposal received in CMS' Regional Offices on or after the date listed above will be forwarded to the COB Contractor for entry into the centralized database.

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Please use the links below to access information on specific topic areas or use the links on the right navigation bar to find what you need to know about COB. Also, do not forget to add us to your hotlist or bookmark list. If you have a suggestion or comment that may help us improve this site, please tell us!

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Last Modified on Thursday, September 16, 2004