According to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) NGS, CGS and Palmetto, hospice claims are being rejected with RC 17729 or 17730. On October 7, 2024, additional implementation edits on hospice claims for hospice certifying physician Medicare enrollment requirements were implemented.

During the week of November 11, 2024, all Home Health and Hospice MACs set Reason Codes 17729 and 17730 to return to provider (RTP) instead of denying. Those RTP claims can now be resubmitted. These RTP claims did comply with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)-required entry of the correct certifying physician in the “Attending” field, which did match the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) Enrolled Physicians File and did fall within a physician’s effective/termination dates. Hospice providers should review the steps to correct and return the claim by adding the correct attending physician in the ATTENDING line.