Top Claim Submission Errors for Home Health Providers: Error U538I
Reason for error: A home health RAP or claim overlaps an existing episode with a different provider number. This error most commonly occurs when a beneficiary elects to transfer from one HHA to another during a 60 day episode and the receiving HHA submits their initial episode RAP/claim using an incorrect source of admission code or condition code 47 is missing.
Claim processing result: Return to Provider (RTP)
How to prevent/resolve:
- Prior to admission or submitting RAPs/claims to Medicare, access ELGH Page 03 or ELGA Page 04 to review established episodes for beneficiary, which may impact your dates of service.
- If the beneficiary is transferring to your home health agency:
- Follow the steps for appropriately completing beneficiary elected transfers as outlined in the
- Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (Pub. 100-02, Ch. 7, §10.8E
) - Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Pub. 100-04, Ch. 10, § 10.1.15 and § 20.1.1
) - CGS Beneficiary Elected Home Health Transfer Web page
- Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (Pub. 100-02, Ch. 7, §10.8E
- Follow the steps for appropriately completing beneficiary elected transfers as outlined in the
- To access contact information for other home health providers, log on to http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Files-for-Order/CostReports/HHA.html
. Scroll down and click on "HHA ProviderID Information" under the "Downloads" header to access a spreadsheet containing the contact information for HHAs. - To indicate a beneficiary has transferred to your HHA, enter a condition code "47" in the first available COND CODES field (FL 18-28) on FISS page 01. See the example in the screenprint below.

Additional resources
- Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters Number: MM6757

- MLN Matters Number: MM7338

- CGS Avoiding Billing Errors Caused By Overlapping Home Health Episodes
quick resource tool - CGS Special Billing Situations Under HH PPS
quick resource tool
Updated: 06.22.12

