Cost-share waiver indication for COVID-19 testing

Pursuant to regulation by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on COVID-19 testing cost-share waivers issued on March 13th, 2020, outpatient healthcare providers are required to indicate a cost-share waiver in their claims for services performed on Medicare Part B patients.

Namely, the CS modifier needs to be applied on each applicable claim line. This is needed to identify the procedure as subject to the cost-sharing waiver for COVID-19 testing-related services. Providers should not charge Medicare patients any co-insurance and/or deductible amounts for services described in Section 1135 of the Social Security Act by HHS.

At the same time, this modifier does not need to be applied to tests performed in a laboratory.

Source: ngsmedicare.com