US · guidance
CMS Pub. 100-05, ch. 5, § 20.3.1
VA Payment Safeguards
When the beneficiary is identified as possibly having VA entitlement, the A/B MAC and the DME
MAC may contact the provider, physician/supplier to determine whether a claim has been, or will
be, submitted to the VA for payment for the procedures listed. It does not contact the beneficiary or
the VA. It uses only information from the provider, physician/supplier to determine whether VA
liability is involved. It processes the claim according to the following rules:
• If a claim has not, and will not, be filed with the VA, the A/B MAC and the
DME MAC processes the claim;
• If the provider, physician/supplier responds that the claim is being, or has been,
sent to the VA, the A/B MAC and the DME MAC denies the claim; and
• If the claim was for multiple services and the physician/supplier states that the VA has
assumed responsibility for some, the A/B MAC and the DME MAC denies those services
the VA has responsibility for and processes the other Medicare covered services.
See Pub. 100-02, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 16, §50.1, for policy and procedures
describing when Medicare may take into consideration VA claims paid for by the VA to: 1) credit
the beneficiary Medicare deductible, and 2) to reimburse the beneficiary their VA copayment
amounts charged for VA authorized services furnished by non-VA sources.
History
(Rev. 11550; Issued: 08 -12-22; Effective: 10 -13-22; Implementation:10 -13-22)
Provenance
- Source
- cms.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-08-25
- Edition
- iom-2026-08-25
- Content hash
1b8b209d61bd1a6238bd9a03d62eb4c63c5bc49d1888936f859835cb318a903b
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