Medicare Advisory Committee (CAC)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that all Medicare Part A/B Contractors (MACs) maintain an advisory committee (carrier advisory committees, or CACs) made up of physicians from every specialty to allow open communications among providers and payers. This effort has been very successful in many states in clarifying local coding and reimbursement issues. The MAC does not employ these practicing physicians; rather the CAC serves as a contact point to voice concerns brought forward from both providers and payers.

The Medicare Medical Director is listed online [login required]. Medicare Learning Network CMS [pdf], which is responsible for the Medicare program, offers a number of on-line Medicare training courses. CMS also offers other training courses for physician's staff at remote locations.

CMS Regional Offices

The United States is divided into CMS regions. Medicare MACs (for physician and hospital services) are insurance companies who bid and are awarded government contracts by CMS to provide claims processing to Medicare beneficiaries within a specified area. These contractors report to the CMS regional offices and to the national CMS office in Baltimore. The regional offices also award durable medical equipment (DME) numbers. For your reference, here is the list of addresses of the CMS regional offices.