MedicaidAdministrativeMedium impact
Hospital Billing on the 837P for COVID-19 Hospital-Based Outpatient Services for the COVID-19 Uninsured Population
Illinois Medicaid - HFS·IL·Provider Notice
Effective date
Jun 6, 2023
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
Illinois hospitals must now bill COVID-19 outpatient services (testing, testing-related services, and monoclonal antibody treatment) for uninsured patients using the 837P claim format instead of the usual 837I format. This change allows for expedited processing of COVID-19 related claims for the uninsured population through May 11, 2023.
Action Required
Immediately: Hospital billing teams in Illinois must update billing procedures to submit COVID-19 outpatient claims for uninsured patients using 837P format instead of 837I. Use the NPI associated with non-institutional HFS provider number (typically ending in '40X'). Verify patient eligibility through MEDI system and request RIN through COVID Portal for patients without existing RINs. Ensure all claims include COVID-related diagnosis codes to avoid post-payment recoupment.