Electronic Filing Requirements and a List of Vendors

Effective with cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 1989, all hospitals (Form CMS-2552) are required to file their Cost Report electronically using an approved vendor's software.

Effective with cost reporting periods on and after March 31, 2000, Skilled Nursing Facilities (Form CMS-2540) and Home Health Agencies (CMS-1728) are also required to file their Cost Report electronically on approved vendor software. To help in this effort you can either purchase the software, which will allow you to prepare and submit your Cost Report, or you can use the free software supplied by CMS by contacting their Steve Bayless at 402-351-6921. The down side of using the free software is that you will need to prepare the Cost Report manually and then input key numbers and data into the free software for submission.

The 08/22/2003 Federal Register modified the requirements for other provider types to file electronically. Below is part of this federal register where the reader can go to get further information.

"SUMMARY: This final rule amends regulation by requiring that, for cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2004, all hospices, organ procurement organizations, rural health clinics, Federally qualified health centers, community mental health centers, and end- stage renal disease facilities must submit Cost Reports currently required under the Medicare regulations in a standardized electronic format. This rule also allows a delay or waiver of this requirement when implementation would result in financial hardship for a provider. The provisions of this rule allow for more accurate preparation and more efficient processing of Cost Reports."

The table below is a CMS published list of approved vendors. You may contact any one of them for more information and pricing.

(Vendor listing with phone numbers )