Q&A: Locating NCCI edit files

Q: Where can we find the most recent list of NCCI edits?

A: The tables with NCCI edits are updated in the first month of each quarter: January, April, July, and October. The NCCI Policy Manual for Medicare Services is updated annually. The manual and the tables can be located on the CMS website through the NCCI webpage. Various programs, such as 3M, provide a list of NCCI edits as well, but it is important to know where the source of this information located. Imagine if a provider’s 3M application is not working and the answer about the edit needs to be given right away. Knowing how to locate CMS NCCI edit files will help the provider find the answer even when the application is not working. When a provider purchases a billing system, it may expect the vendor to have NCCI edits programmed in the system. However, it is the provider’s responsibility to verify that a vendor stays updated with quarterly NCCI changes and revises them in the system.

For more information, see The Contemporary Guide to Patient Financial Services.