Case Numbering

20 - Case Numbering Since many requesters make multiple FOIA requests, name identification is not adequate to assure proper tracking, or fiscal accounting. Therefore, CMS employs a Case Numbering System which includes unique identifiers for each releasing activity. • Use the Case Numbering System for all FOIA cases. • Use the case number in item one of the Form CMS-632-FOI and in the "case number" block at the top left of the Form CMS-633 Invoice of Fees for FOIA Services (Exhibit C). Requesters will be asked to put the case number on checks rendered for payment of FOIA services and on any correspondence relating to that case. 1. All case numbers in this system consist of ten characters. These characters maybe numeric or alphabetical and are determined as follows: a. Case numbers for requests responded to directly by contractors begin with an Arabic number for the Region. Region Case Number Region Case Number Boston 1 Dallas 6 New York 2 Kansas City 7 Philadelphia 3 Denver 8 Atlanta 4 San Francisco 9 Chicago 5 Seattle 0 NOTE: Only one space is designated to indicate the responding regional office or contractor within the region. Therefore, Seattle is represented by "0" rather than by "10". b. For example, a request responded to directly by any A/B MAC (B) within Region 1 would begin with the digit "1": 1--------- c. In all case numbers, the second character is the last digit of the calendar year in which the request is received by the responding activity. , continuing the example above, for a 2001 request in Region 1: 11-------- d. Characters three through six indicate the contractor within the region. A request answered by a contractor would use the last four digits of the contractor number in positions three through six. Thus, a request responded to directly by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island (A/B MAC (B) number 00870) would be: 110870---- e. The last four characters indicate the consecutively assigned case number, beginning with "0001". Thus, the first request responded to by that A/B MAC (B) in calendar year 2002 would be: 1108700002