Documentation to Support the Admission Process

20.2.2 - Documentation to Support the Admission Process (Rev. 11874, Issued: 02-23-23, Effective: 03-24-23; Implementation: 03-24-23) The provider retains a copy of completed admission questions, the CWF print out or copy of the 271 responses including all notations, in its files (or online) for audit purposes to demonstrate that development for primary payer coverage takes place. It is not necessary that the beneficiary sign the completed questions. However, providers may identify the date when the questions are asked. Medicare permits providers to retain hard copy questions and responses on paper, optical image, microfilm, or microfiche. Hard copy and data described in this paragraph must be kept for at least 10 years after the date of service that appears on the claim. (See Pub. 100-05, Chapter 5 for information about the documentation to be used in a review.) Medicare requires it to retain negative and positive responses to admission questions for 10 years with DOJ's record retention requirements, after the date of service. Online data cannot be purged before then.