Baltimore -- Beginning July 1, suppliers of blood glucose test strips need to have appropriate "start" and "end" dates on their claim forms or the durable medical equipment regional carriers will deny the claim under reason code 16 -- claim/service lacks information which is needed for adjudication.

The mandate was spurred by a report and recommendations from the Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General, which determined the Health Care Financing Administration must require test-strip suppliers to include the dates on their claim forms to avoid inappropriate Medicare reimbursement.

The code the DMERC edit will check is A4253 -- blood glucose test or reagent strips for home blood glucose monitor, per 50 strips.

For a copy of the full program memorandum, go to www.hcfa.gov/pubforms/transmit/b0111.pdf.