Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Seeking a solution to Region A's claims-processing saga, the National Association for Medical Equipment Services is calling for help from Congress.

In December, the Region A Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carrier notified home medical equipment providers that its processing statistics had improved and it would no longer approve advance payments for Medicare claims. Providers had until January 1, 1999, to repay their advance payments in full or face recoupment of the advance payment amounts.

A NAMES official disagreed that the DMERC had ironed out its problems. "We're still working on that issue," said Asela Cuervo, NAMES assistant vice president of regulatory affairs. "There are a number of factual differences and there still are a lot of outstanding claims."

The situation stems from the DMERC's conversion last year to the problematic Viable Information Processing System. NAMES contends that providers are still owed millions of dollars and has urged members of Congress from Region A states to ask the Health Care Financing Administration to order the DMERC to address the problems.