GOVERNMENT AGENTS

We know it seems unnecessary to fill out a Third Party Liability form when there was no third party. Here's why the government requires one on some claims:

All medical claims must contain a diagnosis code, which is a series of numbers. Doctors use diagnosis codes to describe injuries and illnesses. However, the diagnosis code itself does not describe how an injury or condition occurred. For example, the diagnosis code for a simple fracture does not show whether the fracture was caused by an automobile accident or a fall on the stairs. The diagnosis code for an allergy does not show if the condition was caused by household dust or exposure to a chemical spill.

The government can recover money when a third party is involved, which helps them hold down the costs of your medical care. So they require documentation when a diagnosis code indicates an injury or condition that conceivably could have been caused by a third party. That's why the Federal Medical Recovery Act requires the beneficiary to complete a Third Party Liability form for certain diagnosis codes. The law requires us to have this form on file before we can process your claim.

When you receive a DD2527 Third Party Liability form, please complete the information, sign it, and then return it within 35 days -- even if the questions on the form do not seem to apply to you.