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Medicare common acronyms

We make every effort to define all Medicare program terminology that you may encounter on our web site. In the event that you need additional definitions, we have compiled the following list of acronyms to assist you. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' also offers an online acronym list.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z 

Acronym Phrase
A Assigned (claim)
AA Anesthesia Assistant
A&G Administrative and general
AAHAM American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management
AAO Associate Administrator for Operations
AAP Associate Administrator for Policy
AAPC American Academy of Professional Coders
AAPCC Adjusted Average Per Capita Rate
AARP American Assoc. of Retired Persons
ABN Advance Beneficiary Notice
ACER Annual Contractor Evaluation Report
ACF2 Access Control Facility
ACH Acute Care Hospital
ACMS Automated Change Management System
ACN Attachment Control Number
ACP Advance Care Planning
ACPS Advanced Claims Processing System
ACR Adjusted Community Rate
ADA American Dental Association
ADP Automated Data Processing
ADR Automated Desk Review
ADR Additional Development Request
AGPAM American Guild of Patient Account Managers
AHA American Hospital Association
AHCA American Health Care Association
AHCPR Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
AHSEA Adjusted hourly salary equivalency amount
AICPA American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
AIR All Inclusive Rate
ALJ Administrative Law Judge
ALOS Average length of stay
ALS Advanced Life Support
AMA American Medical Association
AMMIS Arizona Medicare Management Information System
ANSI American National Standards Institute
AP Appeals Department
APASS Arkansas Part A Standard System
APC Ambulatory Payment Classification
APG Ambulatory Patient Group
APP Application Portability Profile
APS Adjudication Payment System
AQRP Audit Quality Review Program
ARA Associate Regional Administrator
ARD Assessment Reference Date
ARU Audio / Automated Response Unit
ASA American Society of Anesthesiologists
ASC Ambulatory Surgical Center
ASC Accredited Standards Committee
ASC Appeals Support Contractor (Contract with BSBSA)
ASCA Administrative Simplification Compliance Act
ASCQR Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program
ASWS Approved Standard Workpaper Subcommittee
ASP Average Sales Price
AUSA Assistant United States Attorney
AWAS Automated Work Administration System
AWV Annual Wellness Visit
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BAC Beneficiary Advisory Committee
BAU Bill Adjustment Unit
BBA Balanced Budget Act
BBRA Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999
BCBSA Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
BCRC Benefits Coordination and Recovery Center
BDF Bulk Data Facility
BDMS Bureau of Data Management Systems
BEA Budget Expense Account Unit
BENE Beneficiary
BHI Bureau of Health Insurance
BI Benefit Integrity
BIB Benefits Integrity Branch
BIP Bill in Process
BIPA Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000
BIPIS "Bill in Progress, Inpatient / SNF Report"
BIPOR "Bill in Progress, Outpatient / RHC Report"
BIS Benefit Integrity System (Novitas Solutions)
BLS Basic Life Support
BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics
BLU/C Bottom Line Unit Cost
BMA Bio-Medical Association
BMACS Part B Medicare Automated Claims Section
BMAD Part B Medicare Annual Data
BOA Billing Office Approver
BOBA Billing Office Backup Approver
BOC Business Office Coordinators
BPA Bureau of Program Administration
BPD Bureau of Policy Development
BPO Bureau of Program Operations (CMS)
BPR Budget and Performance Requirements
BPRSC Budget Performance Requirements Survey of Compliance
BT Bill Type
BUD Beneficiary Utilization Data File
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CABS Carrier Access Billing System
CAC Carrier Advisory Committee
CAF Continuing audit file (also called Permanent File)
CAFM Contractor Administration Budget and Financial Management System
CAH Critical Access Hospital
CAI Computer Aided Instruction
CAMS Customer Account Mgmt. System
CAP Competitive Acquisition Program
CAP Corrective Action Plan
CAPD Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis
CAR Comparative Analysis Report
CARC Claim Adjustment Reason Code
CAS Claim Adjustment Segment
CASE Computer Assisted Software Engineering
CASF Carrier Alphabetic State File
CASR Contractor Audit and Settlement Report
CB Consolidated Billing
CBR Cost Benefit Ratio
CBR Comparative Billing Report
CBR CASE Based Reasoning
CBS Center for Beneficiary Services
CBSA Core Based Statistical Areas
CBSS Customer Billing Services System
CBT Computer Based Training
CC Chief Compliant
CC  Condition Code
CCEs Coordinated Care Entities
CCI Correct Coding Initiative
CCM Chronic Care Management
CCN Correspondence Control Number
CCPD Continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis
CCR Cost Classification Report
CCR Cost-to-charge ratio
CCU Coronary care unit
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CELIP Claim Expansion Line Item Processing
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CER Clerical Error Reopening
CERT Comprehensive Error Rate Testing Program
CF Conversion Factor
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CHAMPUS Civilian Health and Medical Program of Uniformed Services
CHAMPVA Civilian Health and Medical Program of Veterans Administration
CHD Coronary Heart Disease
CHECC Consumer Health Education Coordination Committee
CHOP Coalition of Hematology Oncology Practices
CHOW Change of Ownership
CI Complexity Index
CI Continuous improvement
CIA Certified Internal Auditor
CIO Chief Information Officer
CICS Customer Information Control System
CJR Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement
CLCCP Comprehensive Limiting Charge Compliance Program
CLIA Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1998
CMA Certified Management Accountant
CMG Case Mix Group
CMHC Community Mental Health Center
CMI Case mix index
CMN Certificate of Medical Necessity
CMP Civil Monetary Penalty
CMPL Civil Monetary Penalty Law
CMR Comprehensive Medical Review
CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
CNS Clinical Nurse Specialist
CO "Central Office (CMS in Baltimore, MD)"
COB Close of Business
COB Coordination of Benefits
COBRA Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986
CORF Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility
CORTS COMDISCO Plan Automation System
COTR Contracting Officer's Technical Representative
COTS Commercial Off-the-Shelf
CP Clinical Psychologist
CP & BI TAG Claims Processing and Benefit Interpretation Technical Advisory Group
CPA Certified Public Accountant
CPC Certified Professional Coder
CPCM Claims Processing Coding Manual
CPE Continuing professional education
CPE Contractor Performance Evaluation
CPEP Contractor Performance Evaluation Program
CPI Consumer Price Index
CPM Critical Path Method
CPO Care Plan Oversight
CPR Contingency Plan Report
CPT Claims Processing Timeliness
CPT Current Procedure Terminology
CPT-4 Current Procedure Terminology - 4th Edition
CPU Central Processing Unit
CR Change Request
CRB Change Review Board
CRC Cost report control (unit within PARD PARIS that accepts cost reports)
CRD Chronic Renal Disease
CREP Cost Report Evaluation Program
CRIHB California Rural Indian Health Board
CRNA Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
CROWD Contractor Reporting of Operational and Workload Data
CRT Cathode Ray Tube
CS Customer Service Department
CSPS Cost / Scheduling Performance System
CSSR Communications System Segment Replacement
CSTP Carrier Systems Testing Program
CSW Clinical Social Worker
CTC Certified transplant center
CTMP Contractor Task Management Plan
CTV Closed-circuit Television
CUI Customer User Interface
CWF Common Working File
CWFM Common Working File Maintenance
CWR Carrier Workload Report
CY Calendar Year
CYE Calendar Year End
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DAB Departmental Appeals Board (Area which covers Medicaid / Medi-Cal appeals)
DAC Division of Acute Care
DAP Data Administration Plan
DASD Direct Access Storage Device
DC Data Communications
DCN Document Control Number
DCNS Documentation Control Number Selector
DCP Department of Carrier Procedures
DDE Direct Data Entry
DDL Data Definition Language
DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery
DEC Digital Equipment Corporation
DEDUCT Deductible
DEFRA Deficit Reduction Act of 1984
DFD Data Flow Diagram
DFO Division of Financial Operations
DEFRA Deficit Reduction Act of 1984
DHHS Department of Health and Human Services
DHSQ Division of Health Standards and Quality
DIH Days In House
DLS Date Last Seen
DMD Doctor of Medical Dentistry
DME Direct Medical Education
DME  Durable Medical Equipment
DMEPOS Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies
DMERC Durable Medical Equipment Regional Contractor
DMP Drug Management Program
DNF Do not forward (initiative)
DO Doctor of Osteopathy
DOB Date of Birth
DOC  Documentation
DOD Date of Death
DOJ Department of Justice
DOR Date of Receipt
DOS Date of Service
DOS Division of Operational Systems
DOSD Division of Operational Systems Development
DPA Division of Provider Audit
DPE Division of Performance Evaluation
DPM Deputy Program Manager
DPM Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
DPO Division of Program Operations
DPP Division of Provider Procedures
DPRP Diabetes Prevention Recognition Program
DPSCP Division of Provider Service Coverage Policy
DPU Distinct part unit
DRA Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
DRG Diagnosis-Related Group
DSAF CMS' Decision Support Access Facility
DSCN Data Services Centers and Networks
DSH Disproportionate Share Hospital
DSMS Development and Support Management System
DSP Design Specification Package
DX Diagnosis
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EACH Essential Access Community Hospital
eChimp Electronic Change Information Management Portal (CMS distributes CRs and TDLs)
ECG Electrocardiogram
ECNI "Enterprise Communication Network, Inc."
ECR Electronic Cost Report
ECRS Electronic Correspondence Referral System
ED Emergency Department
EDC Enterprise data center
EDI Electronic Data Interchange
EDR Electronic desk review
EFT Electronic Funds Transfer
EGHP Employer Group Health Plan
EGLHP Employer Group Large Health Plan
EHR Electronic Health Records
EI Economic Index
EID Employment Information Data
EIP Enterprise image processing
IDM Identity Management System
EIN Employer Identification Number
EKG Electrocardiogram
EKMS Electronic Key Management System
E/M Evaluation and Management Procedure(s)
EMC Electronic Media Claim
EMC Electronic Medical Claim
ENOA Elimination Notice of Admission
EOB Explanation of Benefits
EOMB Explanation of Medicare Benefits
EPO Epoetin (an injection)
EPO Erythropoietin
ER Emergency room
ERA Electronic Remittance Advice
ERD Entity Relationship Diagram
ERISA Employee Retirement Income Security Act
ERN Electronic Remittance Notice
eRx Electronic Prescribing
esMD Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation
ESRD End Stage Renal Disease
EWP Electronic (excel) working papers
EWUs Equivalent Work Units
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F&A Fraud and Abuse
FACP Final Administrative Cost Proposal
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
FAR Federal Acquisition Regulations (regulations governing costing methods for contracts)
FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation
FCA False Claims Act
FDA Food and Drug Administration
FEP Front End Processor
FFS Fee - for - Service
FH Fair Hearing
FHIBA Federal Health Insurance Benefits Account
FI Field Investigation
FI Fiscal Intermediary
FICA Federal Insurance Contributions Act
FID Fraud Investigation Database (CMS)
FIFO First In First Out
FIG Fiscal Intermediary Group
FIM Functional Independence Measure
FIPS Federal Information Processing Standards
FIRMR Federal Information Resources Management Regulation
FISS Fiscal Intermediary Standard (or Shared) System
FMFIA Federal Manager's Financial Integrity Act
FMR Focused Medical Review
FO Social Security Administration Field Office
FOBT Fecal-Occult Blood Tests
FOI Freedom of Information
FOIA Freedom of Information Act
FPLOE Fixed Price Level of Effort
FPR Federal Procurement Regulations
FQHC Federally Qualified Health Center
FR Final Rule
FRC Federal Records Center
FRG Federal Relations Group
FSCC Freestanding Cardiac Catharization Facility
FSS Florida Shared System
FTB First Time Beneficiary (Medicare Secondary Payer)
FTE Full Time Equivalents
FY Fiscal Year
FYE Fiscal Year End
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GAMSS General American Medicare Standard System
GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
GAAS Generally Accepted Auditing Standards
GAGAS Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards
GAF Geographic adjustment factor
GAO General Accounting Office
GAS Government Auditing Standards
GBU Government Business Unit
GEHA Government Employees Hospital Association
GFR Government Furnished Resources
GHP Group Health Plan
GI General Inquiry
GI Gastrointestinal
GL General ledger
GME Graduate Medical Education (sometimes called DGME)
GOSIP Government Open Systems Interconnection Profile
GPCI Geographic Practice Cost Index
GPPPs Group Practice Prepayment Plans
GTEMS GTE Medicare System
GUI Graphic User Interface(s)
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HAASC Hospital Affiliated Ambulatory Surgical Cente
HAP Hospital Association of Pennsylvania
HBP Hospital Based Physician
HCFA Health Care Financing Administration
HCPCS Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System
HCRIS Hospital Cost Report Information System
HCV Hepatitis C Virus
HCWP Hospital Council of Western Pennsylvania
HDC HCFA Data Center
HER "Health Economics Research, Inc."
HETS HIPAA Eligibility Transaction System
HFMA Healthcare Financial Management Association
HFS Health Financial Systems
HHA or HH Home Health Agency
HHS Health and Human Services
HI Hospital Insurance
HIB Health Insurance Benefit Care
HIBC High Intensity Behavioral Counseling
HICN Health Insurance Claim Number; also HIC Number
HIGLAS Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System
HIM Health Insurance Manual
HIMR Health Insurance Master Record
HINN Health Insurance Notice of Non-Coverage
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HIPPS Health Insurance Prospective Payment System 
HIQA Health Insurance Query Access
HIS Health Information Systems
HISDG HCFA Information Systems Development Guide
HITECH Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act
HMO Health Maintenance Organization
HMS Highmark Medicare Services
HO Home office
HOCS Home Office Cost Statement
HPBSS HCFA Part B Standard System
HPI History of Present Illness
HIPAA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
HPSA Health Professional Shortage Area
HR Host Response
HRSA Health Resources and Services Administration
HSI Health Systems International
HSQ Health Standards and Quality
HSQB Health Survey Quality Board
HSQB Health Standards Quality Bureau
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I&A Identity and Access
I&R Intern and Resident
I.H.S. Indian Health Service
IBPR Intermediary Benefit Payment Report
ICAM Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing
ICD Interface Control Document
ICD International Classification of Diseases
ICD-9-CM "International Classification of Diseases 9th Review, Clinical Modifications"
ICD-10-CM International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modifications
ICN Intermediary Control Number
ICU Intensive Care Unit
IDE Investigational Devices Exemption
IDG Interdisciplinary Group
IDTF Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility 
IEQ Initial Enrollment Questionnaire
IER Interim Expenditure Report
IFB Invitation For Bid
IIC Inflation Index Charge - Customary
IIN IBM Information Network
IIP Inflation Index Charge - Prevailing
IL Independent Laboratory
IM Intramuscular
IME Indirect Medical Education
IOM Internet Only Manual
IOR Individual Operating Report
IP Inpatient
IPA Individual Practice Association
IPC Information Processing Center(s)
IPD Intermittent Peritoneal Dialysis
IPF Inpatient Psychiatric Facility
IPPE Initial Preventive Physical Examination 
IPPS Inpatient Prospective Payment System
IPRS Improper Payment Reduction Strategy
IQC Internal quality control
IR Incident Report
IR Interim rate
IRB Institutional Review Board
IRB Intern / resident bed
IRC Internal Revenue Code
IRDS Information Resource Dictionary System
IRF Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility
IRF-PAI Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument 
IRM Information Resources Management
IRS Internal Revenue Service
IRIS Interns and Residents Information System
ISO International Standardization Organization
ISTP Intermediary Systems Testing Project
IT Information technology
ITC Interdisciplinary Team Conference
ITS Inspection Tracking System
IV Intravenously
IV&V Independent Verification and Validation
IVD Interactive Video Disk
IWMB Information Workload Management Branch
IVR Interactive Voice Response Unit
IWR Intermediary Workload Report
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JAD Joint Application Design
JCAHO Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Health Care organizations
JCL Job Control Language
JOA Joint operating agreement
JSM Joint Signature Memorandum
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KePRO Keystone Peer Review Organization (Pennsylvania)
KPMG KPMG CompuMax – cost reporting software
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LAN Local Area Network
LBN Legal Business Name
LCC Lower of cost or charges, (or lower of reasonable cost or customary charges)
LCD Local Coverage Determination
LCER Limiting Charge Exception Report
LFS Lab Fee Schedule
LGHP Large Group Health Plan
LIFO Last In First Out
LIP Low Income Patient
LLC Limited Liability Company
LLP Limited License Practitioner
LMRP Local Medical Review Policy
LOA Leave of Absence 
LOB Line of Business
LOE Level of Effort
LOS Length of Stay
LPN Licensed Practical Nurse
LTC Long-term care
LTCH Long Term Care Hospital
LTR Lifetime Reserve Days
LTT Local Transition Team
LUPA Low utilization payment adjustment
LVAD Left Ventricular Assist Devices
LVN Licensed Vocational Nurse
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M+C Medicare +Choice (Part C)
MA Medicare Advantage 
MACs Medicare Administrative Contractors
MACJ1 MAC jurisdiction 1 (J1 will become JE)
MAI MUE Adjudication Indicator
MAR Medication Administration Record
MAT Medication-Assisted Treatment
MBAS Medicare Beneficiary Accounting System
MBI Medicare Beneficiary Identifier 
MBN Medicare Benefit Notice
MBR Master Beneficiary Record
MCCD Medicare Coordinated Care Demonstration
MCD Medicaid
MCE Medicare Code Editor
MCM Medicare Carriers Manual
MCO Managed Care Organization
MCP Monthly Capitation Payment
MCPS Medicare Claims Processing System
MCR Medicare Cost Report
McRef Medicare Cost Report e-Filing 
MCS Multi Carrier System (Shared System, Medicare Part B)
MD Medical Doctor
MDARS Medicare Data Analysis Reporting System
MDH Medicare dependent hospital
MDM Medical Decision Making
MDPP Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program
MDS Minimum Data Set
MECS Microelectronic Claim Processing System (H.A.S. PC System)
MedPAC Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
MedPARD Medicare Participating Physicians / Suppliers Directory
MEI Medicare Economic Index
MFA Multi-Factor Authentication 
MFAIC Medicare Fraud and Abuse Information Coordinator
MFCU Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
MFIS Medicare Fraud Information Specialist
MFSDB Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database
MG Milligrams 
MGMA Medical Group Management Association
MIA Medicare Inpatient Adjudication
MICR Medicare Internal Check Number
MIM Medicare Intermediary Manual
MIP Medicare Integrity Program
ML Milliliter 
MLN Medicare Learning Network
MMA Medicare Modernization Act of 2003
MME Morphine Milligram Equivalent
MML Medicare-Medicaid Library
MMORP Medicare Management and Operations Review Program
MMS Metropolitan Medicare System
MN  Medical Necessity
MO Model Office
MOA Medicare Outpatient Adjudication
MOE Method of Evaluation
MOON Medicare Outpatient Observation Notice
MORSF Medicare Outpatient Rehabilitative Services Form
MOU Memorandum of Understanding
MPFS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
MPFSDB Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Data Base
MPIER Medicare Physician Identification Eligibility Record
MPIES Medicare Physician Identification Eligibility System
MPPR Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction 
MQSA Mammography Quality Standards Act
MR Medical Review
MRI Magnetic resonance imaging
MRU Medical Review Unit
MSA Metropolitan Statistical Areas
MSMA Mississippi State Medical Association
MSN Medicare Summary Notice
MSP Medicare Secondary Payer
MSTAR Multi-user System for Tracking Audit and Reimbursement (Obsolete, see STAR)
MTD Month-to-Date
MTS Medicare Transaction System
MUA Medically Underserved Area
MUBC Medicare Uniform Billing Claim Entry
MUBI Medicare Uniform Billing Inquiry
MUBS Medicare Uniform Billing Same Day Correction
MUE Medically Unlikely Edits
MVPS Medicare Volume Performance Standard
MVS Multiple Virtual System
MVS / ESA Multiple Virtual System / Enterprise Systems Architecture
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NA Non-assigned (claim)
NAIC National Association of Insurance Commissioners
NBA Notice of Budget Approval
NCCI National Correct Coding Initiative 
NCD National Coverage Determination
NDC National Drug Codes
NDM Network Data Mover
NF Nursing facility
NGFR Non-Government Furnished Resources
NJACCHO New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials
NHLBI "National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute"
NIF Not in File
NIT Network Information and Technology
NMFA National Medicare Fraud Alert
NOBA Notice of Budget Approval
NOC  Not Otherwise Classified
NOMCI Notice of Medigap Claim Information
NON-PAR Non-participating Provider
NOOH Notice of an Opportunity for a Hearing
NOS  Not Otherwise Specified
NOS Number of Services
NOS National Operating Services (GTE)
NOU Notice of Utilization
NP Nurse Practitioner
NPI National Provider Identifier
NPP Non-Physician Practitioner
NPR Notice of Program Reimbursement
NPRM or NPR Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
NRP Network Resource Planning
NSEMC National Standard Electronic Media Claims
NSF National Standard Format
NSS National Systems Support
NUBC National Uniform Billing Committee
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OA Office Approver
OAS Office of Audit Services
OASIS Outcome and assessment information set
OBA Office Backup Approver
OBI Office of Benefits Integrity
OBRA Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
OC Occurrence Code
OC&EP Office of Coverage and Eligibility Policy
OCE Outpatient Code Editor
OCFAA Office of Civil Fraud and Administrative Adjudication
OCIG Office of Counsel to the Inspector General
OCR Optical Claim Recognition
OD Doctors of Optometry 
OEI Office of Evaluation & Inspection
OFO Office of Financial Operations
OFM Office of Financial Management
OGC Office of General Counsel (legal branch of CMS)
OHTA Office of Health Technology Assessment
OI Office of Investigations
OIFO Office of Investigations Field Services
OIG Office of Inspector General
OIRM Office of Information Research Management
OIS-PUF " (HCFA's) Office of Information Services, Public Use Files "
OMB Office of Management and Budget; also see EOMB
OMB or EOMB Executive Office of Management and Budget
OMNI Optimization Modernization through Networking and Innovation
OOP Object Oriented Programming
OP Outpatient
OPA Office of Program Administration
OPD PPS Outpatient Department Prospective Payment System
OPO Organ Procurement Organization
OPOP Office of Program Operations Procedures
OPPS Outpatient Prospective Payment System
OPPT or OPT Outpatient Physical Therapy Provider
OPS Office of Program Systems
OQCP Office of Quality Control Programs
OR Operating room
ORA Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980
ORD Office of Research and Development
ORF Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility
ORM Ongoing Responsibility of Medicals
ORT Operation Restore Trust
OSA / OOSA Out of Service Area
OSC Occurrence Span Code
OSF Open Software Foundation
OSI Open System Interconnection
OT Occupational Therapy / Therapist
OTAF Obligated To Accept as Payment in Full
OTC Organ transplant centers
OTH Other
OUD Opioid Use Disorder
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P&O Prosthetics and Orthotics
PA Physician Assistant
PAG Performance Advisory Group
PAHHA Pennsylvania Association of Home Health Agencies
PAI Patient assessment instrument
PAMAP Pennsylvania Medicare Advocacy Program
PAMS Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers
PAPE Post-Admission Physician Evaluation
PAR Participating Provider
PAR Problem Assistance Request
PAR Project Assistance Request
PARD Provider Audit and Reimbursement Department
PARF Pennsylvania Association of Rehabilitation Facilities
PARIS Provider Audit Reimbursement Integrated Services
PART Changes  Pain, Asymmetry / Misalignment, ROM, Tissue / Tone
PAS Preadmission Screening
PBD Provider-Based Departments
PBP Provider Based Physician
PBS Pennsylvania Blue Shield
PC Personal Computer
PC Professional Component
PCP Primary Care Physician
PDF Portable Document Format
PDL Program Design Language
PDM Personalized Documentation Manager
PDM Parallel Development Manager
PDR Physician Desk Reference
PDS Partitioned Data Sets
PDT Purchased Diagnostic Test
PEB Program Evaluation Branch
PEBTAG Provider Electronic Billing Technical Advisory Group
PECOS Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System
PEI Production Environment Interface
PEL Pennsylvania Economy League
PEN Parenteral / Enteral Nutrition
PENS Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
PEPPER Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report
PET (Scans) Positron Emissions Tomography
PFSH Past Medical, Family and Social History
PHI Protected Health Information
PHO Physician Hospital Organization
PHP Partial Hospitalization Program
PHS Public Health Service
PI Program Integrity
PID Provider Identification Department
PII Personally Identifiable Information
PIM Program Integrity Manual
PIMR Program Integrity Management Reporting System
PIN Provider Identification Number
PIP Periodic Interim Payment
PIP Periodic interim payment (method to pay providers biweekly, rather than by claim)
PM Program Management
PMA Pre-Marlset Approval
PMCF Pennsylvania Medical Care Foundation
PMCS Program Management Control System
PMP Project Management Plan
PMRB Provider Medical Review Board
PMTT Programmable Magnetic Tape Terminal
PO By Mouth
POA  Power of Attorney
POA Present of Admission
POA Provider Office Approver
POBA Provider Office Backup Approver
POC Plan of Care
POPT Provider Overpayment Prevention Initiative
POR Provider Overpayment Report
POS Point of Service
POSIX Portable Operating System Interface Exchange
PPC Payment Processing Cycle
PPO Preferred Provider Organization
PPP Preferred Provider Program
PPR Physician Payment Reform
PPS Prospective Payment System
PQRI Physician Quality Reporting Initiative
PR Professional Relations Department
PRA Per resident amounts
PRIMOS Prime Operating System
PRISM Project to Redesign Information Systems Management
PRM Provider Reimbursement Manual
PRO Peer Review Organization
PRO/West Peer Review Organization West
ProPAC Prospective Payment Assessment Commission
PRRB Provider Reimbursement Review Board
PRS PRO Review System
PS&E Performance Standards and Evaluation
PS&R Provider Statistical and Reimbursement Report
PSC Patient Status Code
PSC Provider Service Center
PSF Provider-specific file
PSO Provider-Sponsored Organization
PSOR Physician / Supplier Overpayment Report
PSRO Professional Standards Review Organization
PSYCH Psychiatric Services
PT Physical Therapy / Therapist
PTAN Provider Transaction Access Number
PTC Primary Transaction Code
PTO Pay to Organization
PTP Procedure to Procedure
PUC Public Utilities Commission
PW Project Workbench
PWK Paperwork
PY Prior year
PXRS Portable X-Ray Supplier
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QA Quality Assurance
QAP Quality Assurance Program
QC Quality Control
QI Qualifying Individual
QIC Qualified Independent Contractors
QIO Quality Improvement Organization
QMB Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries
QMS Quality Management System
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RA Remittance Advice
RA Recovery Auditor
RAC  Recovery Audit Contractor
RACF Resource Access Control Facility
RARC Remittance Advice Remark Codes
RBRVS Resource-Base Relative Value Scale
RBRVU Resource-Base Relative Value Unit
RBS Report of Benefit Saving
RC Reasonable Charge
RCICS Registry Customer Information Control System
RDES Regional Data Exchange System
REMIT Remittance Notice
REP PAYEE Representative Payee
RET Retired
RFA Restricted Medicare Fraud Alert
RFP Request for proposal
RGT Requirements Gathering Techniques
RHC Rural Health Clinic
RHHI Regional Home Health Intermediaries
RIC Record Identification Code
RMAPS Rocky Mountain Part A Processing System
RMF Resource Measurement Facility
RMFA Regional Medicare Fraud Alert
RMP Resource Management Plan
RMU Resource Management Unit
RN Registered Nurse
RNHCI Religious Nonmedical Health Care Institutions
RNPR Revised Notice of Program Reimbursement
RO Regional Office
ROE Report of Eligibility
ROE Return on equity
ROM  Range of Motion
ROM Read Only Memory
ROS Review of Systems
RPC Remote Procedure Call
RPCH Rural Primary Care Hospital
RPT Registered Physical Therapist
RRB Railroad Retirement Board
RRC Rural Referral Centers
RRE Responsible Reporting Entity
RT Respiratory therapy
RTI Return to Intermediary
RTP Return to Provider
RUG Resource Utilization Group (PPS method of paying SNFs)
RVU Relative Value Unit
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S/W Software
SADBUS Small Disadvantaged Business
SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
SAS Statement on Auditing Standards
SBR Supplemental Budget Request
SC Subcutaneously 
SCH Sole-community hospital
SCHIP State Children’s Health Insurance Program
SCLM Source Code Librarian Manager
SCN Strategic Communication Network
SDA System Design Alternative
SDLC Systems Development Life Cycle
SDPS Standard Data Processing System (PRO)
SDWS Systems Development Methodology / Structured
SE Special Edition
SES System External Specifications
SGS SafeGuard Services LLC
SGR Sustainable Growth Rate
SHIP State Health Insurance Assistance Program
SIIS Supplemental Insurance Interface System
SIS System Internal Specifications
SLF Self
SLIM Software Life Cycle Maintenance
SLMB Specified Lower Income Medicare Beneficiary
SLP Speech Language Pathology
SME Subject matter expert
SMF System Measurement Facility
SMI Supplementary Medical Insurance
SMRC Supplemental Medical Review Contractor
SMS System Managed Storage
SNF Skilled Nursing Facility
SOI Statement of Intent
SOS Site of Service
SOW Statement of Work
SOW Scope of work
SPARCS Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System
SPEC Provider Specialty
SPIN Supplier Profile Identification Number
SPR Standard Paper Remittance
SQL System Query Language
SRA Systems Research and Application Corporation (PRO)
SSA Social Security Administration
SSB Standard Systems Branch (CMS)
SSC Shared Service Center
SSI Supplemental Security Income
SSN Social Security Number
SSOE  Statistical Sampling for Overpayment Estimation
STAR System Tracking for Audit and Reimbursement
STC Secondary Transaction Code
STI Sexually Transmitted Infections
SUBC State Uniform Billing Committee
SUR State Utilization Review Unit
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TAG Technical Advisory Group
TAHFA Texas Association of Healthcare Financial Administration
TAN Treatment Authorization Number
TAR Telephone Assistance Request
TAT Turn-Around-Time
TC Technical Component
TCM Transitional Care Management
TCU Transitional Care Unit
TDL Technical Direction Letter (replaced JSM) – CMS directions to FI / MAC
TEFRA Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1983
TENS Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
TIN Taxpayer Identification Number
TMC Technology Management Corporation
TMCS Time Management Collection System (GTE)
TMJ Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
TNIF "True, Not in File"
TOB Type of Bill
TOPs Transitional Outpatient Payments
TOR Terminal Owning Region
TOS Type of Service
TP  Treatment Plan
TPE Targeted Probe and Educate
TPN Total Parenteral Nutrition
TPNS TeleProcessing Network Simulator
TQM Total Quality Management
TS Technical Support Department
TSO / ISPF TSO Interactive System Productivity Facility
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UARS Undocumented Alien Reimbursement System
UB-04 Universal Billing Form 04
UB-82 Uniform Bill - HCFA-1450 Billing Form
UB-92 Uniform Bill - HCFA-1450 Billing Form
UCR "Usual, Customary and Reasonable"
UDR Uniform Desk Review
UFMS Unified Financial Management System
UM  Utilization Management
UMS Universal Measured Service
UOS Units of Service
UPIC Unified Program Integrity Contractor
UPIN Uniform Physician Identification Number
UPS Uninterruptable Power Supply
UR Utilization Review
URC Utilization Review Committee
USPSTF U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
UTR Ultra High Therapy RUG
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VA Veterans Administration
VAN Value Added Networks
VC Value Code
VDP Voluntary Disclosure Pilot
VDT Video Display Terminal
VIPS Viable Information Processing Systems
VM / ESA Virtual Machine / Enterprise Systems Architecture
VOS Virtual Operating System
VSAM Virtual Storage Access Method
VTAM Virtual Telecommunications Access Method
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WBS Work Breakdown Structure
WBT Web-based training
WC Workers Compensation
WCMSA Workers' Compensation Medicare Set Aside
WEDI Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange
WI Wage Index
WIP Work in Progress
WPC Washington Publishing Company
WPS Wisconsin Physicians Service
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YTD Year-to-Date
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ZPIC Zone Program Integrity Contractor