CBR Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQs
Q: What is CBR?
A: A comparative billing report is developed in an effort to provide education to the provider community by comparing billing practices among you and your peer group.
Q: Why am I getting this report?
A: In an effort to reduce improper payments, CMS implemented an education process for the providers.
Q: What is the policy reference for this report?
A: The policy references can be found under the reference link section and within the CBR.
Q: Can I get specific claim data related to this report?
A: All the specific information related to the CBR report is listed under the methodology section in your report. Keep in mind that the data being provided is for educational purposes only.
Q: I have a question about my claims.
A: The Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) can assist you with questions about a specific claim.
Q: The address on the letter is no longer current; can you correct your files?
A: You can correct your address with the CBR disseminator, please see cover letter for the contact information. This will not correct your address with Medicare, please contact your MAC directly to change your address.
Q: I did not receive a comparative billing report. Would I be able to sign up to receive one?
A: We do not currently have a CBR subscription list. A comparative billing report is sent only to a specified study sample, with a maximum sample size of 5,000 providers. SGS is currently working with CMS to evaluate the capability of producing ad hoc requests for CBRs in the future.
Q: How will I know if I am on the list of providers/suppliers to receive a CBR report?
You can register on the CBR Disseminator’s website at www.cbrcontactupdate.com to inquire using your NPI number.
Q: Is there a sample CBR that I can view?
A: Yes, a sample is provided for each CBR produced. Please see the CBR sample page.
Q: Can I suggest a topic to study?
A: We appreciate your suggestions for additional study topics. Please submit your study topic suggestions using the CBR Support Information Request Form.
Q: I am a hospital. Would I be able to receive this report?
A: No, hospitals will not receive a comparative billing report. Hospital-related comparative reports are performed for CMS by TMF and are known as PEPPER reports.
Q: What is a T-Test? What does it mean?
A: For the measures that are statistically compared, a statistical test called the 't-test' will be used to determine if a statistically significant difference between the individual provider and the state and national peer group exists. The 't-test' will generate a p-value for each comparison.
Q: What is a P-Value? What does it mean?
A: A difference in the utilization measure between a provider and the two peer groups with a p-value < 0.05 indicates that there is at least 95% confidence that the difference is significant. There are three outcomes to the 't-test'; 1) the individual provider's utilization measure is significantly higher, 2) lower, or 3) within norm compared to that of the peer groups. The results of statistical test for each measure will be displayed in a table.
Q: What is the difference between the Figure and the Table?
A: The Figure is a graphic representation of the same data represented in the Table. Additionally, the Table shows the difference and the statistical significance of the provider's data in comparison to their peers.