Start with the CMS MAC Websites, Secure Internet Portals, & Electronic Mailing Lists directory. Find the contractor for your state and the Medicare program line you bill, subscribe to that MAC’s provider email list, and bookmark its education page. Then add CMS’s weekly MLN Connects newsletter and use MLN Matters articles and transmittals to verify formal policy changes. Check CMS’s current contractor information again when a contract award or transition is announced.
How to identify the right Medicare Administrative Contractor
Your MAC depends on both geography and the kind of claims or program work involved. Do not assume that the contractor handling one line of business handles every Medicare claim for your organization.
![Hospital Utilization Management [Desk Reference]: A Practical Guide for Physician Advisors, Case Managers, and UR Teams on Inpatient Status, Observation, Medicare Compliance, and Denial Prevention](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41v4za2zQ6L._SL160_.jpg)
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Match the state to the program line
- Part A and Part B: A/B MACs process claims within geographic jurisdictions.
- DMEPOS: DME MACs handle claims for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies.
- Home Health and Hospice: Four A/B MACs also process these claims, but the Home Health and Hospice areas do not match the four A/B jurisdiction maps. Check the specific Home Health & Hospice route rather than inferring it from the A/B assignment.
CMS’s state and program directory separates contractor websites, secure portals, and electronic mailing lists. Select the applicable Part A, Part B, DME, or Home Health & Hospice entry. It lists organizations including CGS, First Coast, National Government Services, Noridian, Novitas, Palmetto GBA, and WPS. Specialty contractors such as CEDI and the National Provider Enrollment contractors have distinct functions; they are not interchangeable with a claims MAC.
Recommended Free Tools
Recheck assignments when contracts change
CMS’s “Who are the MACs” page explains jurisdiction types and links to maps and lists, but it was last modified September 10, 2024. Prefer the current directory and linked jurisdiction pages over relying on a saved map or an older reference. Contract transitions can make assignments volatile.
#1 Best Overall
For example, CMS reported on June 24, 2026 that Novitas Solutions received the A/B MAC Jurisdiction H award covering Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. CMS’s Jurisdiction H page listed implementation as in progress. An award notice does not itself establish that every provider’s day-to-day contact changes immediately; follow the current implementation notices and confirm the applicable contractor before acting. See CMS What’s New and the Jurisdiction H page.
Subscribe to local MAC updates
- Open the CMS MAC directory and choose your state and relevant program line.
- Follow that entry’s electronic mailing-list link and subscribe. The provider education website is the route CMS identifies for managing subscriptions.
- Bookmark the MAC’s provider education page. Check its bulletins, FAQs, and claims-processing notices when a local operational issue arises.
- If you bill through more than one MAC or program channel, subscribe to every applicable line. Keep the email address associated with each subscription current.
CMS’s current Medicare Administrative Contractor Beneficiary and Provider Communications Manual, Chapter 6, says providers must be able to subscribe or unsubscribe through their MAC’s provider education website. It says MACs may distribute bulletins and newsletters electronically and should promote electronic access. The manual notes that electronic materials can be updated efficiently as Medicare policy changes. It does not establish that every email arrives or provide a guaranteed delivery schedule, so use the MAC site as a second route.
Add the national CMS update layer
Subscribe to MLN Connects for national Fee-for-Service news. CMS describes it as a weekly newsletter for providers, suppliers, billers, and coders. Its dated archive is useful for finding earlier program news, claims, pricer or code information, and education materials. Use it alongside the MAC feed: national CMS news and jurisdiction-specific operational notices serve different purposes.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11CMS’s communications manual says that when MACs transmit MLN Connects content, they supplement it with localized information. The local MAC channel therefore remains relevant even when a national newsletter covers the same general subject.
Verify policy and claims-processing changes
Use MLN Matters and transmittals for formal changes
When a newsletter or MAC notice points to a consequential change, investigate the underlying instruction rather than relying on a headline. CMS’s MLN Matters Articles cover subjects such as coverage, billing, payment changes, updates, and provider actions. CMS develops articles for certain change requests affecting MACs and claims-processing system maintainers.
- Open the MLN Matters page and locate the article relevant to the notice.
- Follow its references to the underlying CMS instruction or transmittal.
- On the transmittals resource, select a year and search or sort by keyword.
- Confirm the affected provider types, required action, effective date, and any MAC implementation guidance before changing a billing or operational workflow.
Start at CMS’s MLN Matters page, which links to transmittals.
Check local FAQs and claims alerts
For a claim-processing problem, check the MAC provider education site for local bulletins and FAQs. CMS’s current communications manual calls for current local FAQs and a dedicated page identifying confirmed system-related claims-processing issues, with an archive of resolved issues. Read the notice date and status before changing a process; an archived or resolved issue may no longer describe the current situation.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Use each source for the question it answers
| Source | Scope | Best use | Practical approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| MAC mailing list and provider education page | Local jurisdiction and program line | Local billing notices, bulletins, FAQs, and claims issues | Subscribe to each applicable line and review local notices. |
| CMS MLN Connects | National Fee-for-Service | Weekly program news, claims/pricer/code items, and education | Subscribe and search the dated archive. |
| MLN Matters and transmittals | National instructions and change requests | Specific coverage, billing, payment, and required-action detail | Search by year or keyword and follow the underlying instruction. |
| CMS MAC directory and What’s New page | Portfolio-wide contractor context | Identifying the current contractor and tracking awards or transitions | Recheck when a contract or implementation notice appears. |
Route questions to the right place
For a specific Medicare program question, CMS advises providers to contact their MAC. Questions about MLN publications, calls or webcasts, or the MLN Connects newsletter itself have separate routes on CMS’s MLN Contact Us page.
Or skip the browser setup
For a separate task—capturing web pages as images or PDFs—ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. It is not a Medicare update feed and does not replace CMS or MAC notices. One GET request can return a screenshot or PDF; for example:
ScreenshotNeo API documentation
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie or consent banners like a visitor and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and the response identifies the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server offers screenshot and page-info tools for AI agents. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Sign up free for 1,000 screenshots a month, with no card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I check my MAC’s website?
CMS’s communications manual does not specify a guaranteed update or email-delivery frequency. Use the email list and provider education page together, and check the page when investigating a specific notice or claims issue.
Does a MAC email replace checking CMS policy instructions?
No. For consequential changes, verify the underlying CMS instruction, effective date, affected providers, and the relevant MAC’s implementation guidance.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
