Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

The only templates I've found on the web for this form print both the red outlines of the form as well as the data I've entered. But the red ink in the printer is not the correct red ink so the claims are rejected. I wonder if anyone has created a template for use in Open Office that only prints the entered information and masks out the red outlines. This way I'd be able to print on the premade forms that have the correct red outlining. I use a laser jet monochrome printer so finding the correct, probably expensive, red ink would mean buying a new printer. The companies that sell this fillable form charge 25 to 45 a month but I only need to fill one or two forms a month. I don't have the volume of work to justify that expense.

Paracelsus wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 5:40 am I wonder if anyone has created a template for use in Open Office that only prints the entered information and masks out the red outlines.

A search of the forum doesn't find any template for that.

I suppose you could create one, but it would be a big job. Perhaps you could use a 2-column spreadsheet to hold the data with column A giving its description (1 Medicare#, 1 Medicaid#, 1 ID#/DOD#, … ,1a Insured's ID number, …) and column B giving the values (X or empty for the first seven rows, then nnn…nnn, …). If you create a database with that spreadsheet as its data source you can use Mail Merge. A NextRecord field can be used to advance to the next row of the data source as you move through the form. A Writer document, can have mail merge fields for column B in the proper locations on the page. It seems impractical to do the placement by using paragraph properties; I would probably use Frames and put the fields inside them. But the CMS 1500 form will require about 230 fields!

Read about Mail Merge in Help → Index or in User Guides (PDF) or searching for topics about it in the Writer Forum.

Another apporach would be to use a database and create a report from it, but the problem of placing the values in their correct positions on the page remains. I presume this is possible, but I have no experience with that.

Paracelsus wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 5:40 am I use a laser jet monochrome printer so finding the correct, probably expensive, red ink would mean buying a new printer.

It may be more cost effective to use a print service. Some years ago I needed to print maps in color a few times a year. I had a monochrome printer so I sent the maps via email to a nearby OfficeMax store with instructions on what paper to use, how many copies, etc. When I arrived the next day, the printing by their $150,000 printer was already done and I paid for them.

If this solved your problem please go to your first post use the Edit ✏️ button and add [Solved] to the start of the Subject field. Select the green checkmark icon at the same time.

Thank you for your suggestions! I guess I'll try the OfficeMax solution. The sticking point is that the red ink has to be a certain shade that is not "seen" by OCR at the insurance company. I wonder if I can take a pdf with fillable sections apart such that I can remove the static background? A fillable 1500 form is easily found in pdf. Are pdf made of layers similar to how photographs are layered in photoshop?

Again, thank you for your response.

I found a source for PDF version of the form, which advise that you purchase preprinted forms and request "print text only" from your PDF reader software. Didn't investigate whether they have some DRM enforced, to somehow require payment before you are allowed to print, but at first look they seem to be free for anyone to use.
https://www.cigna.com/static/www-cigna- ... ms1500.pdf

It seems absurd to me that you need to use a paid service to successfully submit a form for an insurance claim. There must be something I have missed ...

It is absurd. The insurance companies want us to use electronic submissions and then suggest services that charge up to $45 per claim submission.

I have found a work around so that I can print on the pre-printed forms. I have yet to find a "print text only" selection, however. I did download the cigna form. Then I downloaded the 7 day free trial of adobe pro. This next part was a pain to figure out: I selected the fillable sections of the entire page, copied that and pasted in a blank document. I downloaded and saved that. I filled it out and saved as for each patient. Now I only have to change the dates and print.

I tried first printing using the adobe pdf software and this was a total mess. The top half of the printing was misadjusted upward, the bottom half was the reverse. OMG! Did I screw something up? But then, on a whim, I opened the pdf in chrome and printed it. It was perfect! So now I am cancelling my 7 day trial and saving $20/month.

Thank you for responding to my post! I appreciate the company on this ridiculous week long nightmare!

For manually filling a premade pdf form like that one from Cigna (by keyboard entry or copy/paste), you only need the freely downloadable reader app from Adobe.. Some web browsers also do a decent job as pdf viewers, as you already discovered.

Adobe Acrobat pro is quite a different beast, with a huge selection of tools for pdf design, automation and adjustment. You may need that if you want to connect to a data source for automated form completion. The learning threshold is significant.