Test your readiness for the HIPAA 5010 switch with Aug. 22-26 testing week

posted 08.23.11

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services urges all physicians to take steps to prepare for the switch to HIPAA 5010 transaction standards well before the compliance date of Jan. 1, 2012. To help with the process, CMS is holding a national testing week this week, Aug. 22-26.

According to Cynthia Hughes, an AAFP coding and compliance specialist, family physicians should be most concerned with the transfer of patient information, such as claims submissions and patient eligibility inquiries, she told AAFP News Now. Practices that aren’t prepared for the change or that encounter unexpected problems after implementation of the 5010 standards, “likely will see delays in payment for services provided to all of their patients on or after Jan.1, 2012,” she said.

The testing week is intended to give physicians and other health care providers, clearinghouses, Medicare contractors, and health information technology vendors five continuous business days to assess and fix any problems they have sending or receiving electronically transmitted health information. It is a follow-up to a national testing day held on June 15.

During this week, participants can access real-time help desk support and support from their Medicare administrative contractor, or MAC. Texas’ MAC is Trailblazer Health Enterprises. Register for testing week by completing the National MAC Testing Registration form on Trailblazer's website. Should questions arise during the testing week, e-mail TrailBlazer EDI Operations at edipartb@trailblazerhealth.com.

For more information, view the CMS 5010 educational resources page on the CMS website.