Organizations that send eligibility requests to the Medicare HETS 270/271 eligibility system submit a HETS Submitter ID number in each 270 request. The HETS Submitter ID is sent in the 270 request in the ISA06 and GS02 elements. The HETS Submitter ID number identifies the organization presenting the eligibility request; HETS Submitter IDs are assigned to organizations that have entered into a Trading Partner Agreement with CMS specifically for the purpose of exchanging data related to Medicare eligibility.
CMS is changing the format of HETS 270/271 Submitter IDs. If your HETS Submitter ID (sent in the 270 request ISA06 and GS02 elements) is 8 characters long, no action is required. If your HETS Submitter ID is 10 characters long, your organization must obtain, test and implement a new HETS Submitter ID in order to continue utilizing HETS. If your organization obtained your HETS Submitter ID prior to July, 2009 you must take action. The deadline to obtain, test and implement this new Submitter ID is Thursday, December 31, 2009. Submitters who have not completed this migration by the required date will lose access to HETS 270/271 eligibility data effective January 1, 2010.
The process to obtain, test and implement the new HETS Submitter ID is as follows:
1) Contact the MCARE Help Desk at to obtain your 'new' HETS Submitter ID. Please include your current HETS Submitter ID in your email. MCARE will reply via email within 5 business days with your new HETS Submitter ID.
2) Inform the MCARE Help Desk at when your organization is ready to test the new HETS Submitter ID. Include the new HETS Submitter ID in your email. Please allow at least 2 business days to activate the new HETS Submitter ID.
3) Submit a test transaction using the new HETS Submitter ID. The 270 request Usage Indicator element (ISA15) must be "T" to indicate this is a Test transaction. Contact the MCARE Help Desk to verify the test was successful.
4) Coordinate with MCARE to transition the new HETS Submitter ID to production mode. In production mode, the 270 request Usage Indicator (ISA15) must be "P" to indicate this is a Production transaction. Please allow at least 2 business days to change the new HETS Submitter ID to production mode.
5) Migrate all 270 request volume to the new HETS Submitter ID.
6) Notify the MCARE Help Desk that all 270 request volume has been migrated to the new HETS Submitter ID. Include a specific date/time when this transition was complete. MCARE will verify that no additional 270 request volume is being submitted under the 'old' HETS Submitter ID. When verified, MCARE will delete the old HETS Submitter ID from the trading partner management system. Organizations must complete steps 4-6 in no more than three weeks.
Organizations whose current HETS Submitter ID is 10 characters long must complete these six steps by Thursday, December 31, 2009. Failure to migrate 270 request volume to the new HETS Submitter ID by Thursday, December 31, 2009 will result in the organization losing the ability to receive valid Medicare 271 eligibility responses with patient information.
Please follow the six steps outlined above to obtain, test and implement the new HETS Submitter ID no later than Thursday, December 31, 2009. Please note that these six steps will require at least 9 business days to complete " please plan your transition process accordingly.
Contact the Help Desk if you have any questions or comments.
Medicare Customer Assistance Re: Eligibility (MCARE) Help Desk