Medicare HETS Provider GUI (HPG) Users:
The HPG system now authenticates user sessions via EIDM instead of IACS. CMS has verified that EIDM authentication and HPG system are working as designed as of Sunday, February 8, 2015. This email outlines required actions that all HPG Users must complete. CMS requests that all HPG Users complete these steps no later than Monday, February 16, 2015. HPG Users must complete these steps to access the HPG system.
CMS also announces that a new version of the HPG User Guide is available online. Version 1-6 of the HPG User Guide is available online.
Last week CMS requested that HPG Users refrain from signing into EIDM. EIDM is now available; in fact, CMS requires all HPG Users to sign into the CMS Enterprise Portal (authenticated by EIDM) and complete their registration profile. The instructions below are for HPG Users who have not yet signed into EIDM. If an HPG User has already successfully signed into EIDM, please skip to Section 2 below.
I. Completing EIDM Registration
a. The HPG system now authenticates all user sessions via EIDM instead of IACS. HPG User accounts were copied from IACS to EIDM on Friday, January 30, 2015. Existing IACS User ID and passwords were copied over to EIDM on that date. On a go-forward basis, HPG Users will maintain their user accounts in EIDM and not IACS. HPG Users will no longer utilize IACS.
b. While the IACS User ID and password were copied over to EIDM, other details were not copied. Therefore CMS requests that all HPG Users sign into the CMS Enterprise Portal (authenticated by EIDM) ASAP and complete the registration process.
i. Enter the CMS Enterprise Portal URL https://portal.cms.gov into your browser.
ii. Click the ‘Login to CMS Secure Portal’ button which appears in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
iii. Accept the CMS.gov Terms and Conditions by clicking the ‘I Accept’ button.
iv. Enter your EIDM User ID and password in the appropriate fields. Again, these values are the same as the IACS User ID and password that you were using as of Friday, January 30, 2015. Click the ‘Log In’ button when complete.
v. If you properly entered your EIDM User ID and password then you will be prompted to do the following:
1. Change your EIDM password to a new value (this password will be valid for 60 days) AND
2. Select your Challenge Questions and provide appropriate answers. These questions and answers will be used in the future for self-service support options.
c. HPG Users will utilize EIDM and the CMS Enterprise Portal at https://portal.cms.gov for account maintenance only. This includes regularly changing the EIDM password as required by CMS Security policy. EIDM has replaced IACS as the HPG user authentication system.
d. If you encounter any errors or difficulties during this process, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
II. Accessing HPG
a. HPG Users should log into the HPG system via the CMS Applications Portal. CMS recommends that HPG Users utilize this URL (instead of saving other URLs as a bookmark or favorite) whenever signing into the HPG system. HPG Users will then continue to utilize the ‘Providers’ tab and its HPG link to access the HPG system. When prompted for a User ID and password, the HPG User will enter their EIDM User ID and password (instead of IACS). The HPG sign-in process is fully detailed in Section 4.3.4 of the updated HPG User Guide.
b. HPG Users should note that they will no longer use the ‘Account Management’ tab or features from the CMS Applications Portal. Those links are tied to IACS; HPG no longer uses IACS for authentication. IACS continues to be used by other CMS systems so these links will remain active but HPG Users should utilize the CMS Enterprise Portal at https://portal.cms.gov for all user account management activities.
c. If the HPG User utilizes the NPI Batch Management feature (for Clearinghouse Submitters only – see HPG User Guide Section 5.4 for additional details) then the Sterling Login screen will also utilize the User's EIDM User ID and password.
d. If you encounter any errors or difficulties during this process, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
III. Resetting EIDM User ID & Password (If Necessary)
a. If the HPG User cannot properly remember their EIDM User ID or password (which was based off of their IACS User Id and password as of Friday, January 30, 2015) then they will need to contact the Help Desk. The Help Desk will reset the EIDM password and the HPG User will then need to sign into the CMS Enterprise Portal at https://portal.cms.gov to establish a new EIDM password and select Challenge Questions and provide answers. After this one-time contact to the Help Desk, HPG Users will be able to reset their EIDM account online via the CMS Enterprise Portal.
b. Additionally, HPG Users that utilize the NPI Batch Management feature (for Clearinghouse Submitters only – see HPG User Guide Section 5.4 for additional details) may identify that they can sign into HPG via their EIDM User ID and password, but that the same User ID and password do not work for the batch file login to Sterling. In this circumstance, the HPG User should again reset their EIDM password. Refer to section 5 of the EIDM User Guide for additional information on the EIDM password reset process.
c. If you encounter any errors or difficulties during either of these processes, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.
CMS requests that all HPG Users complete the tasks listed in Sections 1 & 2 (and, if necessary, Section 3) above no later than Monday, February 16, 2015. If you encounter any errors or difficulties at any time, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.