Medicare HETS 270/271 Submitters:
CMS reminds submitters of an upcoming outage to the Medicare HETS 270/271 eligibility system. The HETS R2020Q100 quarterly release will be installed beginning at 7:30 AM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2020. The HETS 270/271 system will be unavailable during this period. Attempts to open a connection to the HETS 270/271 application will result in errors. CMS estimates that the installation window will be completed by 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2020.
Please refer to the email below for details about changes associated with this release. Key changes:
- Organizations that connect to HETS via SOAP or MIME will need to redirect their 270 requests to a new destination URL after the release.
- HDT Users will need to use a new URL (https://cmshdt.cms.gov/HDT/ ) to access the HDT tool after the release.
- HETS will temporarily cease supporting PPV HCPCS codes 90670 and 90732 after the release.
Please contact the Help Desk if you have any questions.
Medicare Customer Assistance Re: Eligibility (MCARE) Help Desk
1-866-324-7315
As a reminder, HETS is moving to a new high availability environment on March 14, 2020. Please check cms.gov/hetshelp for details or contact the MCARE Help Desk with questions.
From: CMS MCARE
Sent: Monday, March 2, 2020 5:26 PM
To: CMS MCARE <>
Subject: Medicare HETS 270/271 - System Outage Notification & Quarterly Release Information Bulletin - March 14, 2020
Medicare HETS 270/271 Submitters:
This email contains several important announcements pertinent to HETS 270/271 Medicare eligibility. Please review the entire email carefully.
- CMS announces the rescheduled installation of the HETS R2020Q100 release. This installation will cause an outage of the Medicare HETS 270/271 eligibility system. The HETS R2020Q100 Release is scheduled to be installed beginning at 7:30 AM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2020. The HETS 270/271 system will be unavailable during this period. Attempts to open a connection to the HETS 270/271 application will result in errors. CMS estimates that the maintenance window will be completed by 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, March 14, 2020.
HETS submitters should review the documents linked below to prepare for this upcoming HETS quarterly release.
HETS R2020Q100 Release Summary: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r2020q100-hets-270271-release-summary.pdf (PDF) (version 1-1)
HETS R2020Q100 Companion Guide: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r2020q100-hets-270271-companion-guide.pdf (PDF) (version 10-16)
- HETS submitters that connect via SOAP or MIME must redirect their HETS traffic to a new destination URL during this outage window. CMS will communicate additional instructions directly to HETS SOAP and MIME submitters.
- Following the HETS R2020Q100 release, HETS Desktop (HDT) users must utilize a new URL ( https://cmshdt.cms.gov/HDT/ ) to access the HDT tool. Clearinghouses that utilize HDT Batch functionality will also need to change their batch files to utilize a new naming convention and upload/download process. The HDT Batch file structure will remain unchanged; the batch file naming convention is the only change to the actual file itself. Additional details will be distributed to HDT users before March 14, 2020.
- HETS Desktop (HDT) users will be unable to add, edit or delete any HETS Submitter/NPI relationships from March 10-14, 2020. HDT users will be able to sign into the existing HDT application during this period but will note that the typical functionality to add, edit or delete Submitter/NPI relationships is offline. This includes HDT Batch functionality. HETS Submitters will not be able to add, edit or delete any relationships during this period. After the HETS R2020Q100 release, HDT users will utilize the new URL (listed above) to access HDT to resume adding, editing or deleting HETS Submitter/NPI relationships.
- Please note that effective with the HETS R2020Q100 release, HETS will temporarily cease supporting PPV HCPCS codes 90670 and 90732. HETS will also cease providing PPV information as part of the preventive data returned on the 271 response. CMS anticipates that PPV data will be returned to the HETS 271 response in April, 2020. PPV data will then change to return prior usage data instead of next eligible dates. CMS will provide additional information about these PPV changes after the HETS R2020Q100 release.
CMS urges all HETS submitters to use the R2020Q100 Release Summary and the HETS 270/271 R2020Q100 Companion Guide to prepare for this future release.