CMS to run ICD-10 acknowledgement testing June 1 to 5

Any provider who submits claims electronically can participate in acknowledgement testing.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will run ICD-10 acknowledgement testing from June 1 through June 5, the agency has announced, giving healthcare provides a chance to test out their coding procedures ahead of the Oct. 1 switch to the new coding vocabulary.

[Also: ICD-10 will come on Oct. 1,  but many aren't prepared]

It would be the fourth week CMS ran acknowledgement testing. Any provider who submits claims electronically can participate in acknowledgement testing.

Here’s more info from CMS:

During testing:

• Test claims will receive the 277CA or 999 acknowledgement as appropriate, to confirm that the claim was accepted or rejected in the system
• Test claims will be subject to all current front-end edits, including edits for valid National Provider Identifiers (NPIs), Provider Transaction Access Numbers (PTANs), and codes, including Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) and place of service
• Testing will not confirm claim payment or produce a Remittance Advice (RA)
• MACs and CEDI will be staffed to handle increased call volume during this week

Testing tips:

• Make sure test files have the "T" in the ISA15 field to indicate the file is a test file
• Send ICD-10 coded test claims that closely resemble the claims that you currently submit
• Use valid submitter ID, NPI, and PTAN combinations
• Use current dates of service on test claims (i.e. October 1, 2014 through June 1, 2015)
• Do not use future dates of service or your claim will be rejected