Vendor Meetings

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas EDI Services
Vendor Call Minutes
March 15, 2007

General Announcements:

• The update to the 837 and 835 Companion Documents has been completed and posted to the web. This includes information on NPI.

NPI

• There have not been any changes to the NPI timelines. Anyone interested in reviewing the timelines will find them posted to the website. The information includes each payer’s requirements and time schedules for NPI.  
• ASK has begun to implement edits for payer validation. These edits include checking the NPI number against the payer files to insure the numbers are valid for each payer. Implementation of these edits has already begun and will continue for various payers through to May 23. These edits are warnings, but Trading Partners are encouraged to review the edits to make sure they submit files correctly.

• Edits E010a and E010b were turned on for both BCBSKS and HNNY on 2/18. Trading partners should be seeing these errors as warnings on their Claims Confirmation Report. The error will read, “No NPI submitted, claims rejected after 05/22/07”. Edit E010a is triggered when no NPI is submitted in the 2010AA Loop and E010b is triggered when a 2310B loop is submitted without an NPI.
• Please ask all of your providers to pay attention to the warnings. The warnings are in place to assist in correcting problems before the May 23 cutoff date. If the warnings are not corrected, the claims will reject beginning May 23.
• Item for FYI:
• When creating the 837 transaction for Medicare, the legacy number must be submitted in the first REF segment, so when you update programs for NPI and move the Tax ID number to a REF segment, make sure you leave the legacy number in the first REF segment.
• The Tax ID number is required to be submitted on claims with the NPI. The Tax ID number must be submitted in the 2010AA loop in an REF02 segment.
• BCBSKS Only:
• If the same NPI is used for both professional and institutional claims submissions BCBSKS will produce two separate 835's, one for institutional and one for professional.
• Any Trading Partner not submitting NPI for BCBSKS will receive a postcard telling them they need to start submitting. These postcards will be mailed sometime during the last week of March or the first week of April.
• Telephone calls are being made to any provider that receives an NPI edit. These calls are designed to help the provider correct problems and start sending NPI correctly.
• EDIMidwest:
• The problem with the hyphen in the Tax ID number has been corrected at Emdeon. Claims with the NPI can now be submitted without any expected problems for the Tax ID.
• TP Education:
• We are preparing to contact Trading Partners to make sure they submit the NPI number and help with any problems they may have regarding NPI. Prior to calling the Trading Partners, we have made an effort to contact all of our software vendors and clearinghouses to check NPI readiness. As a result of our calls, you may be hearing from your customers asking additional questions about NPI and what they need to do.

System Updates:

• The next system deployment is scheduled for Sunday, March 18, 2007.

Telecommunications:

• Effective 3/1/2007, the phone numbers 785-291-0278 and 785-291-0280 were discontinued. These were used for asynchronous connectivity and had a very low volume of calls.

Upcoming events:

• EDI Workshop

April 4, 2007 – Topeka, KS
April 10, 2007 – Colby, KS
May 15, 2007 – Wichita, KS

• Conferences and Conventions

March 30 – KEMPTA – Hutchison, KS
April 12 – KMGMA – Wichita, KS

Provider Communications:

• Just ASK! Newsletter was posted in late March 2007. 

Vendor Questions:

• Is a 9-digit zip code required for Medicare B claims in the 2010AB or 2310D loops?
• Some providers may have to submit a 9-digit zip code in the 2310D loop for Medicare B. To determine which providers need to submit the 9-digit zip code and when it is required, please refer to the MLN Matters 5208 found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/mm5208.pdf.

We want to encourage you and your clients to share suggestions and ideas on how EDI Services can provide better assistance.  Please send emails to askedi@ask-edi.com or MedicareEDI@wheatlandsadmin.com with suggestions. 

The next regularly scheduled conference call is April 19, 2007.
Phone Number: 1-877-326-2337 – Pass code 2102557

Web Addresses:
www.wheatlandsadmin.com
www.ask-edi.com
www.bcbsks.com
www.bcbskc.com

Email Address:
askedi@ask-edi.com                                   
MedicareEDI@wheatlandsadmin.com

Phone: 800-472-6481        

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