Vendor Meetings

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas EDI Services
Vendor Call Minutes
April 20, 2006

General Announcements:

• Companion Documents have been updated for 387 4010A1.  Please visit the website for a copy of the updated documents.
• The HCFA 1500 claim form has been updated to include the new NPI numbers.  An example of the new claim form can be found attached to Medicare Change Request 4293 and Medicare Learning Network (MLN) 4293.  CMS has set implementation dates for use of the new HCFA 1500 claim form.
• October 1, 2006 – Health Plans, clearinghouses, and other information support vendors should be ready to handle and accept the revised HCFA 1500 claim form.
• October 1, 2006 through January 31, 2007 – Providers can use either the current HCFA 1500 (12/90) version or the revised HCFA 1500 (08/05) version of the claim form.
• February 1, 2007 – The current HCFA 1500 (12/90) version of the claim form is discontinued; only the revised HCFA 1500 (08/05) form is to be used.  All rebilling of claims should use the revised HCFA 1500 (08/05) form from this date forward, even though earlier submissions may have been on the previous form.

System Updates:

• The next system deployment is scheduled for Sunday, April 30, 2006.

Upcoming Events:

• May and June           - ASK User Group Meetings
• 4/27 thru 4/28/06           – KOA Annual Convention, Topeka, KS
• 5/7 thru 5/9/06           – MGMA-MO Annual Conference, Osage Beach, MO
• 5/18/06                  – GKCMMA Claims Clearinghouse Seminar, NKC, MO
• 6/22 thru 6/23/06           – KMGMA Spring 2006 Conference, Wichita, KS

Provider Communications:

• The Just ASK! Newsletter was posted to the ASK website on 4/12/2006.

Medicare A and B:

• Nothing new to report.

BCBSKS:

• New eligibility edits were turned on as warnings on 2/19/06.  These edits will be changed to a reject after a 90-day warning period.  This waiting period expires on 5/21/06 and eligibility edits will be changed to reject.  Details of the edits can be found on the ASK and BCBSKS websites.

All Payers:

• New editing was added on 4/2/06 to edit NPI numbers for the correct number format.  Details on these edits can be found on the ASK website.

835 Information:

• Test remittance advices will not be recreated for any payer.  This includes but is not limited to Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas.
• Medicare Part B is moving to a once a week remittance advice.  This will be coordinated with the elimination of the Standard Paper Remittance beginning on June 1, 2006.  The first weekly remittance will be delivered to the trading partner mailboxes on June 7, 2006.  Daily remits will not be delivered to trading partners after June 1, 2006.

Telecommunications Changes:

• A notification will be sent to all Trading Partners within the next few weeks with notification of the planned discontinuation of the toll free dial up numbers for electronic transactions.  The toll free connection will no longer be available for asynchronous or FTP file transfers beginning August 1, 2006.  Trading partners can still use a dial-up connection through the local Topeka number.  
• Topeka Dial Up Numbers
• FTP using PPP dialer (785-290-0901).
• Asyncronous Dial Up (785-291-9909).
• Preferred method of electronic transactions:
• BCBSKS or ASK Claims can use the ASK website at (www.ask-edi.com), or they may select a Network Services Vendor, such as Ivans (www.ivans.com/bcbskansas) or VisionShare (http://www.visionshareinc.com/Kansas/index.cfm).
• Medicare ONLY (PPTN and FISS access must use a NSV).  The preferred method of connecting is a Network Service Vendor such as Ivans and VisionShare.  (www.ivans.com/bcbskansas) or VisionShare (http://www.visionshareinc.com/Kansas/index.cfm).

270/271 Issues:

• Nothing new to report.

276/277 Issues:

• Medicare Part B is available for production; however, some issues are currently being researched, such as, multiple 277 responses being received for a single request.
• Medicare Part A is currently reporting issues from FISS.
• Medicare A and B will be creating a new 276 reject report for bad 276 requests. 
• A copy of the Medicare A report is available in the Public Mailbox (TP #0000001).  The Medicare A 276 reject report Manual that outlines fields and definitions is not completed yet and will have a separate chapter when it is done.
• A copy of the Medicare B 276 reject report is available on the Medicare website under Electronic Data Interchange, User Documentation, Response Report Manual, Chapter 8. 

We want to encourage you and your clients to share suggestions and ideas on how EDI Services can better assist.  Please send an email to askedi@ask-edi.com.  Blue Cross and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas as a Carrier and Intermediary would like to ask you to submit to medicareedi@bcbsks.com suggestions on how we can better service you.  Information posted to the web etc.,

The next regularly scheduled conference call is 05/18/2006.
Phone Number: 1-877-326-2337 – Pass code 2102557

Web Addresses:
www.kansasmedicare.com                    www.ask-edi.com
www.nebraskamedicare.com                 www.bcbsks.com
www.nwmissourimedicare.com              www.bcbskc.com

Email Address:                                       Phone:
askedi@ask-edi.com                                      800-472-6481
MedicareEDI@bcbsks.com

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