CMS answers your questions about ICD-10 testing

Last month, we provided an update on the results of ICD-10 acknowledgement testing done by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). That post also referenced the opportunity to do end-to-end ICD-10 testing with Medicare. Recognizing that there may be some confusion surrounding these different testing methods, CMS has released some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about both.

Among the takeaways from these FAQs:

•    Physicians do not need to register for acknowledgement testing, but end-to-end testing volunteers must register on their Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) website during specific time periods.
•    All Medicare fee-for-service electronic submitters can participate in acknowledgement testing, but CMS and its MACs will select only 50 testers per MAC jurisdiction for each round of end-to-end testing.
•    Acknowledgement testing will not confirm payment; it will only confirm that the claim was accepted or rejected by Medicare. End-to-end testing, however, will provide an electronic remittance advice based on current year pricing.
•    There is no limit on the number of acknowledgement test claims a physician can submit, but if selected for end-to-end testing, the physician may submit only 50 claims per test week.

The FAQs include a reminder that you may submit acknowledgement test claims anytime, although CMS encourages you to do acknowledgement testing during the highlighted testing weeks of March 2-6 and June 1-5. Those chosen for end-to-end testing must submit their test claims during the testing weeks of April 27–May 1 and July 20-24.

– Kent Moore, Senior Strategist for Physician Payment for the American Academy of Family Physicians

Posted on Feb 06, 2015 by David Twiddy