Don’t forget: “Provider access to … eligibility systems will be terminated, effective April 7, 2014,” HHH Medicare Administrative Contractor CGS says on an update to its website for the systems. That means HIQA, HIQH, ELGA and ELGH screens and HUQA.
“If you currently use CWF queries to obtain Medicare health insurance eligibility information for Medicare fee–for service patients, you should immediately begin transitioning to the Medicare Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Eligibility Transaction System (HETS),” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services urged in a MLN Matters article updated last summer.
Problem: HETS still isn’t ready for hospice, since it doesn’t include revocation dates. “The HETS 270/271 R2013Q400 release was installed and rolled back twice earlier this month,” CMS said in a Dec. 23, 2013 post on its website. “CMS advises HETS 270/271 submitters that work continues to ensure that the next installation of this release is completely successful. CMS will not attempt to re-install the release during the remainder of 2013; CMS will provide additional scheduling information shortly after the beginning of the new year.” However, at press time, the agency had not announced any dates of reinstallation.