Find-A-Code Focus Newsletter

Medicare is Now Accepting ICD-10 Test Claims

August 13, 2014

On July 31, HHS issued a rule (CMS-0043-F) finalizing October 1, 2015 as the new compliance date for health care providers and health plans to transition to ICD-10. ICD-10 represents a significant code set change that impacts the entire health care community.

CMS is taking a comprehensive four-pronged approach to preparedness and testing for ICD-10 to ensure that CMS, as well as the Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) provider community, is ready:

  • CMS internal testing of its claims processing systems
  • CMS Beta testing tools available for download
  • Acknowledgement testing
  • End-to-end testing

For more information, see MLN Matters® Special Edition Article #SE1409, “Medicare FFS ICD-10 Testing Approach.”

Acknowledgement Testing

This past March, CMS conducted a successful ICD-10 acknowledgement testing week. Providers, suppliers, billing companies, and clearinghouses are welcome to submit acknowledgement test claims anytime up to the October 1, 2015 implementation date. In addition, special acknowledgement testing weeks in November, March, and June of 2015 will give submitters access to real-time help desk support and allows CMS to analyze testing data. Registration is not required for these virtual events. Contact your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for more information about acknowledgment testing.

End-to-End Testing

CMS plans to offer providers and other Medicare submitters the opportunity to participate in end-to-end testing with MACs and the Common Electronic Data Interchange (CEDI) contractor in January, April, and July of 2015. As planned, approximately 2,550 volunteer submitters will have the opportunity to participate over the course of three testing periods. The goals of this testing are to demonstrate that:

  • Providers and submitters are able to successfully submit claims containing ICD-10 codes to the Medicare FFS claims systems
  • CMS software changes made to support ICD-10 result in appropriately adjudicated claims
  • Accurate Remittance Advices are produced

Submitters should contact their local Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for more information about acknowledgment testing. However, those who submit claims may want to delay acknowledgement testing until after October 6, 2014, when Medicare updates its systems.

Additional details about end-to-end testing will be available soon.

Check the ICD-10 Medicare FFS Provider Resources web page for the latest information and educational resources to implement and transition to ICD-10 medical coding.


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