The first-ever ICD-10 end-to-end testing week will occur Jan. 26-30.
 
Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) announced this and other details, including minimum testing requirements, on Sept. 16. CMS will select 50 volunteers per MAC “to represent a broad cross-section of provider types, claims types, and submitter types” in the testing week, a notice from MAC Palmetto GBA states.
 
To be considered for participation, fill out the volunteer form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SGT9Q86 by Oct. 3. Providers will be notified by Oct. 24.
 
“Those selected will be provided specific details regarding how to test and who to contact for testing support,” a release from MAC CGS states.
 
“Each selected submitter may send up to 50 test claims over the course of the testing week. Test claims accepted into the system will be processed by the MAC and a remittance advice will be generated,” the volunteer testing form states.
 
CMS also plans to offer providers the chance to participate in end-to-end testing in April and July. About 2,550 volunteer submitters will have the chance to participate over the course of the testing periods.
 
ICD-10 will be implemented Oct. 1, 2015.
 
Among the requirements for January testing:
 
  • Testers must be ready to test ICD-10. This means vendor and practice management software will have been updated and internally tested prior to conducting end-to-end testing with Medicare, contractors say.
  • Testers must be able to submit future dated claims.
  • ​Testers must be able to provide National Provider Identifiers, Provider Transaction Account Numbers and beneficiary Health Insurance Claim Numbers they will use for test claims when requested by the Common Electronic Data Interchange. This information will be needed several months prior to the start of testing for set-up purposes.