MAPD Help Desk

The MAPD Help Desk provides technical system support to CMS business partners for the implementation and operation of Medicare Parts C and D. This systems information is provided to assist external business partners with connectivity, testing and data exchange with CMS.

Bulletin Board

• May 14, 2013 – Announcement of the August 2013 Software Release

For detailed information regarding the August 2013 software release, please review the memo entitled “Announcement of the August  2013 Software Release” dated May 14, 2013 from Cheri Rice and Dr. Raj G. Iyer in the Downloads section below.

Please direct questions or concerns to the MAPD Help Desk at mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-927-8069.

• April 25, 2013 - Erroneous Negative Number of Uncovered Months (NUNCMO) Value Clean-up (RT 2046122)

CMS processed a data clean-up on April 21, 2013 to correct an issue related to an erroneous negative Number of Uncovered Months (NUNCMO) value stored in the Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug System (MARx). NUNCMO must always be zero or a positive value. The issue also affected the Late Enrollment Penalty (LEP) dollar amount for some beneficiaries and resulted in MARx calculating the amount as zero, when the NUNCMO and LEP amounts should be greater than zero. As a result of this clean-up, an affected beneficiary’s NUNCMO value will be set to zero for all impacted periods which could affect beneficiaries LEP going forward and retroactively.
Plans may validate their LEP amounts by using the following reports:

Monthly Premium Withhold Report (Social Security Administration (SSA)/Retirement Railroad Board (RRB) (Withholding beneficiaries):

• Gentran Mailbox/TIBCO MFT Internet Server:
P.Rxxxxx.MPWRD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst.pn
• Connect:Direct (Mainframe):
zzzzzzzz.Rxxxxx.MPWRD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst
• Connect:Direct (Non-Mainframe):
[directory]Rxxxxx.MPWRD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst

LIS/LEP Data Report (Direct Bill beneficiaries):

• Gentran Mailbox/TIBCO MFT Internet Server:
P.Fxxxxx.LISLEPD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst.pn
P.Rxxxxx.LISLEPD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst.pn
• Connect:Direct (Mainframe):
zzzzzzzz.Fxxxxx.LISLEPD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst
zzzzzzzz.Rxxxxx.LISLEPD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst
• Connect:Direct (Non-Mainframe):
[directory]Fxxxxx.LISLEPD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst
[directory]Rxxxxx.LISLEPD.Dyymm01.Thhmmsst

Plans will receive corrected data in a Special Transaction Reply Report (STRR) dated April 26, 2013 and should evaluate whether the data should be processed.  Plans should verify that the NUNCMO value is correct for these beneficiaries and take the appropriate action to make any changes if needed.

The applicable NUNCMO Transaction Reply Code (TRC) is:

• 141 Uncovered Months Change Accepted                          

The applicable LEP TRCs are:

• 177 Change in Late Enrollment Penalty
• 178 Late Enrollment Penalty Rescinded
• 179 Accepted, Data on Premium Record Already Exist

Plans should use the reports above to validate that the LEP are correct for the affected beneficiaries. The STRR will contain the entire set of the impacted beneficiaries. The naming convention for the STRR is:

• Gentran or TIBCO mailbox:
P.Rxxxxx.SPCLTRD.Dyymmdd.Thhmmsst.pn
• Connect:Direct (Mainframe):
zzzzzzzz.Rxxxxx.SPLCTRD.Dyymmdd.Thhmmsst
• Connect:Direct (Non-Mainframe):
[directory]Rxxxxx.SPLCTRD.Dyymmdd.Thhmmsst

Please direct questions or concerns to the MAPD Help Desk at mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-927-8069.

• March 22, 2013 – Important Notice: Updated Electronic Retroactive Processing Transmission (eRPT) User Manual Now Available

Please note that the electronic Retroactive Processing Transmission (eRPT) User Manual has been updated to version 1.6 and is available for review in the Downloads section below. A section about the file conversion has been added. The eRPT application is a web-based application designed to facilitate and manage the electronic submission, workflow processing, and storage of documentation associated with retroactive adjustments submitted to CMS Retroactive Processing Contractor (RPC).

Please direct questions or concerns to the MAPD Help Desk at mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-927-8069.

• Plan Communications User Guide (Version 7.0) Now Available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has posted a new version (version 7.0) of the Plan Communications User Guide (commonly referred to as the Guide) to the MAPD Help Desk Web site. Enhancements to the Guide reflect changes incorporated from the February 2013 Release. Please reference the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans Communications User Guide link for the updated Guides.
Please direct questions or concerns to the MAPD Help Desk at mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-927-8069.

• Year 2013 MARx Plan Monthly Schedule Now Available

The MARx Plan Monthly Schedule for 2013 has been updated to reflect Plan data due dates, report release dates, and enrollment certification due dates. Text and color versions of the 2013 MARx calendar are available for Plans to review in the Downloads section below:

Please direct questions or concerns to the MAPD Help Desk at mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-927-8069.

• Enrollment and Eligibility System Production Calendar for 2013 Now Available

The MAPD Production Schedule has been updated to reflect 2013 file transmissions. A text and color version of the calendar is available for Plans to review in the Downloads section below.

Please direct questions or concerns to the MAPD Help Desk at mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov or 1-800-927-8069.

Planned Outages

• None scheduled.

Regularly Scheduled Maintenance

As a reminder, each Sunday night beginning at 6 pm (ET) through Monday morning at 6 am (ET), the Medicare Advantage and Part-D Inquiry System (Common UI) will be unavailable to Plan users for routine scheduled maintenance.

If there are any questions please contact the MAPD Help Desk at 1-800-927-8069.

MARx Common UI unavailable daily – approximately 11:00 PM through 12:30 AM EST due to maintenance.

IACS Weekly System Maintenance - Sunday 6 p.m. to Monday 6 a.m. EST.

GENTRAN (mailboxes) Weekly System Backup - Sunday 1 a.m. to approximately 3 a.m. EST.

Contacting the MAPD Help Desk

Phone: 1-800-927-8069
E-mail: mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST.