As part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) consolidation of Medicare data center operations, Highmark Medicare Services will transition our Pennsylvania Part B data center operations to a new Enterprise Data Center (EDC) from Saturday, December 8, 2007 through Monday, December 10, 2007.

In order to minimize disruptions during the transition period, Highmark Medicare Services will continue to provide updated communications regarding possible impacts to Medicare Part B providers in the Pennsylvania jurisdiction on our website at www.highmarkmedicareservices.com as well as via our listserv.  This notice is to alert you to the “Dark Days” service interruptions and outages during cutover weekend so that you can properly prepare for it.

“Dark Days” from 12/08/07 through 12/10/07

In order to complete this transition, Highmark Medicare Services will need to observe system “dark days”.  During “dark days,” there will be NO access to the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system.  In the event that a cycle delay or MCS availability delay occurs due to the EDC transition, a listserv email and website notification will be sent with a status update and the estimated time of system and/or EDI report availability.

EDI Processing Availability From 12/08/07 through 12/10/07

EDI claims received after 4 p.m. on Friday, December 7, 2007 through 4 p.m. on Monday, December 10, 2007, will be entered into the MCS processing system Monday night, December 10, 2007.  These claims will generate EDI reports for retrieval on Tuesday, December 11, 2007. 

Customer Contact Center/Telephone Appeals and IVR Availability from 12/07/07 through 12/10/07

Due to the EDC transition, the IVR will NOT be available beginning Friday, December 7th at 4:30 p.m. continuing through Monday, December 10th.

Due to the dark day, the Customer Contact Center including Telephone Appeals will be closed on Monday, December 10th.

We will resume normal Customer Contact Center, Telephone Appeals and IVR business hours on Tuesday, December 11, 2007.