The MMA 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

• October 10, 2008 –Week-at-a-Glance October 12th through October 19th

Please review the Week-at-a-Glance memo in the Downloads section below for details regarding the weekly TRRs scheduled for transmission October 12 -19, 2008.

• October 8, 2008 - Update - October PDP Notification Files for Reassignment and Auto/Facilitated Enrollment

Plans received a memo via HPMS dated October 8, 2008 from Alan Constantian entitled "October PDP Notification Files for Reassignment and Auto/Facilitated Enrollment." Please note that the files names referred to in the memo were incorrect. An updated memo can be found in the Downloads section below.

• October 6, 2008 - Reminder: Last day to submit enrollment files for November is this Friday, October 10, 2008

As a reminder, the cutoff for Plan enrollment submissions for the November payment month is Friday, October 10, 2008. CMS strongly encourages Plans to submit transactions for the November payment cycle early and often. Transactions are being processed daily and CMS recommends that Plans not wait until the cutoff date to transmit their enrollment files. Plans should submit batches of enrollment transactions daily if possible. Please note that requests to process batch retro files must be received by 12:00 noon (ET) on Wednesday, October 8, 2008 to be considered by your DPO representative.

Please direct questions or concerns to the MMA Help Desk.
 

• October 6, 2008 - REMINDER: Appropriate use of CMS user IDs

This reminder of CMS policy is directed to all users registered in IACS.

Please note that this email is a recurring notice distributed by the MMA Help Desk every 90 days. Receipt of this email does not indicate a violation has occurred; it is intended only to remind IACS users of the importance of adhering to CMS policy.

If you have any questions, please contact the MMA Help Desk at mmahelp@cms.hhs.gov or via phone at 1-800-927-8069.

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1.1 Rules of Behavior

CMS computer systems that you are requesting to use contain sensitive information. Sensitive information is any information which the loss, misuse, unauthorized access to, or modification of could adversely affect the national interest, or the conduct of Federal programs, or the privacy to which individuals are entitled under the Privacy Act. To ensure the security and privacy of sensitive information in Federal computer systems, the Computer Security Act of 1987 requires agencies to identify sensitive computer systems, conduct computer security training, and develop computer security plans. CMS maintains a system of records for use in assigning, controlling, tracking, and reporting authorized access to and use of CMS's computerized information and resources. CMS records all access to its computer systems and conducts routine review for unauthorized access to and/or illegal activity.

Anyone with access to CMS Computer Systems containing sensitive information must abide by the following:

• Do not disclose or lend your IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND/OR PASSWORD to someone else. They are for your use only and serve as your electronic signature. This means that you may be held responsible for the consequences of authorized or illegal transactions.
• Do not browse or use CMS data files for unauthorized or illegal purposes.
• Do not use CMS data files for private gain or to misrepresent yourself or CMS.
• Do not make any disclosure of CMS data that is not specifically authorized.
• Do not duplicate CMS data files, create sub-files of such records, remove or transmit data unless you have been specifically authorized to do so.
• Do not change, delete, or otherwise alter CMS data files unless you have been specifically authorized to do so.
• Do not make copies of data files, with identifiable data, or data that would allow individual identities to be deduced unless you have been specifically authorized to do so.
• Do not intentionally cause corruption or disruption of CMS data files.

A violation of these security requirements could result in termination of systems access privileges and/or disciplinary/adverse action up to and including legal prosecution. Federal, State, and/or local laws may provide criminal penalties for any person illegally accessing or using a Government-owned or operated computer system. If you become aware of any violation of these security requirements or suspect that your identification number or password may have been used by someone else, immediately report that information to your component's Information Systems Security Officer or your organization approving official for CMS access.

Please direct questions or concerns to the MMA Help Desk.

• September 29, 2008 – October Full-Dual File for MA Organizations and Cost Plans

Please review the MA Full Dual File Notification memo in the Downloads section below for details regarding the October MA Full-Dual File. The file is scheduled for transmission on or about Friday, October 3, 2008.

• August 25, 2008 – Updated - Announcement of Fall Software Release

Please review the updated memo in the Downloads section below entitled "Updated Announcement of Fall Software Release v2" regarding CMS systems enhancements scheduled for implementation in November.

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

Enrollment and Eligibility System Production Calendar

• NEW! (October 3, 2008) - The MMA Production Schedule for 2008 has been updated to reflect the change to the weekly TRR transmission day. Effective October 5, 2008 the weekly TRR will officially be sent on Sundays. Please note that both calendars contain the same information. For either version, see the Downloads section below.

Planned Outages

Due to updates of the CMS search engine the MMA Advanced Search option located in the Related Links Inside CMS section will not be functional for a period of time. CMS intends to have the function available by early January. Pending the completion of the upgrade we have removed the MMA Advanced Search link from the MMA portal. Please direct questions or concerns to the MMA Help Desk.

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 MMA Help Desk at 1-800-927-8069.

• 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 MMA Help Desk

Phone: 1-800-927-8069
Email: mmahelp@cms.hhs.gov
Hours of Operation: M-F 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST.

 

Downloads
Week-at-a-Glance October 12th through October 19th, October 10, 2008 [PDF, 35KB] Updated October PDP Notification Files for Reassignment and for Auto/Facilitated Enrollment, October 8, 2008 [PDF, 33KB] MA Full Dual File Notification, September 29, 2008 [PDF, 36KB] Updated Announcement of Fall Software Release v2, August 25, 2008 [PDF, 270KB] Enrollment and Eligibility System Production Calendar for 2008 (Color-Coded), October 3, 2008 [PDF, 74KB] Enrollment and Eligibility System Production Calendar for 2008 (Text Format), October 3, 2008 [PDF, 43KB]
Related Links Inside CMS
There are no Related Links Inside CMS
Related Links Outside CMS
There are no Related Links Outside CMS

 

Page Last Modified: 10/14/2008 1:43:50 PM
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