MAPD Help Desk

Email address:             MAPDHelp@cms.hhs.gov
Help Desk Phone:       1-800-927-8069

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.

For helpful information about the following topics, please click the link:

• MAPD Help Desk FAQs
• Remote Identity Proofing (RIDP)
• Common MARx UI Login Errors

Bulletin Board of Current Plan Communications

• January 5, 2017 – MARx UI Availability on Saturday, January 7, 2017 and Sunday, January 8, 2017

Due to system maintenance, please be advised that MARx UI login functionality may not be available between 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET Saturday, January 7, and from 12:00 AM – 6:00 AM ET Sunday, January 8.

• December 27, 2016 – MAPD Help Desk Availability from December 30, 2016 –  January 3, 2017

Please be advised that the MAPD Help Desk will be open from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM (ET) on Friday, December 30, 2016 and will be closed on Monday, January 2, 2017 due to the New Year’s holiday.  The MAPD Help Desk will resume operating under its usual hours of 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM (ET) on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.

• December 21, 2016 – MARx UI Availability on Sunday, December 25, 2016

Please be advised that MARx UI login functionality may not be available between 12:00 AM ET and 6:00 AM ET on Sunday, December 25, 2016 due to HPE Linux patching.

• December 21, 2016 – Announcement of the February 2017 Software Release

For detailed information regarding the February 2017 software release, please review the memo entitled “Announcement of the February 2017 Software Release” dated December 20, 2016 from Cheri Rice and Cathy Carter in the Downloads section below.

• December 20, 2016 – Updated Plan Communications User Guide Appendices (Version 10.3) Now Available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has posted a revised Plan Communications User Guide Appendices (Version 10.3, November 30, 2016) to the MAPD Help Desk Web site.  The Appendices contains the following revisions within Appendix F: updated descriptions for "COB Effective Date" and "Effective Date of Other Drug Coverage" in the Primary (F.2.3) and Supplemental (F.2.4) Record Layouts of the COB OHI Data File (Part D Only).  No other content updates were incorporated to the November 30, 2016 Appendices v10.3 during the revision process.  Please reference the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans Communications User Guide link for the updated Appendices.

• December 19, 2016 - MAPD Help Desk Closed on December 26, 2016

In observance of the Christmas holiday, please be advised that the MAPD Help Desk will be closed on Monday, December 26, 2016.  The MAPD Help Desk will resume operating under its usual hours of 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM (ET) on Tuesday, December 27, 2016.

• December 1, 2016 – Year 2017 MARx Plan Monthly Calendar Now Available

The MARx Plan Monthly Calendar for 2017 has been updated to reflect Plan data due dates, report release dates, and enrollment certification due dates. Text and color versions of the 2017 MARx calendar are available for Plans to review in the Downloads section below.

• December 1, 2016 – MAPD Production Schedule for 2017 Now Available

The MAPD Production Schedule has been updated to reflect 2017 file transmissions. Text and color versions of the schedule are available for Plans to review in the Downloads section below.

• December 1, 2016 – Important Notice: MARx UI Processing and Availability for the Weekend of December 2, 2016

Please be advised that the MARx UI will be in READ only mode from 9:30 PM ET on Friday, December 2, 2016, until 6:00 PM ET on Sunday, December 4, 2016, due to weekly maintenance. 

Additionally, in support of Secondary reenrollment process and 2015 MARx Final Year RAS Reconciliation processing activities, Plan transaction processing will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2016.  Any MARx Plan transaction files received after 9:00 PM ET Friday, December 2, 2016 will be processed once RAS process is complete on Monday, December 5, 2016. Submitters will not receive any Batch Completion Reports on Saturday, December 3, 2016. 

Also, the Daily Transaction Reply Report (DTRR) will not be transmitted to Plans on the morning of Sunday, December 4, 2016.  The next DTRR transmission after Saturday morning December 3, 2016, will be on the morning of Tuesday, December 6, 2016.

• November 30, 2016 - Plan Communications User Guide (Version 10.3) Now Available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has posted a new version (version 10.3) 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 November 2016 Release.  Please reference the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans Communications User Guide link for the updated Guide.

• November 10, 2016 – Advance Announcement of the February 2017 Software Release

Please review the memo entitled “Advance Announcement of the February 2017 Software Release” from Cheri Rice and Cathy Carter dated November 9, 2016, in the Downloads section below for preliminary information regarding the planned release of systems changes scheduled for February 2017.

• October 6, 2016 – EPOC Registration: Helpful Documents

Please  note that two documents, entitled “EPOC Access Acknowledgement Form” and “Template for EPOC Letter,” have been added to the Downloads section below to assist with the EPOC registration process. 

• September 12, 2016 – Announcement of the November 2016 Software Release

For detailed information regarding the November 2016 software release, please review the memo entitled “Announcement of the November 2016 Software Release” dated September 9, 2016 from Cheri Rice and Cathy Carter in the Downloads section below.

• August 30, 2016 – EIDM Instructions for Users Not Certified by EPOCs

Instructions for EIDM users not certified by EPOCs during the annual recertification process have been added to the Downloads section below, entitled "EIDM Instructions for Users Not Certified by EPOCs."

• August 9, 2016 – Advance Announcement of the November 2016 Software Release

Please review the memo entitled “Advance Announcement of the November 2016 Software Release” from Cheri Rice and Cathy Carter dated August 8, 2016, in the Downloads section below for preliminary information regarding the planned release of systems changes scheduled for November 2016.

• July 20, 2016 –  Electronic Retroactive Processing Transmission (eRPT) R3M2 and New User Manual v3.2

CMS uses Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) to authenticate user credentials for the eRPT application.  All eRPT users must request and receive approval for an appropriate eRPT role through EIDM.  

The eRPT Plan User Manual v3.2 has been updated with a new Section 3.3.2 User Replacement to instruct the user to follow appropriate steps during role transition from one user to another.  The updated user manual is available in the Downloads section below.

If you have any questions, please send an email to ERPT_REMEDY@scopeinfotechinc.com.

• Important Notice: MAPD Help Desk Information Request Documents

Please be advised, a new information request form has been developed for use when e-mailing the MAPD Help Desk.  Use of this form is required for new inquiries, and will help ensure that all information necessary for the MAPD Help Desk to provide prompt service is captured.  In support of this form, a spreadsheet template is provided for those who need to submit HICNs with their support request.  Use of the form and when applicable the associated spreadsheet will help facilitate accurate and timely processing of your support request.  Please note that when using the spreadsheet to ensure CMS Security Policy for sending PII is followed. 

Both the MAPD Help Desk Information Request Form and MAPD Help Desk HICN Spreadsheet are provided in the Downloads section below, in the attachment titled, “MAPD Help Desk Information Request Documents.”

If you have any questions regarding secure submission of PII and/or the use of the MAPD Help Desk Information form or spreadsheet, please contact the MAPD Help Desk.

Regularly Scheduled Maintenance

As a reminder, the MARx UI may be unavailable due to Regularly Scheduled Maintenance during the following timeframes:

• Daily: 11:00 PM to 12:30 AM ET.
• Weekly: Sunday evening at 6:00 PM to Monday morning at 6:00 AM ET.

Also, GENTRAN/TIBCO may be unavailable due to Weekly System Backup during the following timeframe:

• Weekly: Sunday Morning at 1:00 AM to approximately 3:00 AM ET.

MARx UI Submission Cut Off Dates

Please reference the following table for the 2017 Plan Data Due dates for MARx transaction submissions.  Cutoff for the submission of MARx transaction files is 8:00 PM (Eastern Time) on the dates listed below:

Contacting the MAPD Help Desk

Phone: 1-800-927-8069
E-mail: mapdhelp@cms.hhs.gov
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM ET.