OLD GREENWICH, Conn.--Sept. 7, 2006--Working closely with one of the new Medicare Enterprise Data Centers (EDC), IVANS successfully coordinated the setup and testing of direct data entry (DDE) access to the Fiscal Intermediary Standard System (FISS) for the first of many providers affected by the EDC migration.
IVANS tested the setup and implementation of the new login process to support access to DDE for two major providers located in the Southwest, Carondelet Health Network and Rocky Mountain Care. IVANS established network security, implemented profile changes and coordinated the distribution of new user IDs to the new EDC. Realizing that support would be critical, Carondelet Health Network and Rocky Mountain Care turned to IVANS Helpdesk for assistance, which included live call handling before, during and after the migration. Carondelet Health Network, located in Tucson, Arizona, is a Catholic, non-profit healthcare system, and Rocky Mountain Care is a healthcare management company based in Bountiful, Utah.
Surpassing EDC Migration Milestones
Both companies are among the first providers in the United States to complete the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) EDC migration - a key component of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). Alma L. Guzman, Medicare Supervisor, of Carondelet Health Network, said, "We were extremely pleased with IVANS coordination of the testing and implementation. Their helpdesk and project management team were very knowledgeable and took away any fears we had concerning this migration." During the testing phase, employees spoke about the new functionality and user-friendliness of the user access process. In fact, users now have control of resetting their passwords, which was not available previously.
Alisa Brisk, Medicare Biller, of Rocky Mountain Care commented, "The access information and instructions provided by IVANS were straightforward and outlined every step needed through the transition. Because of their guidance and Medicare expertise, the EDC migration went very smoothly and the benefits were quickly noticed."
With the EDC migration and establishment of a common enterprise infrastructure, the CMS will not only gain greater control of its data centers and improve service levels to providers across the country, but providers will be able to secure information more quickly, manage claims processing more efficiently and enjoy greater application flexibility through the EDCs.
IVANS Webinars on EDC Migration
In partnership with a number of fiscal intermediaries and insurance carriers, IVANS is currently hosting a series of free webinars to educate providers on the steps involved for EDC migration, including continued access to DDE. These webinars reach out to providers in Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming, and run August 18 thru October 27. For more information or to register, visit www.ivans.com/webinar.
About Carondelet Health Network
Carondelet Health Network, located in Tucson, Arizona, is a Catholic, non-profit healthcare system dedicated to responding to the healthcare needs of Southern Arizonans. Founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Carondelet facilities include: Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital, Carondelet St. Joseph's Hospital and Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital in Santa Cruz County; numerous outpatient facilities; and 16 multi-site primary care Carondelet Medical Group locations. The Carondelet Health Network has 4,000 employees, and 1,200 physicians and credentialed professionals on their medical staff.
About Rocky Mountain Care
Established in 1990, Rocky Mountain Care is a healthcare management company with 30 facilities across five Western states and employs more than 1,500 professionals. Headquartered in Bountiful, Utah, Rocky Mountain Care specializes in skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitative services, home health care services and hospice or "end-of-life" services.
About IVANS
IVANS, Inc. provides the insurance and healthcare industries with fully managed network, electronic data interchange (EDI) and agency-company interface solutions to help solve complex business issues. Headquartered in Old Greenwich, Conn. and a CMS approved vendor, IVANS serves over 475 insurance and healthcare organizations, more than 30,000 independent agents and 30,000 healthcare providers. With 24 years of experience successfully managing networks, the company also offers its clients relentless customer service, security solutions, reliable and accessible technical helpdesk support and expert enablement. IVANS, which was formed by 21 insurance companies, also has offices in Tampa, Fla. and Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit www.ivans.com.
