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

• September 21, 2012 – Important Notice: End-of-Year 2012 Enrollment and Payment Systems Processing Information Memorandum

Please see the memo dated September 21, 2012 in the Downloads section below from Arrah Tabe-Bedward, Acting Director, Medicare Enrollment and Appeals Group, Cheri Rice, Director, Medicare Plan Payment Group, and Dr. Raj G. Iyer, Director, Information Services Design and Development Group, regarding end-of-year 2012 enrollment and payment systems processing information.

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

• August 29, 2012 - Plan Communications User Guide (version 6.2) Now Available

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has posted a new version (version 6.2) 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 August 2012 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.

• August 20, 2012 - Announcement of the November 2012 Software Release

The memo entitled "Announcement of the November 2012 Software Release" dated August 20, 2012, is available in the Downloads section below. It provides detailed information regarding the 2012 November software release.

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 2012 Now Available

The MAPD Production Schedule has been updated to reflect 2012 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.

• Year 2012 MARx Plan Monthly Schedule Now Available

The MARx Plan Monthly Schedule for 2012 has been updated to reflect Plan data due dates, report release dates, and enrollment certification due dates. Text and color versions of the 2012 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.                                                                     

Planned Outages

• September 20, 2012 – Important Notice: Mainframe Outage
  Sunday, September 23, 2012, 2:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Please be advised that there will be a Mainframe outage on Sunday, September 23, 2012, from 2:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Eastern Time).  This is due to system maintenance.  The following will be unavailable to Plan users for the duration of the outage: Connect:Direct (for file transfer), Gentran (via Internet), TIBCO, MAPDOIS (IUI), and the MARX Common UI.

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

• September 20, 2012 – Important Notice: Application Service Outage
  Friday, September 21, 2012 at 9:00 PM through Sunday, September 23, 2012 at 9:00 PM

Please be advised that there will be an application service outage on Friday, September 21, 2012 at 9:00 PM through Sunday, September 23, 2012 at 9:00 PM (Eastern Time) due to production server patching.  The following will be unavailable to Plan users for the duration of the outage: IACS (idm.cms.hhs.gov); MARx Common UI (am.cms.hhs.gov, marx.cms.hhs.gov); and MAPDOIS (IUI) (mapdiui.cms.hhs.gov).

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

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.