CMS has released the final announcement that TrailBlazer will assume responsibility for the Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas J4 MAC segments (states) based on the segment-specific effective dates below. Because TrailBlazer currently has responsibility for processing over 75 percent of the J4 MAC workload as the Part A Fiscal Intermediary (FI) for the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas as well as the Part B carrier in Texas, it is anticipated that the impact to those providers already served by TrailBlazer will be minimal.
NOTE: Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) (formerly Mutual of Omaha) providers are not affected by the J4 implementation activities at this time. CMS is studying how best to transition to the applicable A/B MACs the workload formerly processed by Mutual of Omaha and now processed by Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation. CMS will notify all parties as soon as its instructions are final.
| Outgoing Contractor/J4 Segment/State |
Contractor ID |
J4 MAC Effective Date |
LCD Effective Date |
Dark Day* |
J4 MAC Operations Begin |
|
HCSC Part A FI
- Oklahoma
|
04301 |
3/1/2008 |
3/1/2008 |
2/29/2008 |
3/3/2008 |
|
Pinnacle Part B Carrier
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
|
04202
04302 |
3/1/2008 |
3/1/2008 |
2/29/2008 |
3/3/2008 |
|
Noridian Part B Carrier
- Colorado
|
04102 |
3/21/2008 |
3/21/2008 |
3/21/2008 |
3/24/2008 |
|
TrailBlazer Part A FI
- Colorado
- New Mexico
- Texas
|
04101
04201 04401 |
6/13/2008 |
6/13/2008 |
6/16/2008
|
6/17/2008 |
|
TrailBlazer Part B Carrier
-Texas
|
04402
|
6/13/2008 |
6/13/2008 |
6/13/2008
|
6/16/2008 |
*A dark day is defined as a day during the regular work week in which the Medicare claims processing system is not available for normal business operations.
Note: Regardless of date of service, all claims processing, customer services and payments will be processed by the J4 MAC upon cutover effective dates. Outgoing contractors will transfer all pending and in-process operations at that time.