Change Healthcare (formerly Emdeon) has posted this notice numerous times and I thought it was worth passing along.
The Dept of Veterans Affairs (VA) has observed a high volume of EDI transactions rejected due to invalid member ids. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would like to remind providers that new Veteran Health Identification Cards were issued to every veteran enrolled in VA health care, which includes the Veterans Choice Program. Each member ID card contains a new Member Identification (ID) Number and Plan ID. The veteran’s Social Security number (SSN) is no longer printed on health identification cards. Please also note that all inquiries for a veteran should be sent to payer ID for VAFEE and only spouses and dependents of Veterans should be sent to VAHAC or the member eligibility will not be found.
At the present time, providers must continue to use the Veteran’s SSN as the member ID when submitting EDI transactions to VA Fee Basis Programs. Per the payer’s instructions, Emdeon will reject EDI transactions that do not contain the veteran’s SSN as the member id. Providers should also ignore the Plan ID number printed on ID cards and continue to submit real-time transactions to Emdeon Payer ID VAFEE or 00231 for VA Fee Basis Program.
In the future, providers will be able to use the new veterans’ member ids when submitting EDI transactions, but an ETA has not yet been provided. The payer will provide more information on this matter as it becomes available and will publish updates on the VA ListServ Community Newsletter and Purchased Care website. http://www.va.gov/PURCHASEDCARE/programs/veterans/nonvacare/index.asp
The new cards have a 10 digit ID instead of the SSN so make sure you ask for the SSN when seeing these patients.
