10/28/2010

October Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS) Community Information Group (CIG) Webinar

The Retiree Drug Subsidy (RDS) Community Information Group (CIG) hosted a webinar on Wednesday, October 20, 2010.

Discussion topics included:

New Webinar Format
The October RDS CIG Webinar was the first to use the new interface. The new look and feel will allow users to participate in the monthly webinars more easily, and features a full screen mode for easier viewing.

What If I Miss the Application Deadline?
If you did not submit an Application by its deadline, you will receive an email informing you that your Application has passed the Application Deadline. If you submitted an Application and were denied, you have the right to file an Appeal. In either case, you can start a new Application that has a later Plan Year Start Date and an Application Deadline that has not yet passed.

What Should I Do After I Have Submitted My Application?
After submitting the Application, it is important to process your Response File as soon as you receive it. You should also resolve any Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) errors that arise from submission.

Retiree Processing Enrollment Changes
Submit any changes to beneficiary demographics, changes in enrollment, or any beneficiaries that were denied if you believe they should be covered. Process Valid Initial Retiree List Response Files and Notification Files, and monitor Part D Enrollment Rejection Notifications. Initiate Payment Setup for Interim Payments, and continue to report costs and request payment as necessary.

It is also important to identify the members of your organization who will be participating in the Application process, based on which user roles (for example, Authorized Representative or Account Manager) they will be assigned in the RDS Secure Website.

Preparing for Reconciliation
Methods for preparing for Reconciliation were presented, including coordinating Individual Retiree Costs, continuously maintaining current retiree data in RDS, applying rebates and other price concessions, assigning and maintaining user roles, and creating a project plan.

General RDS Program Updates
Educational materials on the Reconciliation process are in development, including a "30,000-Foot View" Web Based Training (WBT), a Job Aid with a checklist, and a comprehensive Reconciliation Guide.

The next phase of the Quick Access Reporting (QAR) feature will begin with the rollout of test reports to QAR testing participants. Cost Reporting Vendors with a Secure Website account may volunteer to participate.

Upcoming Releases
Changes to Step 6: Manage Submission of Final Cost Reports and Step 7: Review Final Costs of the Reconciliation process will be implemented in the coming months, as well as a new look to the RDS Program Website. To facilitate the releases, the RDS Secure Website will undergo the following outages, running from Friday 8:00PM EST to Sunday 8:00PM EST on the following weekends: November 5-7, November 12-14, December 3-5, and December 17-19.

Q&A
Key questions and suggestions submitted to the RDS CIG mailbox (RDSCIG@cms.hhs.gov ) prior to the webinar were discussed and answered.

RDS CIG encourages Plan Sponsors to send further inquiries to the RDSCIG@cms.hhs.gov mailbox.

Streaming Audio
The October RDS CIG Webinar offered streaming audio over the internet. 70% of the attendees used the streaming audio instead of dialing-in on the telephone. CMS' RDS Center will continue to offer this feature for future webinars.

See you on November 17th!
CMS' RDS Center looks forward to your attendance at the next RDS CIG monthly webinar on November 17, 2010.

Plan Sponsor and Vendor community participation and feedback contribute to the success of the RDS Program.