Ohio hospitals are still awaiting detailed information about the scheduled 2011 transition of Medicare provider and beneficiary operations to a new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). The CMS J-15 MAC covers Ohio and Kentucky and includes all Medicare Part A and B claims processing, beneficiary outreach, audit & reimbursement and medical review activities for all provider types, excepting hospice and freestanding home health. All that is publicly available on the conversion so far is in CMS CR 6999.

CIGNA Government Services was named the J-15 MAC late last year and is assuming an aggressive transition schedule that will move all Medicare Part B operations in Kentucky, including physicians and other practitioners, from Palmetto GBA on April 30. Ohio Part B will transition on June 18. Responsibility for all Medicare Part A business for both states, which includes hospitals and other facility-based health care providers, will go from National Government Services to CIGNA, with a subcontract to Riverbend GBA, on Oct. 17. CIGNA's MAC Web site is still relatively new and does not contain much background or detail, but CIGNA is encouraging providers and their vendors and trading partners to join its listserv for news and updates on the MAC transition.

Neither CIGNA nor Riverbend currently plans to have a physical presence in Ohio or Kentucky and will instead operate out of their Tennessee home base. CIGNA states its provider outreach and education plans are still in the works, especially as they relate to Part A providers, which will transition last, but OHA's ABC Committee is already in contact with CIGNA officials and OHA will keep this site updated as the J-15 MAC becomes operational.