You're not alone if you had problems with CMS's HIPAA Eligibility Transaction System (HETS) on Dec. 4. A new release of HETS designed to handle large traffic volumes experienced significant problems that day when ... it could not support large traffic volumes, the agency states in a notice.
"Although it performed well in the test environment, the system could not support the production traffic and was backed out" on Dec. 6, CMS says.
"CMS is aware of the impact of the current performance and connection problems on Medicare providers using this system to get needed beneficiary eligibility information. We regret the inconvenience and want to assure the provider and clearinghouse community that correcting HETS problems is a top priority for CMS. Your continued patience is appreciated."