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ICMS Recognized for Customer Service
Author: | Monday April 06, 2009
Doing more with fewer resources. Files use to fill chairs.
ICMS Helps Out!!
Board Honored for
Efforts to Meet Needs
By Jan Dillard
At a time when everyone seems to be doing more with fewer resources, implementation of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation paperless system, ICMS, could not be timelier! Both users of the Board’s system and the internal staff at the Board are using ICMS to expedite claims processing and resolution of disputes.
In January the Board was honored with the Governor's Agency Customer Service award for 2008. The award is not for "technology" but ICMS has played an important part in developing tools for our staff and more efficient processes, access and delivery of the services our customers need.
In the past, a response to a customer inquiry could take from one to ten days, depending on where the physical file was located. Today, any staff member with access to ICMS can access a file immediately. In previous years, an appeal of a judicial decision might take seven days to get to the Appellate Division. Today, it is accessible by the Appellate Division immediately after being submitted into ICMS.
Judge Carolyn Hall, Chairman of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation, said, “ICMS helps emphasize the Board’s focus on customer service by getting our customers the information they need faster and in a friendlier, easier way.” We have made, and will continue to implement, ongoing enhancements to the system in response to our customers’ needs.
There are now over 900 attorneys registered as external users of ICMS and 150 internal users totaling over 1000 users of the paperless system! In addition, the Board has implemented a new Call Center that transfers callers to the appropriate person and tracks call resolution for the Board. If you need claims assistance or help with wconline, please call 404-656-3818 or 1-800-533-0682.
In the first part of 2009, the Board will begin rejecting documents filed in paper where an attorney is registered on wconline.
EDI Testing Continues
Implementation of EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) claims submissions continues at the State Board. EDI allows insurers and self-insurers to submit large volumes of data electronically into ICMS as an alternative to sending paper forms.
EDI submissions are for new workers’ compensation claims only. Electronic filing, whether via online web-filing or EDI, will become mandatory for all insurers and self-insurers July 1, 2009.
Implementation Group 2 organizations are continuing to test.
These are organizations that are not using EDI Claims service vendors. The Board expects completion of this test group in March 2009 which represents a 30 day extension to allow participants in this group to complete testing. The final group, Group 3, was expected to begin testing January 2009.
If you are unable to meet the test requirements, you must file a Request Form for EDI Test Extension which can be found on the SBWC web site: www.sbwc.georgia.gov ).
We are now testing with several EDI Claims service vendors who will support EDI Release 3 data transmission for individual organizations. Upon successful completion of our tests the vendors will be certified to support many of the licensed carriers and self insured employers in GA to implement EDI in anticipation of the Electronic Filing Mandate date of July 1, 2009. Testing with the service vendors is expected to be finished also in March 2009.
If you are using an EDI vendor, we must have a copy of your agreement with the software vendor or a formal Letter of Intent to use such a vendor.
Updates on our Web Site
The Georgia EDI Implementation Tables have been updated and are available from the SBW website www.sbwc.georgia.govunder “EDI Updates”. These tables identify the Georgia implementation of the IAIABC Release 3 Data Elements for claims and are useful for designing a response to the transmission requirements.
Also available on the web site are updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), Request Forms for EDI Test Extensions as well as EDI Exemption Forms.
Congratulations to all our users as they help us realize the advantages of this remarkable system.
Ed. Note: Jan Dillard, Ph.D., PMP - ICMS Project Manager, Glenridge Consulting Group has written a series of articles on the ICMS, most of which can be found at www.georgia1st.com.
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