Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans December 28 ...

Plan Communications User Guide Appendices, Version 6.3
F.21 Batch Eligibility Query (BEQ) Request File
The BEQ Request File includes transactions submitted by Plans to request eligibility information
for prospective Plan enrollees. The file is used to conduct initial eligibility checks against CMS
MBD system to verify member is Part A / B eligible.
This file includes the following records:
Header Record
Detail Record
Trailer Record
F.21.1 Header Record
Field Size Position Format Valid Values Description
File ID
Name
Sending
Entity:
CMS
File
Creatio
n Date
File
Control
Number
8 1- 8 X(8) “MMABEQRH” Critical Field: This field is always set to the value
"MMABEQRH.” This code identifies the file as a
BEQ Request File and this record as the Header
Record of the file.
8 9-16 X(8) Sending
Organization (left
justified space
filled)
Acceptable
Values:
5-position
Contract. (3
Spaces are for
Future use)
Critical Field: This field provides CMS with the
identification of the entity that is sending the BEQ
Request File. The value for this field is provided to
CMS and used in connection with CMS electronic
routing and mailbox functions. The value in this field
should agree with the corresponding value in the
Trailer Record.
The Sending Entity may participate in Part D.
8 17-24 X(8) CCYYYYMMDD Critical Field: The date that the Sending Entity created
the BEQ Request File. This value’s format is
YYYYMMDD. For example, January 3 2010 is the
value 20100103. This value should agree with the
corresponding value in the Trailer Record. CMS
returns this information to the Sending Entity on all
Transactions (Detail Records) of a BEQ Response
File.
9 25-33 X(9) Assigned by
Sending Entity
Critical Field
The specific Control Number assigned by the Sending
Entity to the BEQ Request File. CMS returns this
information to the Sending Entity on all Transactions
(Detail Records) of a BEQ Response File. This value
should agree with the corresponding value in the
Trailer Record.
Filler 717 34-750 X(717) Spaces No meaningful values are supplied in this field. This
field is set to SPACES and is not referenced for
meaningful information.
Total Length = 750
December 28, 2012 F-106 BEQ Request File