Part 4 - Iowa Medicaid Enterprise

RFP MED-12-001 | Technical ProposalIowa Medicaid Enterprise System Service Procurement | MMIS and Core MMIS Operationsfiles and data sets selected by the Department. Parallel testing will be conducted through back-end batchprocessing through a normal flow such that the transactions from these control files are posted and thatthe transactions show up on the claims system as well as operational reports. Testing will be executed byTeam Noridian’s start-up and implementation and operational staff concurrently.During the test planning stage, Team Noridian will select three months claims data as tests to be executedduring the parallel test. These three months of testing data will be selected using data previouslyadjudicated on the legacy system and processed within nine months of the planned production installationdate. Team Noridian will create an inventory of the parallel test to be executed and record them in theparallel test plan. Analysis of the claims data sets will yield the set of dependant data needed to completeadjudication and payment of the claims. The claims sets and historical data should be recent to reflectcurrent eligibility to limit the number of discrepancies in the results. Re-tests of the parallel system testmay be necessary, should the results indicate that a re-test is required. When this occurs, Team Noridianwill follow the project standard defect management system to record and track defects in parallel test toclosure prior to completion of the testing phase. In an ideal situation, the test results will be identical andTeam Noridian will consider the test a success. Determination of success is determined by comparing thestatus of the claims after processing in the new system, the payment amount (if paid), and the equivalenterror codes, reason and remark codes generated. Team Noridian will develop explanations and rationalefor variances in test results. Department staff will also need to be involved to help analyze the resultsfrom the legacy MMIS and determine why there may be differing results.Upon completion of the test phase, a test results report is delivered including results of the final paralleltest iteration, any documented discrepancies, and corrective actions implemented (closed defects).Load and Stress Test. Unlike functional tests that simply pass or fail, Load and Stress test often arerepeated against revised configurations until they achieve the best possible performance in excess of therequirements or until the test fails. Load and Stress tests determine the point at which the system can nolonger handle any additional load. This type of test also allows the team the opportunity to determine theoptimum system configuration and measure maximum output. To design the test to simulate theproduction system, two classes of metrics will be gathered from the legacy MMIS system. The first groupof metrics is functional in nature and describes current user behavior. These metrics will form the basis offunctionality to be performed by the performance test scenarios. The second group of metrics describescharacteristics of the environment and includes metadata to help design and generate realistic data inputsto the test scenarios. Because the new MMIS solution architecture will be fundamentally different fromthat of the legacy MMIS, most of the metrics will not have an exact correlation between the systems andwill therefore require an informed translation before being applied to the new MMIS load tests. This willoccur during the test design phase and involve Team Noridian and Department personnel as part of thecollaborative design sessions. Load and Stress testing will verify capacity to process production batchvolumes of claims as well as online, web-access using production sized databases. At the successfulconclusion of the Load and Stress tests, Team CNSI will produce a test report containing descriptions ofthe tests run, changes made to the system configuration to complete performance tuning, with thesupporting evidence gathered during test that demonstrates the new MMIS system meets the requirementsof the RFP and as established during DSD.Beta Tests. Team Noridian will implement beta tests for system components and features that impactexternal users. Examples of areas that will undergo beta testing are: web portal and web-based claimssubmission. Beta testing is limited to end user functionality; meaning it does not address system to systeminteractions given that system level tests are conducted during other parts of ORT and potentially othertest events. Beta tests are most successful when willing and active participants are involved. Hence, TeamNoridian will work with the Department and the provider management services contractor to identify andscreen end users and providers that are likely candidates for beta testing. Team Noridian will, againworking with the Department and provider management services contractor, conduct outreach activities to8 | 155