Serving 13.1 million beneficiaries with reliable, efficient healthcare claims processing
Business challenge
Process 119 million Medicare part A\B and DME claims annually for the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services, including 290,000 healthcare providers, with zero downtime.
Solution
Unisys provides a co-located disaster recovery (DR) facility in Eagan, Minnesota: a floor-to-ceiling caged data center with proximity card readers, cameras, 24x7 security and biometric locks on the cage and its 28 cabinets; office space for 350 persons in the event of a disaster including the use of Unisys’ disaster command center; wireless network for hardware, VOIP and PC network; IaaS capacity for 300 VMs and virtual desktops (dedicated and private) with access to facilities and Unisys staff for support and audits.
Results and benefits
- Performed the most successful DR test in the organization’s history, exceeding expected completion in 78% of the time planned (done in 3.5 days versus 4.5 anticipated)
- Achieved having a single DR location for system and application recovery
- Developed a mature business contingency and continuity program that is ready for any future business expansion
- Audited to FISMA’s high-security standards
Co-locating our data center with Unisys is really a best practice in DR effectiveness. We no longer have to worry about costly capital investments associated with core infrastructure upgrades and building leases, space constraints or access to facilities during disasters. We’ve gone from having systems in various locations to a single facility that can accommodate all of our space and support needs to ensure continuous processing of Medicaid and Medicare claims.
Gwendoline Poyner
Business Continuity Manager - Information Security & Risk Management, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota