Introducing test mode for claims
You can now test the entire claims workflow using test mode, including Stedi test API keys and test SFTP credentials. You can simulate a claim's lifecycle from end to end without submitting a real claim to a payer.
Previously, you could only submit test claims in production and had to mark each claim as a test. You couldn't include claim attachments for test claims.
Now, you can use test mode to:
- Submit test claims and validate them using Stedi's database of claim edits.
- Include claim attachments for test claims.
- Get 277CA claim acknowledgments for test claims.
- Get test Electronic Remittance Advice (ERAs) for claims submitted to the Stedi Test Payer.
- Get 999 Implementation Acknowledgments for rejected test claims that you submitted through SFTP.
Test mode works for all three 837 claim types: 837P professional, 837D dental, and 837I institutional.
If you're migrating to Stedi, test claims make it easier to validate your workflow before going live. If you're already a Stedi customer, you can use test claims to build integration tests.
Watch the 2026 Stedi Keynote announcement:
How to submit test claims
The following table outlines how test claim submission changes for each method.
| Before | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| CMS-1500 Create Professional Claim Submission endpoint | N/A | Test API key. usageIndicator is optional. If present, it must be T; otherwise Stedi rejects the request with an HTTP 403 error. |
| JSON Claim Submission API (Legacy) endpoints | Production API key with usageIndicator set to T. | Test API key. usageIndicator is now optional. If present, it must be T; otherwise Stedi rejects the request with an HTTP 403 error. |
| Raw X12 Claim Submission API endpoints | Production API key with ISA15 set to T. | Test API key with ISA15 set to T. |
| X12 over SFTP | Production user with ISA15 set to T. | Test user with ISA15 set to T. |
| X12 EDI upload in the Stedi portal | Production mode with ISA15 set to T. | Test mode with ISA15 set to T. |
| CMS-1500 form in the Stedi portal (professional claims only) | Production mode with EDI mode set to Test. | Test mode. The EDI mode field has been removed. |
| Claim attachments | Not supported. | Supported. |
For more information on submitting test claims, see Test claim workflows in our docs.
Deprecating test claims in production
We're deprecating the ability to submit test claims in production. New Stedi accounts can only submit test claims using a Stedi test API key, test SFTP credentials, or test mode in the Stedi portal.
If you already submit test claims in production, your current workflows will continue working. We recommend switching to test mode for test claim submissions. This ensures a mistyped usageIndicator or ISA15 can't send a live claim to a real payer.
Claim acknowledgments and ERAs for test claims
The payer you send a test claim to determines which test responses, such as 277CA claim acknowledgments or test ERAs, you get back. It also determines which claim edits Stedi uses to validate the claim.
| Payer | Test responses | Claim edits |
|---|---|---|
| Any payer | 277CA claim acknowledgment. | Claim edits that apply to the payer. |
| Stedi Test Payer | 277CA claim acknowledgment and test ERA. | Standard claim edits that apply to all Stedi payers. |
For more information on submitting test claims, see the Test payer-specific edits and Generate a test ERA in our docs.
Availability and pricing
Test mode for claims is available for free on all Stedi production accounts.
You can't submit test claims using a Stedi sandbox account. To submit test claims, upgrade to a production account.
Get started
To get started with Stedi, sign up for a free sandbox account. It takes less than two minutes. No credit card is required.
When you're ready to submit real or test claims, upgrade to production on our pay-as-you-go plan. There are no monthly minimums or setup fees. You only pay for the transactions you use.