11 NCAC 20 .0405             VERIFICATION OF CREDENTIALS

(a)  Each carrier's process for verifying credentials shall take into account and make allowance for the time required to request and obtain primary source verifications and other information that must be obtained from third parties in order to authenticate the applicant's credentials, and shall make allowance for the scheduling of a final decision by a credentialing committee, if the carrier's credentialing program requires such review.

(b)  Within 60 days after receipt of a completed application and all supporting documents, the carrier shall assess and verify the applicant's qualifications and notify the applicant of its decision.  If, by the 60^th day after receipt of the application, the carrier has not received all of the information or verifications it requires from third parties, or date-sensitive information has expired, the carrier shall issue a written notification to the applicant either closing the application and detailing the carrier's attempts to obtain the information or verification, or pending the application and detailing the carrier's attempts to obtain the information or verifications.  If the application is held, the carrier shall inform the applicant of the length of time the application will be pending.  The notification shall include the name, address and phone number of a credentialing staff person who will serve as a contact person for the applicant.

(c)  Within 15 days after receipt of an incomplete application, the carrier shall notify the applicant in writing of all missing or incomplete information or supporting documents, in accordance with the following procedures:

(1)           The notice to the applicant shall include a complete and detailed description of all of the missing or incomplete information or documents that must be submitted in order for review of the application to continue.  The notification shall include the name, address, and telephone number of a credentialing staff person who will serve as a contact person for the applicant.

(2)           Within 60 days after receipt of all of the missing or incomplete information or documents, the carrier shall assess and verify the applicant's qualifications and notify the applicant of its decision, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this rule.

(3)           If the missing information or documents have not been received within 60 days after initial receipt of the application or if date-sensitive information has expired, the carrier shall close the application or delay final review, pending receipt of the necessary information.  The carrier shall provide written notification to the applicant of the closed or pending status of the application and where applicable, the length of time the application will be pending.  The notification shall include the name, address, and telephone number of a credentialing staff person who will serve as a contact person to the applicant.

(d)  If a carrier elects not to include an applicant in its network, for reasons that do not require review of the application, the carrier shall provide written notice to the applicant of that determination within 30 days after receipt of the application.

(e)  Nothing in this rule shall require a carrier to include a health care provider in its network or prevent a carrier from conducting a complete review and verification of an applicant's credentials, including an assessment of the applicant's office, before agreeing to include the applicant in its network.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 58-2-40(1); 58-3-230; 58-65-1; 58-65-25; 58-65-105; 58-67-5; 58-67-10; 58-67-20; 58-67-35; 58-67-65; 58-67-140; 58-67-150;

Eff. October 1, 1996;

Temporary Amendment Eff. October 1, 2001;

Eff. July 1, 2002;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. December 16, 2014.