For Immediate Release:

July 31, 2019

Media Contacts: 
Marci Manley
Deputy Chief of Communications
marci.manley@dhs.arkansas.gov

Arkansas Medicaid Has Made Improvements to Provider Enrollment Process

New online portal enhancements and training materials will make process easier

(LITTLE ROCK, Ark.) — The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Medical Services (DMS) has strengthened the Medicaid provider enrollment process and has worked through a backlog of pending applications and renewals. The result is a more user-friendly process that should take less time for doctors, hospitals, and other Medicaid providers to complete. 

“We want the enrollment and revalidation process to be easy for providers, because we know that the more providers we have the better access our clients have to the care they need,” said DMS Director Janet Mann. “I appreciate all the feedback providers have given as well as their patience as we’ve made these changes.”

Improvements include:

• Repurposing nine positions for use in the provider enrollment call center, reducing average call center wait time from over one hour last fall to approximately 70 seconds in the last two months. This was done without additional funds. 
• Adding 27 short-term contract employees to help address the large number of pending enrollment and revalidation applications. This additional staff enabled DMS to work through the backlog and resume normal application inventory volume by June 30, 2019. 
• Creating a checklist of required documents by provider type and step-by-step instructions for completing the online application and posting them online. 
• Aligning site visits and fingerprint-based background checks processes with federal requirements for enrolling and revalidating moderate and high-risk provider types.  

Starting July 31, providers who go to the Provider Enrollment portal (https://portal.mmis.arkansas.gov/armedicaid/provider/Home/tabid/135/Default.aspx) to submit a revalidation application will encounter recent enhancements to the portal, including being able to view their revalidation, license, and certification expiration date information.

Providers whose revalidation dates are on or after November 1, 2019, will no longer have to complete a full enrollment application to revalidate, but will be prompted to complete a streamlined, pre-populated revalidation application form instead.

Due to the recent changes to the provider enrollment process, the Department extended the deadline for enrolled providers whose revalidation dates were on or before May 31, 2019, to revalidate their enrollment in the Arkansas Medicaid program to August 30, 2019. 

DHS has sent providers that need to revalidate their Medicaid enrollment at least three letters explaining the importance of revalidating and the deadline for submitting information. In addition, the agency has reached out to Arkansas associations that work on behalf of Medicaid providers, encouraging those organizations to share information about revalidation with their members.

As of July 24, 1,045 providers still had not submitted information needed to complete the revalidation process. If these providers fail to submit a revalidation  application by August 30, they will be disenrolled from the Arkansas Medicaid program. Once disenrolled, providers will not be able to bill Medicaid for services rendered until they submit a revalidation application and that application is reviewed and approved. 

Providers can go to https://portal.mmis.arkansas.gov/armedicaid/provider/Home/tabid/135/Default.aspx to log into the portal and check their revalidation deadlines or to submit a revalidation application online using the instructions below.  

Instructions for submitting application:

• Under “Would you like to enroll as a Provider or a Trading Partner?” click the Provider link.
• Click the Enrollment Application link.
• Enter your information and when you reach the question, “Are you currently enrolled as a Provider?” click yes, and then enter therovider ID.

If providers have questions or need assistance with the online application, please contact the Arkansas Medicaid Provider Enrollment Office at (501) 376-2211 or in-state toll-free at 1-800-457-4454.

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