Key Takeaways
- Health plans are committed to making accurate and up-to-date provider directory information available to consumers. Collaboration amongst plans, and the industry more broadly, is important in finding a solution.
- Between April and September 2016, AHIP worked with two vendors to contact over 160,000 providers, testing different ways to coordinate with them to update key directory data.
- Maintaining accurate provider directories is a shared responsibility that requires a joint commitment from health plans and providers to ensure consumers and patients have the information they need and the information is updated in a timely and accurate fashion.
Background
Provider directories are comprehensive listings of the physicians and other clinicians, facilities (e.g., hospitals), and pharmacies that are contracted with a health plan to provide services to their enrollees. These directories, which are usually posted online and in a searchable format, are a valuable resource for individuals and their families. Information such as provider address, phone number, and specialty are typically included in the directory.