The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is ready to launch its new online Medi-Cal provider enrollment portal. The system, called the Provider Application and Validation for Enrollment (PAVE), will transform provider enrollment from a manual paper-based process to a web-based portal that providers can use to complete and submit their applications and verifications and to report changes. The new portal will go live this Friday, November 18, 2016.

Initially, PAVE will be available for most physician and allied providers who enroll to serve fee-for-service beneficiaries directly through the DHCS Provider Enrollment Division. However, DHCS plans to expand PAVE access to Medi-Cal providers who enroll through other divisions and departments until all Medi-Cal enrollment activities are directed through the PAVE system. PAVE will eventually replace the paper application process, although paper applications will still be accepted for an undetermined transition period.

To help prepare you to use PAVE, DHCS is hosting three “Understanding PAVE Basics” webinars this week—Tuesday, November 15; Wednesday, November 16; and Thursday, November 17. The training webinars will occur from 2 to 4 p.m. each day. DHCS staff will guide you through the login process, as well as how to set up your user and business profiles, how to fill out a provider enrollment application and how to get help if you need it. Each of these three training session will cover similar information, so there is no need to attend more than one. All providers are welcome to participate, even if your provider type is in a future PAVE release. (Click here to register.)

The new system should significantly improve the provider enrollment experience by minimizing errors in the application process and significantly reducing the time required to process provider enrollments.

This initial release of PAVE will allow providers to check application status online and use electronic signatures for all provider types. PAVE will also allow providers to quickly revalidate their information in accordance with the Affordable Care Act.

The California Medical Association (CMA) has been involved in stakeholder meetings and beta testing of the new system over the past two years. Recent demos of the system seem very promising, with a much more intuitive interface and streamlined process.

DHCS will also be hosting a second series of webinars that will cover individual and group billing applications, affiliating with rendering providers, the “send” and “share” features, and secure messaging within PAVE. Based on your feedback, additional topics will be covered in future training sessions. Stay tuned for more information on these and future PAVE webinars.

For more details on PAVE, visit the DHCS website.

Contact: CMA reimbursement help line, (888) 501-4911 or economicservices@cmadocs.org.