What Is CAQH and How Do You Set It Up?

CAQH stands for the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare. If you are a newly licensed therapist, psychologist, or PMHNP starting the insurance credentialing process, CAQH ProView is one of the first things you will encounter. Most major commercial payers require a completed and attested CAQH profile before they will even begin reviewing a credentialing application. Understanding what CAQH is and how to set it up correctly from the start can save you weeks of delays down the road.

What Is CAQH ProView?

CAQH ProView is a centralized online database that stores provider credentialing information. It was created so that providers could enter their professional information once and share it with multiple payers, rather than filling out the same information on separate applications for every insurance company.

Most major commercial payers, including Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and many Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, use CAQH as the starting point for credentialing. When you apply to join a payer network, they pull your information directly from your CAQH profile rather than asking you to submit the same documents repeatedly.

What Information Goes Into a CAQH Profile?

•       Personal and contact information

•       National Provider Identifier (NPI) number

•       State license information and license numbers

•       DEA registration if applicable

•       Education and training history including graduate school and internship

•       Work history for the past ten years

•       Malpractice insurance information including carrier, policy number, and coverage dates

•       Hospital affiliations if applicable

•       Professional references

•       Attestation that all information is current and accurate

What Is CAQH Attestation and Why Does It Matter?

Attestation means you are certifying that your CAQH profile is complete and accurate as of a specific date. Payers will not process your credentialing application until your profile has been attested within the last 120 days. If your attestation expires during the credentialing process, some payers will pause your application until you re-attest.

This is one of the most common causes of credentialing delays for new providers. A profile that is complete but not attested, or attested but then allowed to expire, can add weeks to your timeline. We monitor attestation status for all of our active clients throughout the credentialing process.

How Do You Set Up a CAQH Profile?

Setting up CAQH ProView involves several steps and requires gathering documentation before you begin.

Step 1: Register at proview.caqh.org

Go to proview.caqh.org and create a new account. You will need your NPI number and a valid email address to register. CAQH will assign you a unique CAQH ID number that payers use to access your profile.

Step 2: Authorize your payers

Once registered, you need to authorize each payer to access your profile. This is a separate step from the credentialing application itself. If a payer cannot see your profile, they cannot process your application.

Step 3: Complete all sections of your profile

Work through each section of the profile carefully. Incomplete sections, missing dates, or gaps in work history are common reasons applications get flagged or delayed. Every section should be filled out fully before you submit anything to a payer.

Step 4: Upload supporting documents

CAQH requires uploaded copies of your license, malpractice insurance certificate, DEA certificate if applicable, and other documents. Make sure these are current and clearly legible before uploading.

Step 5: Attest your profile

Once everything is complete and accurate, attest your profile. Set a reminder to re-attest every 90 to 120 days to keep it current and avoid delays during active credentialing processes.

Common CAQH Mistakes That Cause Credentialing Delays

•       Attesting before the profile is fully complete

•       Allowing attestation to expire during an active credentialing process

•       Gaps in work history that are not explained

•       Malpractice coverage dates that do not align with your work history

•       Uploading expired or illegible documents

•       Forgetting to authorize specific payers to access your profile

•       Using a personal email address that may change rather than a stable professional address

Does CAQH Replace the Payer Application?

No. CAQH is not a credentialing application. It is a data repository that payers pull from when processing your application. Most payers still require you to submit an application through their own provider portal or enrollment process in addition to having an active CAQH profile. CAQH simplifies the process by eliminating duplicate data entry, but it does not replace the payer-specific steps.

Do All Payers Use CAQH?

Most major commercial payers use CAQH, but not all. Some regional plans and smaller payers have their own credentialing applications and do not pull from CAQH. We manage both CAQH-based and non-CAQH payer applications as part of our standard credentialing process.

Will You Set Up A CAQH Profile for Me?

Yes. CAQH setup is included in our credentialing services. We build your profile from scratch, ensure every section is complete and accurate, upload your supporting documents, authorize your payers, and attest on your behalf. If you already have a CAQH profile, we review it for completeness and accuracy before submitting any payer applications.

A correctly built CAQH profile is one of the most important factors in a smooth credentialing process. Getting it right at the start saves time, prevents delays, and gives your applications the best chance of moving through quickly.