What is a CAQH ID?
A CAQH ID is the identifier associated with a provider’s CAQH Provider Data Portal profile. The portal stores professional and practice information that providers can share with authorized health plans and other participating organizations. This reduces repeated requests for credentials, work history and supporting documents.
Create a provider login, then enter your education, training, demographics, work history and other requested credentialing details. The registration steps below explain how to complete your profile and share it with participating organizations.
The portal helps reduce the administrative work involved in sharing credentialing information. Keep your CAQH ID available when coordinating applications with participating payers. Completing a CAQH profile does not itself confirm enrollment in a payer’s network.
Materials needed for CAQH registration
Gather the documents and identifiers that apply to your profession, location and application. These may include:
- DEA certificate, if applicable
- Completed Form W-9
- State controlled substance registration, if required
- NPI and existing Medicare or Medicaid identifiers, if applicable
- Current state professional licenses
- Malpractice insurance certificate
- Board certification, if applicable
- Current curriculum vitae (CV)
Step-by-Step CAQH Registration Process
Follow these steps to create a profile and make your information available to the organizations you authorize:
- Register or sign in. Register directly through the CAQH Provider Data Portal. A participating health plan may also invite you by email; you do not need to wait for an invitation to begin.
- Keep your provider ID. Keep your CAQH Provider ID with your practice records. You will use it when coordinating credentialing with participating organizations.
- Complete your profile. Sign in and complete the profile sections for your education, training, work history and practice information. Save your changes as you work. You can return to complete remaining sections later.
- Upload and review documents. Upload the requested documents and review the profile for missing or inconsistent information. Resolve required corrections before attesting.
- Attest and authorize access. Attest that your information is accurate and complete, then authorize the participating organizations that should have access to your profile.
Store your login securely and keep your profile current. Re-attestation is required every 120 days, or every 180 days for Illinois providers. Follow the reminders in your profile and update supporting documents when they change.
Features of CAQH
The CAQH Provider Data Portal helps providers maintain and share credentialing information. Its tools include:
- Prompts that identify missing or inconsistent profile information before attestation
- Structured fields for education, training and practice information
- Document storage for licenses, training certificates and liability insurance
- Reminders to review and update your profile
- Online help, training resources and portal support
How do physicians benefit from CAQH?
CAQH helps reduce repetitive paperwork by keeping your professional information in one place. You decide which participating organizations can access your profile, then keep the information current as your practice changes. Payers may still request additional information as part of their own process. Our physician credentialing services can help you coordinate those next steps.
Providers can enter, maintain and share their information through the CAQH Provider Data Portal free of charge. PPS offers paid assistance with the process, either as part of a credentialing package or as a separate service.
Related credentialing guides
How to Register with CAQH & Why it Matters to Your Practice
Understand how your CAQH profile supports credentialing and why keeping it current matters.
Can you retroactively bill Medicare after credentialing is complete?
Understand how Medicare enrollment dates affect retrospective billing.
How to credential a provider with an insurance company?
Follow the key steps from gathering provider information to confirming payer participation.
Should my billing company do my payer credentialing?
Consider the responsibilities and follow-up involved in assigning credentialing work.
Reference: Official CAQH Provider Data Portal FAQs. CAQH is now DataSpring; the provider portal and existing account access remain available.