Each year, the Alliance administers the Provider Appointment Availability Survey (PAAS) to assess our network’s ability to provide care within timely access standards. The Alliance realizes the many challenges faced by providers during these unprecedented times, and that access to care has been heavily impacted by our current environment. We are committed to conducting outreach that is as minimally impactful to the daily operations of your office as possible.
The Alliance also recognizes the different modalities of care utilized by providers this year, including telephonic appointments. Please note that such telehealth appointments do demonstrate the means to provide timely access to care, and should be included in your responses, if available.
Starting next week, the Alliance will be launching the second wave of the PAAS. You will receive the survey initially by email, and then by phone if no response is received within 5 business days. Please encourage reception staff to participate in survey calls and be aware that you may receive requests to complete the PAAS survey from multiple health plans.
Specific guidelines for timely access to care are outlined in Alliance Policy 401-1509 – Timely Access to Care and Alliance Policy 300-8030 – Monitoring Network Compliance with Accessibility Standards, which can be found in the Alliance Provider Manual at www.ccah-alliance.org/provider-manual-toc.html.
Timely access standards monitored through the PAAS include the following:
| Urgent Care Appointments | Wait Times |
| Services that do not require prior authorization | 48 hours |
| Specialty services that require prior authorization | 96 hours |
| Non-Urgent Care Appointments | Wait Times |
| Non-Physician Mental Health Providers and Primary Care (including first prenatal and preventive visits) | 10 business days |
| Specialist and Ancillary Appointments | 15 business days |
| Physical Therapy or Mammography appointment for the diagnosis or treatment of injury, illness, or other health condition | 15 business days |
Thank you for your participation in this year’s PAAS. If you have questions, please contact an Alliance Provider Relations Representative at (800) 700-3874 ext. 5504.
