View Reminders and Quick Tips for Medicaid Authorizations

By July 31, 2026: Billing and authorization teams must be trained on the new Medicaid Authorizations application accessible through Availity Essentials. Training should cover: (1) Two access methods—through Availity Authorizations & Referrals or Availity Payer Spaces; (2) Proper payer selection for Blue Cross Community Health Plans; (3) Correct member search procedures including verification of active eligibility; (4) Provider information search best practices using search attributes rather than magnifying glass; (5) Diagnosis and procedure code selection with auto-population of descriptions; (6) Draft authorization save-and-complete functionality. Update internal workflows and encounter templates to direct staff to use this application for all Illinois Medicaid prior authorization submissions. Document the Medicaid Authorization Portal user guide location for staff reference. Failure to use the correct application may result in delayed authorization decisions and claim denials.