All PlansAdministrativeMedium impact
New in Availity Essentials: Streamline Authorization Follow-Ups by Viewing and Responding to RFAI Online
Ambetter·AZ·Prior Authorization
We identified it
Sep 3, 2026
Summary
Availity Essentials now allows providers to view and respond to Requests for Additional Information (RFAI) for prior authorizations directly within the online portal, eliminating the need for phone calls or faxes. Billing teams can upload supporting clinical documentation (up to 10 attachments or 64 MB) and track all authorization follow-ups from a single dashboard. This streamlines the authorization process and accelerates response times to payer requests.
Action Required
Immediately: Billing and authorization staff should access Availity Essentials and familiarize themselves with the new RFAI workflow. (1) Train all staff who manage prior authorizations to use the Authorization/Referral Dashboard to identify requests marked 'Pending Action – Contact Payer' in the Status/Last Updated column. (2) Review the Review Reason 1 field for payer messages and use the RFAI section to upload responses. (3) For authorizations submitted outside Availity Essentials (via other portals or fax), use the Authorization/Referral Inquiry tool to pin them to the dashboard for tracking. (4) Access the three-minute demo and step-by-step instructions via Help & Training in Availity Essentials or the Provider Help Center. Update internal authorization response procedures to prioritize responding online rather than by phone or fax. Note: RFAI requests sent before an authorization is pinned to the dashboard will not appear in Availity and will continue to arrive through other channels.