All PlansAdministrativeMedium impact
New in Availity Essentials: Streamline Authorization Follow-Ups by Viewing and Responding to RFAI Online
Ambetter·OH·Prior Authorization
We identified it
Sep 4, 2026
Summary
Availity Essentials now enables providers to view and respond to requests for additional information (RFAI) directly within the platform instead of through phone calls or faxes. This streamlines prior authorization follow-ups by allowing secure online submission of supporting clinical documentation with up to 10 attachments (64 MB total) through a centralized Authorization/Referral Dashboard.
Action Required
Immediately: Billing and authorization teams must transition RFAI responses from manual phone/fax methods to the Availity Essentials platform. (1) Train staff to access the Authorization/Referral Dashboard and identify requests marked 'Pending Action – Contact Payer' in the Status/Last Updated column. (2) Review Review Reason 1 field for payer messages and navigate to the RFAI section to respond. (3) Ensure clinical documentation uploads comply with the 10-attachment and 64 MB limits per request. (4) For authorizations submitted outside Availity (via alternate portals or fax), use the Authorization/Referral Inquiry tool and pin to dashboard to enable RFAI tracking. Note: RFAI requests sent before pinning won't display; these will continue via other channels. Access training via Help & Training > Get Trained, search 'CNC' and select 'Auth Request for Additional Information,' or reference step-by-step instructions in Availity's Provider Help Center.