Availity Update: Controlled Deployment Begins October 22

AvailityThe transition from Highmark’s current provider portals, NaviNet® and HEALTHeNET, to Availity® Essentials continues as scheduled, with the successful launch of two pilot programs in August and September. Next up is Controlled Deployment on October 22, 2023.

During this next phase, professional providers and facilities who currently use Availity for other payers will see Highmark as an option in the states where they are contracted. In addition, providers with new Highmark contracts, effective after October 20, 2023, can register to use Availity.

Full implementation of Availity is scheduled for February 5, 2024 — the date all providers will have access to Availity as their provider portal.

Early Adoption

As Controlled Deployment gets underway next month, Highmark strongly encourages providers with Availity access to shift their Highmark-related transactions over to Availity by the end of the year.

For those providers planning to use Availity on October 22, here are a few tips:

  • Add any users to your account by October 20.
  • If you are newly contracted with Highmark, it is recommended to start the registration process — which takes approximately two weeks — by October 6, 2023.
  • If you work with a billing provider to submit transactions via the portal on your behalf, please have them register their own account by following the instructions listed here.

Being an early adopter has some key advantages. The sooner you transition to Availity, the sooner all of your Highmark-related transactions will be under one portal. Completing your transition to Availity in 2023 means you don’t have to do it next year!

Training

leaveAvaility will offer both live and on-demand training to providers. The first three training sessions will occur on the following dates:

  • Availity Essentials: Introduction to Highmark Providers (including Highmark’s Authorization Tool)
    • Monday, October 23, noon
    • Tuesday, October 31, 8 a.m.

  • Claim Submission Applications for Highmark Providers
    • Tuesday, October 24, 8 a.m.
    • Thursday, November 2, noon

  • Claim Follow-up and Payment Applications for Highmark Providers
    • Friday, October 27, 8 a.m.
    • Friday, November 3, noon

To attend, you must be registered with Availity. All registered providers will receive an email invitation for the training sessions.

Additional training dates and information will be posted on the PRC when available. You also can receive training updates when you sign up for our eSubscribe list.

Availity FAQs

Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page on the Provider Resource Center (PRC) has more than 20 questions and answers about the move to Availity. Throughout the transition, we will continue to update this page as new questions come in.

Transition Timeline

The transition to Availity will occur in stages. Here’s what you can expect going forward:

  1. October 22, 2023:
    1) Providers who currently use Availity for other payers will see Highmark as an option in the states where they are contracted; and 2) providers with new Highmark contracts effective after October 20, 2023, can register to use Availity.

  2. February 5, 2024:
    Availity will be available for all Highmark providers.

  3. March 2024:
    Providers will no longer have access to NaviNet or HEALTHeNET (NY).*

    4. *More information on the retiring of existing portal(s) will be distributed as it becomes available. If you don’t already receive emails for our provider newsletters, join our eSubscribe list today.

(Note: Highmark Wholecare and Highmark Health Options will not transition to Availity; providers should continue to use their current portals for transactions related to these plans.)

Availity is an independent company that contracts with Highmark to offer provider portal services.

NaviNet is a registered trademark of NaviNet Inc., which is an independent company that provides secure, web-based portal between providers and health insurance companies.

 

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