CAQH ProView: Complete Setup and Optimization Guide for Therapists

If you want to accept insurance as a therapist, CAQH ProView is your gateway. This centralized credentialing database is used by nearly every major insurance company in the United States, and getting your profile right can mean the difference between a smooth credentialing process and months of frustrating delays.

Whether you are setting up your CAQH profile for the first time or looking to optimize an existing one, this guide walks you through everything you need to know. We will cover the registration process, required documents, common pitfalls, and insider tips that can shave weeks off your credentialing timeline.

What is CAQH ProView?

CAQH ProView is a free, online credentialing database maintained by the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH). Think of it as a universal application that stores your professional information, practice details, and credentials in one place. Instead of filling out separate applications for each insurance company, you complete one comprehensive profile that insurers can access when processing your credentialing applications.

The system was created to solve a real problem: before CAQH, therapists and other healthcare providers had to complete dozens of nearly identical applications, each requiring the same documents and information. This redundancy wasted countless hours and created opportunities for errors and inconsistencies.

How CAQH Fits Into the Credentialing Process

Here is how the typical credentialing workflow looks:

1. You create and complete your CAQH ProView profile
2. You authorize specific insurance companies to access your profile
3. You apply to join an insurance panel (separately from CAQH)
4. The insurance company pulls your CAQH data to verify your credentials
5. They conduct additional verification and make a credentialing decision
6. You get approved and can start seeing clients under that plan

Your CAQH profile does not replace insurance applications entirely, but it streamlines the most time-consuming part: gathering and verifying your professional information.

Why CAQH Matters for Therapists

If you are serious about building an insurance-based practice, CAQH is not optional. Over 1,400 health plans and organizations use CAQH ProView to verify provider credentials, including all the major players: Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, Optum, Magellan, and many state Medicaid programs.

Step-by-Step Registration Process

Getting started with CAQH ProView requires a few pieces of information and about 30 minutes for the initial registration. The full profile completion will take longer, but let us start with getting you into the system.

Step 1: Obtain Your CAQH Provider ID

Before you can create a profile, you need a CAQH Provider ID. There are two ways to get one:

Option A: Request through an insurance company. When you apply to join a panel, many insurance companies will register you with CAQH automatically. They will send you a CAQH ID number, usually via email or mail, within a few weeks of your application.

Option B: Self-register at proview.caqh.org. You can also register directly through the CAQH website. You will need your NPI number and basic practice information to get started.

Step 2: Create Your Login

Once you have your CAQH Provider ID, visit proview.caqh.org and click "Register." You will need:

• Your CAQH Provider ID
• Your NPI number
• Your date of birth
• Your Social Security Number (last 4 digits for verification)
• A valid email address

Create a strong password and store it somewhere secure. You will need to access this account every 120 days at minimum.

Step 3: Complete the Profile Sections

CAQH ProView organizes your information into several sections. We will cover each one in detail below, but here is the overview:

• Personal Information
• Professional IDs
• Education and Training
• Specialties
• Practice Locations
• Hospital Affiliations
• Work History
• Professional References
• Disclosure Questions
• Document Uploads

Required Documents Checklist

Before you sit down to complete your CAQH profile, gather these documents. Having everything ready will help you finish in one session rather than stopping and starting over several days.

Profile Sections Walkthrough

Let us walk through each section of the CAQH ProView profile so you know exactly what to expect and how to complete each part correctly.

Personal Information

This section captures your basic demographic information. Be meticulous here because insurance companies will verify this against other databases.

• Legal name: Must match your license exactly (middle names matter)
• Date of birth: Used for identity verification
• Social Security Number: Required for tax and verification purposes
• Gender: As listed on your license
• Contact information: Use a reliable email you check regularly
• Languages spoken: Include all languages you can provide therapy in

Professional IDs

This is where you enter your various professional identifiers:

• NPI (National Provider Identifier): Your 10-digit individual NPI is required. If you also have a group NPI, you can add that separately.
• State License Numbers: Include all active licenses in every state where you practice
• DEA Number: Only required if you prescribe controlled substances
• Medicare/Medicaid Numbers: If you are enrolled in these programs
• Tax ID: Your SSN for solo practices, or EIN for incorporated practices

Education and Training

List your educational background starting with undergraduate and moving through your highest degree. For each entry, you will need:

• Institution name and address
• Degree type (BA, MA, MSW, PhD, PsyD, etc.)
• Major or field of study
• Dates attended and graduation date
• Whether you completed the program

Also include any post-graduate training, internships, or residencies. For therapists, this typically includes your supervised clinical hours and any specialized training programs.

Specialties

Select the specialties that accurately reflect your training and practice focus. Be strategic here: listing too many specialties can dilute your profile, while listing too few might cause you to miss referrals.

Common therapy specialties in CAQH include:

• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling
• Marriage and Family Therapy
• Clinical Social Work
• Psychiatric Mental Health
• Addiction Medicine/Counseling
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology

Practice Location Setup

This section is where many therapists make mistakes that delay credentialing. Each practice location needs complete, accurate information that matches your other business records.

Adding a Practice Location

For each location where you see clients, provide:

• Practice name: Your business name as registered with the IRS
• Physical address: Must be a valid street address, not a PO Box
• Mailing address: Can be different from physical address
• Phone and fax numbers: Use professional lines, not personal cell phones
• Office hours: Be accurate about when you actually see clients
• Accessibility information: ADA compliance details
• Practice Type 2 NPI: If your practice entity has its own NPI

Telehealth Considerations

If you offer telehealth services, you need to indicate this in your practice location settings. Some insurance companies require a physical address even for telehealth-only practices. If you work from home, you may need to use a virtual office address or your registered business address.

Attestation Requirements

Attestation is the process of verifying that all information in your CAQH profile is current and accurate. This is not optional, and failing to attest on time is one of the most common reasons for credentialing delays.

The 120-Day Rule

CAQH requires you to attest (review and confirm) your profile every 120 days. If you do not attest within this window, your profile becomes "not current," and insurance companies will see a red flag when they try to access your information.

Setting Up Attestation Reminders

CAQH will send email reminders, but do not rely solely on these. Set up your own reminder system:

1. Add recurring calendar events every 90 days (giving you a 30-day buffer)
2. Set up multiple reminders: one at 90 days, one at 100 days, one at 110 days
3. Include the CAQH login URL in your calendar event notes
4. Consider using a practice management tool with built-in credential tracking

What Happens During Attestation

The attestation process takes about 15-30 minutes if nothing has changed. You will:

1. Log into your CAQH ProView account
2. Review each section of your profile
3. Update any information that has changed
4. Upload new documents if any have been renewed (licenses, insurance)
5. Answer the disclosure questions again
6. Electronically sign the attestation

Common Errors and How to Avoid Them

After helping hundreds of therapists with credentialing, we have seen the same mistakes come up repeatedly. Here are the most common CAQH errors and how to prevent them.

Optimization Tips for Faster Credentialing

Beyond just completing your CAQH profile correctly, there are strategies you can use to speed up the overall credentialing process.

Proactive Authorization

Do not wait until you apply to a panel to authorize that insurance company. You can pre-authorize all the major payers in your area. This means when you do apply, they can immediately access your profile without delays.

To authorize a health plan:

1. Log into CAQH ProView
2. Go to the "Authorization" section
3. Search for the health plan by name
4. Select the plan and confirm authorization
5. Repeat for all plans you might want to join

Document Organization

Create a "Credentialing" folder on your computer or cloud storage with the following structure:

• Licenses folder: Current and historical licenses for all states
• Insurance folder: Current and past malpractice certificates
• Education folder: Diplomas, transcripts, training certificates
• IDs folder: NPI letter, DEA certificate, government ID, W-9
• Photos folder: Professional headshot in multiple formats

Keep this folder updated so you can quickly access any document when needed.

Response Time Matters

When insurance companies or credentialing verification organizations (CVOs) reach out with questions or requests for additional information, respond within 24-48 hours. Delays on your end directly translate to delays in getting credentialed.

Set up email filters to flag messages from:

• CAQH domains (caqh.org)
• Major insurance company domains
• Credentialing-related keywords

Linking CAQH to Insurance Applications

Your CAQH profile is just one piece of the credentialing puzzle. Here is how it connects to your actual insurance panel applications.

The Application Process

When you apply to join an insurance panel, the process typically works like this:

1. Submit your application: Usually through the insurance company website or a paper form
2. Provide your CAQH ID: The application will ask for your CAQH Provider ID number
3. Authorize access: Confirm the insurance company is authorized in your CAQH profile
4. Primary source verification: The insurance company verifies your credentials directly with licensing boards, schools, etc.
5. Committee review: A credentialing committee reviews your complete file
6. Contract issuance: If approved, you receive a contract to sign
7. Effective date: You are assigned an effective date when you can begin billing

Timeline Expectations

Credentialing timelines vary by insurance company, but here are general expectations:

• Commercial plans (Aetna, Cigna, UHC): 60-90 days
• Blue Cross Blue Shield plans: 60-120 days (varies by state)
• Medicare: 60-90 days
• Medicaid: 90-180 days (varies significantly by state)
• EAP panels: 30-60 days (often faster)

These timelines assume your CAQH profile is complete and all information is accurate. Incomplete profiles can add weeks or months to the process.

Frequently Asked Questions