December 2001

Volume 3 Issue 2

Provider Credentialing - Implementation of Standardized Forms The Illinois Health Care Credentials and Data Collection Act requires all health care entities and health care plans doing business in Illinois to use a uniform set of forms to collect commonly requested information for purposes of credentialing and recredentialing. On September 7, 2001, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) published final rules regarding the "forms" section of the Act. The three different forms for credentialing, recredentialing and data updates will become effective on January 1, 2002. Individual plans or health facilities can not alter the structure of these forms. Beginning January 1, 2002, each health care entity, hospital or health care plan that employs, contracts with, or allows health care professionals to provide medical health care services and requires health care professionals to be credentialed or recredentialed will, for purposes of collecting credentailing information, be required to use the new standardized forms approved under the rules of this Act. Please note any previously submitted applications on older forms will still be processed up until June 30, 2002. Because there is no state-mandated attestation/release of information form, physicians may still be required to complete each health care plan's individual attestation form. These forms are available on the IDPH web site at www.idph.state.il.us/about/credentialing.htm or you can e-mail Karon Batie at kbatie@uic.edu to obtain a copy.