User Guide for the CORE Certification Application Portal

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Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Section I: Registration Walkthrough ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Entity Details ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Primary Contact Details ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

C-Level Contacts .................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Credentials .......................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Section II: CORE Certification Application Portal .................................................................................................................. 5

Login .................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Orientation & Navigation .................................................................................................................................................... 5

Help ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Section III: CORE Certification Pledge .................................................................................................................................... 7

Section IV: CORE HIPAA Attestation ...................................................................................................................................... 8

Section V: CORE Seal Application .......................................................................................................................................... 9

CORE Certification Fee ...................................................................................................................................................... 10

Approval of CORE Certification ......................................................................................................................................... 10

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Introduction The CORE Certification Application Portal allows entities to submit the CORE Pledge, CORE HIPAA Attestation, and CORE

Seal Application, and CORE Certification Fee either electronically or via paper/post. The portal also tracks an entity’s

progress through CORE Certification and provides real-time updates on the status of your forms and application.

This User Guide is to be used in connection with the CORE Certification Application Portal. It is meant to serve as an

instruction document for the design and general utility of the online forms management system and is not a step-by-

step guide. The CORE Certification Application Portal is to be used by entities seeking Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and/or

Phase IV CORE Certification.

Section I: Registration Walkthrough Prior to accessing the CORE Certification Application Portal, entities must register and create an account with CAQH

CORE. You can access the registration page by clicking HERE. Screenshot #A below is the actual registration screen you

will encounter during the registration process. The required fields are highlighted with a blue asterisk (*).

Screenshot #A

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Entity Details In this section, you must enter details about your organization including: Entity Name, Entity Type, Product/Version (if

applicable), and Address.

• Entity Name: Enter the name of the entity that is seeking CORE Certification.

• Entity Type: Check the appropriate stakeholder type for the entity seeking CORE Certification.

• Product Name: Enter the name of the product, solution, or service for which the entity is seeking to become

CORE-certified. This field applies to Clearinghouses and Vendors only.

• Version: Enter the version #, if applicable, of the product or solution that is to become CORE-certified. This field

applies to Clearinghouses and Vendors only.

• Address: Enter the address of the entity’s headquarters.

Primary Contact Details In this section, you must enter the name and contact information for the person in your organization designated as the

primary contact for the CORE Certification process including: Name, Title, Email Address, Phone #’s, and Fax #. The

primary contact will be able to track and receive communication updates regarding the status of your organization’s

CORE Certification Forms. Please ensure that emails from CORE.Certfication@caqh.org are not blocked by your systems

security filters.

• Name: Enter the first and last name of the designated contact person within your organization

• Title: Enter the title of the primary contact person.

• Email Address: Enter the email address of the primary contact person.

• Phone # (Work): Enter the primary contact person’s work #.

• Fax: Enter the fax # for the primary contact person.

• Cell: If applicable, enter the cell # for the primary contact person.

Authorized Representatives The CORE Pledge and HIPAA Attestation Forms must be signed by an authorized representative within your organization.

Typically, this authorized representative is a C-Level executive. In this section, you must enter contact information for

these authorized representative(s) including: Name, Title, and Email Address. When your organization is ready to

complete and sign the CORE Pledge and HIPAA Attestation Forms, the selected authorized representative will receive an

email with directions and a link to the associated form to e-sign. Please ensure that emails from CORE.Certfication

@caqh.org are not blocked by your systems security filters. NOTE: A minimum entry of one authorized representative is

required, but details for up to three may be entered.

• Name: Enter the first and last name of the designated authorized representative from your organization.

• Title: Enter the title of the designated authorized representative from your organization.

• Email Address: Enter the email address of the designated authorized representative from your organization.

Credentials In this section, you will have to enter the username and password you would like to use to log into the CORE

Certification Application Portal. Usernames and Passwords must be each at least six characters long and may not contain

dollar signs ($) or spaces. Please note that both Username and Passwords are case sensitive. If you forget your

Username and Password, you will be able to reset it/them, provided you have access to the primary contact email

address specified above.

• Username: Enter a username you would like to use to access the CORE Certification Application Portal.

• Password: Select a password that you can remember to authenticate your Username to access the CORE

Certification Application Portal.

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Section II: CORE Certification Application Portal

Login After completing the registration form, you can access the CORE Certification Portal by clicking HERE. The CORE

Certification Application Portal will allow you to submit, manage, and track the status of forms required for CORE

Certification across Phases I, II, III, & IV. Screenshot #B below is the landing page to the CORE Certification Application

Portal. To access your organization’s account, click the button labeled “Click Here to Log In” as highlighted on Screenshot

#B.

Screenshot #B

Orientation & Navigation After you log into the CORE Certification Application Portal, the portal will populate with information about your

organization and provide you with status information as to where each form is in the CORE Certification process.

Screenshot #C below provides an example of what an entity’s CORE Certification Application Portal might look at upon

initial login.

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Screenshot #C

As you progress through the CORE Certification process and complete each form you will receive real-time status

updates as forms are submitted, signed, and approved via email and through the CORE Certification Application Portal.

Additionally, if CAQH CORE has a question or requires more information on a particular form, communication will occur

in the “Notes/Comments” section of the CORE Certification Application Portal. To view updates while you are in the

CORE Certification Application Portal, click the Refresh Button as shown on Screenshot #D. NOTE: Do not click the

refresh button on your browser, as this will log you out of the CORE Certification Application Portal.

Screenshot #D

To open a form, click the icon in the “Launch” section of the CORE Certification Application Portal under the Phase

and across the associated form which you are seeking to complete. NOTE: You may have to disable your browsers pop-

up blocker in order to launch the forms.

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Help

If you need any direction with navigation, next steps, or form requirements click on the icon which is located

throughout the CORE Certification Application Portal. A pop-up window will appear which will provide you with guidance

and detailed instructions. Additionally, if you require further assistance with the CORE Certification Portal and/or

completion of the CORE Certification forms feel free contact CAQH CORE at CORE.Certification@caqh.org.

Section III: CORE Certification Pledge The CORE Pledge is the first form to submit when completing CORE Certification. The intent of the CORE Pledge is to

formally communicate your organization’s commitment to pursue CORE Certification. To open the CORE Pledge, click the

“Launch” icon located on the row labelled CORE Pledge for the Phase your organization is seeking CORE Certification.

Screenshot #E provides an example of a CORE Pledge. NOTE: Your organization will have to complete a CORE Pledge for

each Phase(s) of CORE Certification that your organization is seeking to be CORE-certified.

To submit and fully execute the CORE Pledge, there are four components that need to be completed, these components

are outlined in Screenshot #E:

• #1: The first step is to click the “Select Authorized Representative”, and select the authorized representative

designated to sign the CORE Pledge on behalf of your organization. This button is located on the first signature

page of the CORE Pledge for each Phase. Once the authorized representative is selected, this representative will

receive an e-mail titled “CAQH CORE Pledge requires your attention” with instructions on how to sign and

submit the CORE Pledge.

• #2: The authorized representative must electronically sign their initials in all locations with initial boxes.

• #3: The authorized representative must press the button “Click Here to Sign” to electronically sign the CORE

Pledge. Once the form is signed, the form will automatically add a date/time stamp and submit to CAQH CORE.

• #4: After the CORE Pledge is received by CAQH CORE, the form will be routed to CAQH’s Executive Director for

countersigning. Once the CORE Pledge is fully executed, you will receive notification that form has been

approved.

Screenshot #E

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Section IV: CORE HIPAA Attestation The CORE HIPAA Attestation communicates that your organization is compliant with applicable HIPAA provisions for the

standards and operating rules for the Phase(s) of certification your organization seeking to be CORE-certified. To open

the CORE HIPAA Attestation, click the “Launch” icon located on the row labeled CORE HIPAA Attestation for the Phase

your organization is seeking CORE Certification. Screenshot #F provides an example of a CORE HIPAA Attestation. NOTE:

Your organization will have to complete a CORE HIPAA Attestation for each Phase(s) of CORE Certification that your

organization is seeking to be CORE-certified.

To submit the CORE HIPAA Attestation, there are two components that need to be completed, these components are

outlined in Screenshot #F:

• #1: The first step is to click the “Select Authorized Representative”, and select the authorized representative

designated to sign the CORE HIPAA Attestation on behalf of your organization. This button is located on the last

page of the CORE HPAA Attestation for each Phase. Once the authorized representative is selected, this

representative will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to sign and submit the CORE HIPAA Attestation.

• #2: The authorized representative must press the button “Click Here to Sign” to electronically sign the CORE

HIPAA Attestation. Once the form is signed, the form will automatically add a date/time stamp. The authorized

representative must then click the “Submit” button to complete the form, which will then send to CAQH CORE

for approval.

Screenshot #F

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Section V: CORE Seal Application The CORE Seal Application communicates that your organization has completed CORE Certification Testing is ready to

apply for the CORE Certification Seal. To open the CORE Seal Application, click the “Launch” icon located on the row

labeled CORE Seal Application for the Phase your organization is seeking CORE Certification. Screenshot #G provides an

example of a CORE Seal Application. NOTE: Your organization will have to complete a CORE Seal Application for each

Phase(s) of CORE Certification that your organization is seeking to be CORE-certified.

To submit the CORE HIPAA Attestation, there are four components that need to be verified/completed, these

components are outlined in Screenshot #G

• #1: The first step is to verify that the contact information auto-filled on the CORE Seal Application is correct. The

contact information is populated from information collected at the time of registration. If you need to edit the

contact information, click on the data field that needs to be revised and type in your adjustment.

• #2: The second step is to identify your CORE Certification Fee, by selecting the annual revenue checkbox for your

organization’s stakeholder type.

• #3: The third step is to select a payment options. Your organization has the option to submit payment via E-pay

or mail a check to CAQH CORE payable to CAQH.

• #4: The last step is submitting the CORE Seal Application. Once you have completed and verified all components

of the CORE Seal Application, click the “Submit” button. Clicking this button will auto-populate your credentials

in the highlighted box and submit the form to CAQH CORE for approval.

NOTE: Per the CAQH CORE Certification Policies, CAQH CORE has 30 business days to review and process the application.

Each application undergoes a multi-tier review process, including reviews from CAQH CORE technical and leadership

staff. During the review process, CAQH CORE may ask for more information or clarification on questions from

organizations.

Screenshot #G

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CORE Certification Fee CAQH CORE charges a one-time fee, per phase, for the CORE Certification Seal. Click the E-Pay button submit payment

via credit card or click Check for instructions on how to submit payment via paper check. NOTE: If you are pursuing

multiple phases of CORE Certification simultaneously, you do not have to submit separate payments for each phase, the

payment can be paid in a lump sum. Screenshot #H provides instruction on where to click for payment information.

Screenshot #H

Approval of CORE Certification After CAQH CORE has received all required documentation and completed its review of your CORE Seal Application,

CAQH CORE will notify you via email and through the CORE Certification Application Portal when your application is

approved. Screenshot #I provide an example of an organization who has been approved for Phase I CORE Certification.

CAQH CORE will communicate real-time application status via the CORE Certification Portal, if you have any questions

throughout the CORE Certification Process, feel free to contact CORE at core.certification@caqh.org

Screenshot #I