Guides · Billing guide
CAQH for dietitians: setup, documents and attestation
By Javier Alvarez · Updated · 3 min read
| Cost to providers | Free |
|---|---|
| Re-attestation | Every 120 days (180 in Illinois) |
| Name today | CAQH Provider Data Portal (formerly ProView), DataSpring, powered by CAQH |
| Used by | Most commercial and Medicare Advantage plans |
| Not used by | Original Medicare (PECOS instead) |
| Taxonomy for an RD | 133V00000X, Dietitian, Registered |
| What it does not do | Credential you, set rates or put you in network |
This guide is for registered dietitians applying to commercial and Medicare Advantage networks. Requirements differ by payer; your application is reviewed by each plan, not by CAQH. For the whole credentialing sequence around it, see insurance credentialing step by step.
What CAQH is (and isn't)
CAQH, which now brands itself DataSpring, powered by CAQH, runs the CAQH Provider Data Portal, formerly called ProView. Payer emails and forms still say "CAQH ProView", and the login is still proview.caqh.org. The profile stores your credentialing data once so you don't fill in a different application for every payer. It does not credential you, set rates or put you in network. You still apply to each payer, and each one decides.
Setup checklist
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Register | Self-register with your NPI, or use the CAQH Provider ID a payer gives you |
| Personal and practice info | Legal name, NPI, practice locations, hours, phone, tax ID; must match NPPES and your W-9 |
| Education and training | Degree(s), supervised practice or dietetic internship |
| Licensure and certification | State license (if your state licenses RDs) and CDR registration, with expiration dates |
| Work history | Usually the last 5 years, month and year; explain gaps longer than 6 months |
| Malpractice insurance | Carrier, policy number, limits, dates, plus the certificate |
| Disclosure questions | Answer all; explain any "yes" in writing |
| Documents | Upload everything in the next section |
| Authorize plans | Allow all plans, or select each payer you are applying to |
| Attest | Review and attest; the profile is only usable after this |
Documents to upload
- State license (if your state licenses dietitians)
- CDR registration card or verification (your RD/RDN credential)
- Professional liability (malpractice) insurance certificate, current
- CV or résumé that matches the work history you entered
- W-9 for the entity you bill under
- Government-issued photo ID, if requested
- Specialty certifications you hold (for example CDCES), if you list them
Check expiration dates. An expired malpractice certificate or license is one of the most common reasons a profile stops being usable.
Attestation every 120 days
CAQH asks you to re-attest every 120 days that the information is accurate. Re-attesting is quick if nothing changed: log in, review, update any expired documents and attest. If you let it lapse, payers see a stale profile, and credentialing or recredentialing can stall. Put a recurring reminder on your calendar about two weeks before each due date.
Common blockers
| Blocker | Fix |
|---|---|
| Payer can't see your profile | Authorize that plan (or all plans) in the authorization section |
| Profile not attested or attestation expired | Log in and attest; payers only use attested data |
| Expired document | Upload the renewed license, CDR card or malpractice certificate |
| Unexplained work history gaps | Add a short explanation for gaps over 6 months (school, family leave, etc.) |
| Address or name mismatch | Make CAQH, NPPES and your applications say exactly the same thing |
| Practice location missing | Add each location you see patients at, including a telehealth-only practice address if the payer asks for one |
| Wrong NPI or taxonomy | Use your Type 1 NPI for you, the Type 2 NPI for the group, and 133V00000X for an RD |
After CAQH: applying to payers
- Check whether the payer's network is open for dietitians in your area.
- Submit their application or interest form with your CAQH Provider ID.
- Follow up every two weeks; keep a log with dates and reference numbers.
- Review and sign the contract; note the effective date.
- Enroll for ERA and EFT so payments and remittances arrive electronically.
Don't bill a payer for visits before your effective date. Those claims typically deny as out of network, and many contracts don't allow retroactive dates. The full flow from NPI to paid claim is in the dietitian insurance billing guide, and typical waits per payer are in credentialing timelines by payer.
Worked example: what has to match on the claim
Credentialing data ends up on every claim. If what you send doesn't match what the payer loaded from CAQH and your contract, the claim can deny even when the visit was fine.
CAQH profile vs 837P claim
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| CAQH Provider ID | 00000000 (fake) |
| Name on CAQH | RD, EXAMPLE A |
| Rendering NPI (claim) | 1234567893 (example), must match CAQH |
| Taxonomy (claim) | 133V00000X, must match NPPES |
| Service address (claim) | 100 EXAMPLE ST, must be a location on file |
| Billing tax ID (claim) | 00-0000000 (fake), must match the contract |
| Line 1 | 97803 · POS 11 · 2 units |
All data in this example is invented for illustration.