Issued: July 27, 2017
NC Tracks – Requirement for Fingerprint-Based Criminal Background Checks
On July 30, 2017, NCTracks will implement a federal requirement for providers designated as “high categorical risk” or any person with a five percent or more direct or indirect ownership interest in the organization to be fingerprinted. The requirement is retroactively effective for providers enrolled or re-credentialed on or after August 1, 2015. For more information on the specific federal regulations, refer to the original February 24 announcement as well as the July 2017 Medicaid Bulletin.
When and Where Do I Get Fingerprinted?
Providers that are required to submit fingerprints will be notified via the NCTracks provider portal. Locations in North Carolina where fingerprinting services will be offered are posted on the Fingerprinting FAQ page of the NCTracks website.
Providers must wait to be notified by NCTracks that they need to have fingerprints taken. A form will be generated by NCTracks with a unique case number. The case number on the form will ensure that the results from the fingerprinting can be matched to the provider application with NCTracks.
Fingerprinting done without the form generated by NCTracks, with a unique case number, will not be accepted to satisfy the fingerprinting requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) and other resources regarding provider fingerprint-based criminal background checks have been posted to the Fingerprinting FAQ Page on the NCTracks provider portal. Some of the common FAQs include:
Q: Where can I find my provider risk category?
A: Provider types designated by categorical risk are defined in federal regulations 42 CFR 455.450, 42 CFR 424.518 and N.C. G.S 108C-3.
Q: Who is responsible for the costs incurred from having the fingerprint taken? What are the costs?
A: The relevant individuals who are required to undergo the fingerprint-based background check will incur the cost of having their fingerprints taken, and the cost may vary depending on location.
Q: I had my fingerprints taken last year with NC DHHS. Will this satisfy the requirement?
A: No, the results from a fingerprint based background check cannot be shared. A criminal history is good for a one-time fitness determination. Any subsequent determinations must be based on a fresh criminal history records check with fresh fingerprints. However, if a provider has completed the fingerprint requirement in their home state or with Medicare, NC DHHS will try to confirm prior to asking for them to do fingerprinting in NC.
More FAQs can be found on the Fingerprinting FAQ page. Additional questions may be sent to Medicaid.Fingerprinting@dhhs.nc.gov. Rather than reply to each individual inquiry, the questions and answers will be posted to the Fingerprinting FAQ Page.
Provider Training
A provider training course on completing the Fingerprinting Required application process in NCTracks is being offered this week at the following dates and times:
- Friday, July 28 – 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The course is being offered via WebEx, which can be attended remotely from any location with a telephone, computer and internet connection. At the end of training, the user will be able to:
- Identify the provider types that are required to complete the fingerprinting application
- Understand the notification process
- Navigate NCTracks Provider Portal to complete and submit a fingerprinting application
Providers can register for the course in SkillPort, the NCTracks Learning Management System. Logon to the secure NCTracks Provider Portal and click Provider Training to access SkillPort. Open the folder labeled Provider Computer-Based Training (CBT) and Instructor Led Training (ILT). The courses can be found in the sub-folder labeled ILTs: Remote via WebEx.
Authorization Change – Ambulatory Detox and Non-Hospital Medical Detox
Partners Utilization Management Department has made changes to the authorization requirements for the following services:
- Ambulatory Detox (H0014)
- Non-Hospital Medical Detox (H0010)
In an effort to promote the engagement of individuals with substance used disorder in treatment, effective immediately, Partners has elected to give both of these services a “pass-through” period of three days. Providers of these services are no longer required to obtain prior authorization for the first three days of service provision.
Providers will need to submit a “notification Service Authorization Request (SAR)” prior to the expiration of the pass-through–no clinical information is required, only demographic information and the dates of the pass-through. Partners will process these pass-through SARs as non-clinical approvals.
Claims will not pay unless there is a SAR to cover the pass-through period. It is important to remember that even though prior authorization is not required, the Person Centered Plan and Service Order must be dated prior to or on the start date of the service and retained in the consumer’s file. Partners requires the submission of these documents if/when requesting authorization past the initial three day pass-though.
If you have questions, please contact Lynne Grey at lgrey@partnersbhm.org, or call 704-884-2542.
Provider Knowledge Base Updates
- Partners has added a list of Accepted Taxonomies for Behavioral Health Services. You can find this list at https://providers.partnersbhm.org/claims-information/.
- The Medicaid/B3- and State-Funded Service Benefit Grids have been updated with an effective date of July 27, 2017. You can find the benefit grids at https://providers.partnersbhm.org/benefit-grids/.