Free Tools / Credentialing Timeline Estimator

Credentialing Timeline Estimator

See published credentialing timeframes for your state and payer type, from state law and payer sources.

Payer	Timeframe	Rule
BCBS Texas TX · Commercial	8 to 10 days	Review of the CAQH credentialing application for completeness takes on average 8 to 10 calendar days Source
AHCCCS contractors (Medicaid MCOs) AZ · Medicaid MCO	14 days	Temporary/provisional credentialing decision within 14 calendar days of receipt of a complete application (100%) Source
NCQA-accredited plans National · All	30 days	Practitioner notified of the credentialing or recredentialing decision within 30 calendar days of the decision Source
NH Medicaid MCOs NH · Medicaid MCO	30 days	within 30 days of a clean, complete primary care application (contract target: at least 98% of applications, SFY 2027) Source
All commercial (state law) NH · Commercial	30 days	Primary care and mental health providers: decision within 30 days of a clean and complete application Source
NH Medicaid MCOs (AmeriHealth Caritas NH, NH Healthy Families, Well Sense) NH · Medicaid MCO	30 days	99.3% of clean primary care applications credentialed within 30 days (all MCOs, quarter ending June 2026) Source
All commercial (state law) NM · Commercial	30 days	Decision within 30 days of a complete application (one 15-day extension) Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) IN · Medicaid MCO	30 days	Applications processed within 30 calendar days of a complete application Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) KY · Medicaid MCO	30 days	Credentialing completed within 30 days Source
Elevance Health (Anthem) National · Commercial	45 days	Credentialing typically takes 45 days from receipt of the completed CAQH application Source
Medicare National · Medicare	45 days	Internet-based PECOS: 45-day processing time in most cases Source
All commercial (state law) DE · Commercial	45 days	From January 1, 2028: 15 days to confirm a clean application, then 30 days to decide (45 days from receipt) Source
Georgia Medicaid CMOs (DCH centralized CVO) GA · Medicaid MCO	45 days	Decision within 45 calendar days of submission of a complete application through the DCH centralized CVO Source
All commercial (state law) KY · Commercial	45 days	Decision within 45 days of an application containing everything the current CAQH form requires Source
All commercial (state law) MN · Commercial	45 days	Decision within 45 days of a clean application (one 30-day extension for a quality or safety concern) Source
All commercial (state law) NH · Commercial	45 days	Specialists: decision within 45 days of a clean and complete application Source
All commercial (state law) RI · Commercial	45 days	Decision within 45 calendar days of a complete application Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) KS · Medicaid MCO	45 days	Credentialing completed within 45 calendar days (PSV started within 5 days of a completed application) Source
UnitedHealthcare National · Commercial	45 days	Credentialing takes up to 45 calendar days or more once UHC has a completed application and all required information Source
Medicare National · Medicare	15 to 50 days	Internet-based PECOS initial enrollment or change of information, no site visit, development or fingerprinting: 95% completed within 15 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 50 Source
Medicare National · Medicare	15 to 50 days	Internet-based PECOS revalidation, no site visit, development or fingerprinting: 80% completed within 15 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 50 Source
All commercial (state law) IA · Commercial	56 days	Credentialing determination within 56 calendar days of the credentialing request Source
All commercial (state law) AR · Commercial	60 days	Physicians: decision within 60 days of a completed application (tolled while the state CCVS works the file) Source
AHCCCS contractors (Medicaid MCOs) AZ · Medicaid MCO	60 days	Initial credentialing decision within 60 days of receipt of a completed application (100%) Source
All commercial (state law) AZ · Commercial	60 days	Credentialing concluded within 60 calendar days of a complete application Source
All commercial (state law) CA · Commercial	60 days	Behavioral health (delegated capitated groups): assessment within 60 days of a completed application Source
Medicare National · Medicare	60 days	Paper CMS-855: 60-day processing time in most cases Source
Cigna National · Commercial	45 to 60 days	Credentialing typically takes 45 to 60 days from receipt of the application packet Source
All commercial (state law) CO · Commercial	60 days	Physicians: credentialing concluded within 60 calendar days of a completed application Source
All commercial (state law) IL · Commercial	60 days	Mental health and substance use providers (from 2027): verification and contracting within 60 days of a complete application Source
All commercial (state law) IL · Commercial	60 days	Credentialing completed within 60 days after all credentials data are submitted and verified Source
All commercial (state law) MA · Commercial	60 days	95% of clean, complete initial applications decided within 60 days of receipt Source
All commercial (state law) ME · Commercial	60 days	Decision within 60 days of a completed application (extendable by notice, never past 180 days) Source
All commercial (state law) NC · Commercial	60 days	Decision within 60 days of a completed application Source
All commercial (state law) NY · Commercial	60 days	Within 60 days of a completed application: credentialed, or notice that more time is needed for third-party documents (then 21 days after receipt) Source
UnitedHealthcare National · Commercial	60 days	Contract loaded into UHC systems up to 60 days after credentialing approval and receipt of the signed contract Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) FL · Medicaid MCO	60 days	Full enrollment within 60 days, from receipt of a complete application to Agency receipt of the provider network (PNV) file Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) LA · Medicaid MCO	60 days	Credentialing processed within 60 calendar days Source
All commercial (state law) VA · Commercial	60 days	Decision within 60 days of a completed application (deemed complete 30 days after receipt unless the plan says otherwise) Source
All commercial (state law) VT · Commercial	60 days	Decision within 60 days of a completed application Source
All commercial (state law) WY · Commercial	60 days	Decision within 60 days of the application (paused while an incomplete application is cured) Source
Medicare National · Medicare	30 to 65 days	Paper CMS-855 initial enrollment or change of information, no site visit, development or fingerprinting: 95% completed within 30 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 65 Source
Medicare National · Medicare	30 to 65 days	Paper CMS-855 revalidation, no site visit, development or fingerprinting: 80% completed within 30 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 65 Source
All commercial (state law) MO · Commercial	84 days	Decision within 60 business days of a completed application (about 84 calendar days) Source
State Medicaid (Texas Medicaid / TMHP) TX · Medicaid FFS	84 days	Enrollment typically takes 60 business days (about 84 calendar days) after all information needed is received Source
Medicare National · Medicare	50 to 85 days	Internet-based PECOS initial enrollment or change of information, site visit, development and/or fingerprinting: 95% completed within 50 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 85 Source
Medicare National · Medicare	50 to 85 days	Internet-based PECOS revalidation, site visit, development and/or fingerprinting: 80% completed within 50 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 85 Source
All commercial (state law) CA · Commercial	90 days	Credentialing decision within 90 days of a complete application including all third-party verifications Source
State Medicaid (Medi-Cal) CA · Medicaid FFS	90 days	Physicians and physician groups: DHCS action within 90 days of the application package, else provisional status on day 91 Source
Colorado RAEs (Health First Colorado) CO · Medicaid MCO	90 days	Measured: percent of practitioners credentialed and contracted within 90 days Source
All commercial (state law) GA · Commercial	90 days	Enrollee-nominated provider only: credentialing decision within 90 days of receiving all necessary information Source
All commercial (state law) LA · Commercial	90 days	Credentialing completed within 90 days of receiving all required information Source
All commercial (state law) NJ · Commercial	90 days	Written decision within 90 days of a complete application Source
NJ FamilyCare MCOs NJ · Medicaid MCO	90 days	MCO credentialing turnaround of 90 days for clean applications (standard in effect per DMAHS, April 2024) Source
All commercial (state law) OH · Commercial	90 days	Credentialing completed within 90 days of first submission of the credentialing form Source
All commercial (state law) OR · Commercial	90 days	Decision within 90 days of a complete application (license, DEA if applicable, liability coverage) Source
All commercial (state law) TN · Commercial	90 days	Decision within 90 days of a completed clean CAQH application Source
All commercial (state law) TX · Commercial	90 days	HMOs: accept or reject in writing within 90 days of receiving the application Source
Texas Medicaid and CHIP MCOs TX · Medicaid MCO	90 days	Network participation no later than 90 days after receipt of a complete application (centralized CVO verification plus MCO committee) Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) CO · Medicaid MCO	90 days	Credentialing and contracting completed or denied within 90 days for at least 90% of applications Source
All commercial (state law) WA · Commercial	90 days	Decision within 90 days of a complete application, with the carrier average at 60 days or less Source
Medicare National · Medicare	65 to 100 days	Paper CMS-855 initial enrollment or change of information, site visit, development and/or fingerprinting: 95% completed within 65 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 100 Source
Medicare National · Medicare	65 to 100 days	Paper CMS-855 revalidation, site visit, development and/or fingerprinting: 80% completed within 65 calendar days of receipt, 100% within 100 Source
NCQA-accredited plans National · All	120 days	Verification time limit: primary source verifications no older than 120 calendar days at the credentialing decision Source
State Medicaid (NY Medicaid) NY · Medicaid FFS	90 to 120 days	Department decides whether to enroll within 90 calendar days, extendable to 120 calendar days with written notice Source
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan (state Medicaid contract terms) ID · Medicaid MCO	120 days	All provider types processed within 120 calendar days of a completed application and signed contract, including claims loading Source
All commercial (state law) VA · Commercial	90 to 120 days	Managed care plan (MCHIP) licensees: credentialing within 90 calendar days of receipt of requested information, or 120 calendar days of receipt of the application if nothing is requested Source
All commercial (state law) WV · Commercial	120 days	Decision within 120 days (four months) of the completed application, extendable 3 months for verification delays Source
All commercial (state law) MD · Commercial	150 days	30 days to give notice of intent to continue a completed application, then accept or reject within 120 days of that notice (about 150 days total) Source
All commercial (state law) AR · Commercial	180 days	Non-physician providers: decision within 180 days of a completed application Source
State Medicaid (Medi-Cal) CA · Medicaid FFS	180 days	DHCS written notice on an enrollment application within 180 days, else provisional provider status on day 181 Source
Medicare National · Medicare	180 to 270 days	Part A certified providers: CMS may take an additional 6 to 9 months for the final determination, on top of the MAC processing timeframe Source

Clocks usually start at a complete application. Missing documents or an unattested CAQH profile restart them.

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Source: State statutes, payer manuals and CMS, listed with each row. Updated October 30, 2026. Not affiliated with CMS or any payer.