Binding arbitration process, Medicaid

The binding arbitration process below is used when a non-participating hospital or other non-contracted provider wishes to dispute the outcome of a Level I appeal for a Medicaid claim.

Language taken from the contract that Priority Health (the "Contractor") has with Medicaid:


Non-contracted hospital providers that have not signed the Hospital Access Agreement and non-hospital providers do not have access to the Rapid Dispute Resolution Process.

When a non-hospital provider or hospital provider that has not signed the Hospital Access Agreement requests arbitration, the Contractor is required to participate in a binding arbitration process. Providers must exhaust the Contractor's internal provider appeal process before requesting arbitration.

DCH will provide a list of neutral arbitrators that can be made available to resolve billing disputes. These arbitrators will have the appropriate expertise to analyze medical claims and supporting documentation available from medical record reviews and determine whether a claim is complete, appropriately coded, and should or should not be paid.

The party found to be liable will be assessed the cost of the arbitrator. If both parties are at fault, the cost of the arbitration will be apportioned.