Join the UCare Network

View current list of closed specialties

• Gather all documents needed for contracting, prior to beginning the application:
  • Demographic and contact information, including Tax ID, NPI/UMPI, Medicare Number and W9 (either a downloadable copy or information to complete the W9 section)
  • Complete list of practice locations and practitioners
  • Disclosure of Ownership information
  • Offshoring information (if applicable)
  • Transportation providers submit the Driver and Vehicle Roster form
  • Click here to begin the contract application process
• Create an account for your application.
  • To create an application account, click the link, then click register (upper right menu).
  • Once registered, providers will receive an email from the “UCare Service Portal” with a Username and link to validate an email address.
  • After validating an email, providers can log in with their username and password to begin the application process.
  • This account provides access to the Provider Contract Application only. It is not the same portal as the UCare Provider Portal account.
• For online contract application questions or status checks, select “Get Help” in the application or email providerapp@ucare.org.

Important:

• Check junk email or contact your organization's IT Support Team to verify that the address has been whitelisted. This allows you to receive emails from the UCare Service Portal (ucare@service-now.com).
• Carefully review all information within the application before submitting it to UCare.
  • Missing, inaccurate or conflicting information will result in contracting delays and potential contracting denials.
• In some cases, providers must also be credentialed and approved. Visit the Credentialing page for more information.
• Before seeing UCare members, providers must receive a contract effective date from UCare. Seeing UCare members prior to the contract effective date and the credentialing approval date (if applicable) will result in out-of-network claim processing, claim rejections or claim denials.
• Submitting a contracting request does not guarantee enrollment as a participating UCare provider. In the event a contract denial is received, request the re-opening of the application by following the appeal instructions within the denial email.
• UCare requires a Third-Party Attestation (NDA) for all Third-Party entities. Third-party representatives are prohibited from signing a provider’s Participation Agreement or any Amendments on behalf of the provider. The final Agreement and/or any Amendments must be sent to the provider or owner for signature and execution.
• Once contracted and credentialed (if applicable), providers should use UCare's Provider Portal to check member eligibility and benefits, authorizations, claim status and more. This is a different portal from the Provider Contract Application Portal and requires separate registration.

UCare requires all contracted providers with an assigned NPI to be registered with the Minnesota DHS. Find registration information on the MHCP Enrolled Providers page, under “MHCP Provider Requirements.” Direct questions to the DHS Information Desk at 651-431-2000.

If the provider type does not have an NPI, a provider can enroll without a provider identification number and MHCP will assign them an UMPI when Provider Eligibility and Compliance processes the application.

NPI

Find registration information on the NPPES site.

You can see members after the contract's effective date. This date is generally determined by UCare once the signed contract is received from the provider. If a provider provides services to a UCare member before the provider is contracted, this could result in denied claims.

For providers who also require credentialing, providing services to UCare members before being both contracted and credentialed can result in denied claims. Note: each practitioner within a practice will have his or her own credentialing approval date. These dates may vary across practitioners, even if they are part of the same practice.

The credentialing approval date with UCare cannot be backdated or changed from the date that is listed in the approval letter from UCare. Services provided to members prior to this approval date and the contract effective date can result in denied claims.

Providers who have opted-out or are not enrolled with Medicare, may not provide services to members enrolled in UCare Medicare Plans. Additionally, UCare follows CMS and MHCP eligibility and billing guidelines respectively, to determine service coverage. Providers eligible for Medicare coverage may choose to opt-out or not enroll in Medicare. However, for dually eligible members, UCare will not reimburse services covered by, but not billed to, Medicare because the provider has chosen not to enroll in Medicare. For additional information on opt-out providers, visit the Minnesota DHS Provider Manual to review Medicare and other insurance requirements.

When a member has other insurance primary to UCare, it is the provider’s responsibility to bill all third-party liability (TPL) payers and receive payment to the fullest extent possible before billing UCare.