The California Medical Association (CMA) has received an increasing number of inquiries over the past few weeks from practices concerned about the validity of requests for information from a company called BetterDoctor. 

SB 137, the new provider directory accuracy law, took effect July 1. The new law requires payors to ensure that their physician directories are accurate and up-to-date. BetterDoctor is a vendor working on behalf of 10 plans on a pilot project to ensure the accuracy of their physician directories, as required under the new law.

Practices are encouraged to respond to the information requests, as the law also requires physicians do their part to keep their information up-to-date.

The ten plans included in the pilot are AltaMed, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, CareMore, Health Net of California, Humana, LA Care, Molina Healthcare, SCAN and Western Health Advantage. For more information on the pilot, click here. There may also be other pilot programs taking place on behalf of other payors that utilize other vendors.

For more information about physicians’ obligations under SB 137, see CMA's new resource, “What Physicians Need to Know to Avoid Penalties Under the New Provider Directory Accuracy Law."