Behavioral Health Administrative Service Organization
Message to Behavioral Health Providers regarding the ASO transition
The Behavioral Health Administration's new Administrative Service Organization (ASO), Optum Maryland, is now live.
Optum Maryland's website, business operations, and provider portal are currently active and working to support our providers to deliver services. The primary focus is on authorization and payment of services for our providers serving Marylanders in need of behavioral health services.
Access the Provider Portal here.
Read the Authorization and Claims Provider Alerts
Find the latest FAQs here.
Providers should now be using the Optum Maryland Website as their primary source for the most up-to-date ASO information.
The Optum Call Center can be reached at 1-800-888-1965, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. After hours and holidays will be covered by clinical night staff for crisis and emergency services. Please note: The call center is experiencing a high call volume and wait times may be long.
You may also email marylandproviderrelations@optum.com
In order to stay on top of urgent and newest information, please sign up for Optum Provider Alerts by sending an email to: marylandprovideralerts.optum.com. This is the best way to stay 'in the know.
Important Provider Information:
Actions for Providers Who Have Not Registered for Optum's Incedo Provider Portal
1) REGISTER with Optum
- To register with Optum, you will need to complete their Provider Survey to receive an Incedo ID and registration tokens. Click here for more information.
- All programs/ providers will need to register within the portal. This will activate your provider file and is the place to verify your profile information (address, email, phone numbers, etc.). If you see a discrepancy, you may need to update your enrollment file For non-Medicaid providers, you can make updates to your file in the Incedo portal.
- Existing authorization have transferred to Optum, but providers still need to register with Optum to continue their authorizations and submit claims for payment.
2) SIGN UP FOR TRAINING with Optum
3) PREPARE for payment
- Providers should ensure that their provider file in Medicaid (through ePrep) has all the current information so that checks will be mailed to the correct address.
- Providers can sign up for EFT payments. Click here for more information.
4) SUBMIT Updated ROIs
- All SUD providers or providers treating individuals with a primary diagnosis of SUD MUST OBTAIN AN UPDATED ROI IMMEDIATELY.
- Even if you have a current ROI on file, a new release is required before January 1, 2020.
- ROI forms must be faxed to Optum at (855)-293-5407
- For questions, please contact Optum by phone or email (see contact information above).
More about Optum Maryland
Optum Maryland is the contractor responsible for processing claims and paying behavioral health providers for Medicaid participants and uninsured individuals. Optum Maryland has a successful history in provider management, provider maintenance, participant education, authorization and utilization management. Additional functions include participant and provider assistance and communication, provider audits and training, quality management and evaluation, provider and participant appeals and grievances, claims processing and payment, progression data analytics, reports, and special projects/ new initiatives.
Optum Maryland Key Staff
Chief Executive Officer- Scott Green, MBA, MSW is the former Director of the Montgomery County Maryland Local Behavioral Health Authority and the Deputy Chief of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services. He has extensive experience on both the mental health and substance use disorder sides of our system. He also has a background in health care consulting and was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland Graduate school of Social work.
Chief Medical Officer- Lisa Hadley, MD, JD has extensive experience as a provider of behavioral health services in Maryland, and in management of behavioral health care. She formerly served as Medical Director for the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration and the Maryland State Opioid Treatment Authority. Dr. Hadley is board certified in General Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine.
Director, Provider Relations- Karl Streinkraus is the former Director of Provider Relations for Beacon Health Options Maryland. He has 39 years of health care administration experience in provider relations, provider contracting, member services, claims administration and overall health plan operations.
