Credentialing in Alaska

Historically, Alaska behavioral health eligibility/auth/claims ran through a separate Administrative Services Organization (Optum), requiring BH providers to register on the Provider Express website. Per the FY2025 Governor's Operating Budget: "The Department executed the contract with Optum in FY2020 and is scheduled to terminate on December 31, 2024". And no successor ASO has been named, so verify current BH claims routing (most likely back through the Gainwell MMIS) before onboarding an Alaska BH provider.

FY2025 Governor's Operating Budget, Alaska OMB · checked Jul 2026

Alaska Medicaid is administered by the Department of Health (DOH), Division of Health Care Services (DHCS). Providers enroll through the Alaska Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal on the Health Enterprise site, which "allows providers to submit required forms and applicable application fees."

Alaska DOH, Medicaid Provider Assistance · checked Jul 2026

Alaska's sub-licensed masters tier is the Behavioral Health Clinical Associate (BHCA), subject to the qualifications listed in 7 AAC 70.990(3). The enrollment portal lists "131 - Behavioral Health Clinical Associate" as its own Alaska Medicaid enrollment provider type, but the BHCA works agency/group-anchored, the agency or group bills, with no solo/private-practice associate door.

Alaska Medicaid Health Enterprise, provider-type list · checked Jul 2026

Three boards under the Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing: the Board of Professional Counselors (LPC. Alaska has no associate-level counselor license; supervised hours accrue pre-license), the Board of Social Work Examiners (LBSW/LMSW/LCSW), and the Board of Marital & Family Therapy (LMFT).

Alaska Division of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing · checked Jul 2026

Alaska is NOT on the Counseling Compact jurisdictions list. There is no compact privilege lane into or out of Alaska. States issuing compact privileges as of July 2026: AZ, GA, IN, LA, MN, OH.

Counseling Compact, Compact Jurisdictions list · checked Jul 2026

Alaska BH providers must meet the Integrated Behavioral Health Regulations (7 AAC 70 and 7 AAC 135), and agency services need DOH approval before Medicaid enrollment. Individual clinicians enrolling as Qualified Behavioral Health Professionals (QBHP) must obtain an NPI, complete a background check, and enroll as an Alaska Medicaid provider. And "Enrollment must be affiliated with a provider group" that meets the standards under 7 AAC 105.200, so 1115/agency BH work is group/agency-anchored, not solo.

Alaska Behavioral Health Providers Service Standards & Administrative Procedures (PSAM_BH, 10/2023) · checked Jul 2026

Alaska Medicaid's fiscal agent is Gainwell Technologies, per the state's enrollment notice, "the Division of Health Care Services and the state's fiscal agent, Gainwell Technologies, are implementing new submission requirements" effective on August 1, 2026. Note the bare medicaidalaska.com domain 403s; use the www host or the extranet satellite pages.

Alaska Medicaid Health Enterprise, Provider Resources · checked Jul 2026