What does registering a group with the clearinghouse do?

Registering creates the practice’s record at the clearinghouse and returns an ID that identifies the group there. That ID rides on every claim you file for the group. It is a one time setup and it costs nothing.

On a group’s page the Clearinghouse section tells you where you stand. If it says not registered yet, there is a Register button. Clicking it asks you to confirm first, because it really does contact the clearinghouse, and then the provider ID appears.

Registering is not the same as enrolling with a payer. Registration introduces the practice to the clearinghouse. An enrollment introduces it to one insurance company for one kind of transaction. You do the first once, and the second per payer.

Keep it in sync. If the group’s details change afterwards, say the practice changes its name, a badge appears saying the local details changed and the clearinghouse still holds the old values. Click Update at clearinghouse, confirm, and the current details go across. The badge clears when the two agree again.

Out of sync details are a quiet source of rejections, because payers match on what the clearinghouse holds, not on what your screen says.