Medi-Cal directory administrators must confirm successful submissions

What happened

The August notice starts a 45-day completion period on October 1 and requires providers to update or validate directory information within 45 days in each following quarter. Administrators must answer whether every service location accepts new fee-for-service patients, managed care patients, or both, then save the completed directory. Failure to complete required quarterly updates removes Transaction Center access for all users in the organization. Processors who lose access are directed to their administrator to update the directory and restore it, rather than treating the issue as an individual user's password problem.

The October 6 notice reiterates administrator review and confirmation of successful submissions. It schedules an October 13 virtual question-and-answer session from 10 to 11 a.m. for system and provider impacts. Patient names, birth dates, record numbers, and other PHI or PII must not be discussed there. Unlike the October 1 PP401PNC training notice, which requires a Medi-Cal Learning Portal profile and course selection, the office hour does not require MLP pre-enrollment. Neither educational route substitutes for completing and saving the recurring directory survey.

Why it matters

Incomplete quarterly directory updates can interrupt Transaction Center access for every user in an organization. Reliable ownership, a backup, location-specific patient-access information and confirmation of successful saving help protect eligibility, claims and other transaction workflows. These operational recommendations support the recurring requirement.

Implementation playbook

1. Inventory every Medi-Cal Provider Portal organization identifier the organization holds and identify the current administrator for each. Provider Enrollment · Due 2026-09-18
2. Name a primary and a backup administrator per organization identifier and confirm both can reach the Provider Portal Directory survey. Provider Enrollment · Due 2026-09-25
3. Confirm with patient access and the service line owners, per service location, whether the location is accepting new fee for service patients, managed care patients, or neither. Patient Access · Due 2026-10-09
4. Complete and save the first directory validation inside the window that opens October 1, 2026, and record the submission date. This target date sits well inside the 45 day window rather than at its end. Provider Enrollment · Due 2026-10-31
5. Put the validation on a recurring quarterly calendar with the named owners, and confirm the escalation path if Provider Portal Transaction Center access is lost. Revenue Cycle · Due 2026-11-13

Sources

• Public Fee-For-Service Provider Directory: Action RequiredOfficial · California Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal provider news · 2026-08-26 · Source review 2026-09-06
• Medi-Cal provider news listingOfficial · California Department of Health Care Services, Medi-Cal provider portal · Source review 2026-08-31
• Notice of Change for Provider Portal: Public Fee-For-Service Provider DirectoryOfficial · DHCS · 2026-10-01 · Source review 2026-10-05
• October 2026 Medi-Cal Provider Portal Office Hour Q&A SessionOfficial · DHCS Medi-Cal Providers · 2026-10-06 · Source review 2026-10-11