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August 2025 Top of Mind
The annual Provider Appointment Availability Survey begins this month
Be on the lookout for the 2025 provider appointment availability survey (PAAS) for Optum Behavioral Health* over the next few weeks. And in case you missed them, you can check out the recently published 2024 PAAS results.
What you need to know
The 5-minute survey is required by the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) to assess provider compliance with state-required appointment timeframes. These timelines are also contractually required in your Optum participation agreement. Providers cannot opt out of the survey.
Requests will be sent to a random sampling of Optum network providers in each county in California. You may be contacted multiple times based on practice locations in different California counties or health plans you’re contracted with.
We recognize many offices are offering telehealth appointments. This appointment type is acceptable when responding to the availability of the next appointment. The survey is intended to capture the first available appointment date and time, regardless of modality.
What to look for
Optum’s survey is administered by QMetrics, our partner vendor. Surveys are conducted by email. QMetrics will fax surveys to providers who don’t have an email address or those who haven’t responded:
- Emails will come from invites@mailer.surveygizmo.com.
- The subject line will be: “A Short DMHC-Required Survey.”
- Each survey will have a unique link to a provider-specific survey to be completed online.
- Faxed surveys will come from 1-619-393-1142.
- Completed surveys should be returned to 1-877-399-3439.
Finally, QMetrics will call providers who haven’t responded to emailed or faxed surveys.
Questions?
For questions related to survey invitations or completion, please email QMetrics at Paassurvey@qmetrics.us. Please do not contact DMHC. If you have other questions, please contact your Provider Advocate.
* California Department of Managed Health Care law requires health plans to provide timely access to care. As an OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions of California network provider, you are required to adhere to contractual standards on how long members have to wait to get urgent, non-urgent and follow-up care appointments as well as timely telephone guidance.
Appointment Availability Standards
Urgent Care* |
|
Prior authorization of service(s) not required by health plan |
2 days (48 hours) (Weekends and holidays included) |
Prior authorization of services(s) required by health plan |
4 days (96 hours) (Weekends and holidays included) |
Non-Urgent Care* |
|
Specialty Care Appointment
|
15 business days |
Mental Health Appointment (non-physician)
|
10 business days |
Follow-up Care |
|
Mental Health/Substance Use Disorder Follow-Up Appointment (non-physician) |
10 business days from prior appointment |
* The survey will ask for the next available urgent and non-urgent appointment date and time. The next available appointment can be a phone or video/telehealth appointment. If same day appointments or walk‐ins are available, please indicate that in the survey.
