Clearinghouse Vendor Guide
Last Updated March 2026
Guide Contents
Availity
Payer-funded health information network with free basic portal access and paid clearinghouse tiers.
Overview
Availity is a health information network backed by a consortium of major health plans including Humana and Florida Blue. The basic web portal is free for providers and gives you access to eligibility lookups, claim status checks, and prior authorization workflows across connected payers.
Full clearinghouse functionality — batch claim submission, ERA retrieval, and automated workflows — requires Availity Essentials Pro, a paid subscription typically running $100-$300/month depending on practice size. The free tier is useful for individual lookups but is not a complete clearinghouse replacement.
Availity connects to 2,000+ payers and has over 2 million provider users, making it one of the most widely used health information platforms in the country. The interface is utilitarian and can be difficult to navigate, and support is a common pain point — getting issues resolved can take longer than with smaller, more responsive clearinghouses.
Pros & Cons
Strengths
- Free basic portal. Individual eligibility lookups, claim status checks, and prior authorization workflows at no cost. Useful for quick one-off checks.
- Massive payer network. Connected to 2,000+ payers, including every major national plan.
- Multi-payer portal. Single login to check eligibility, submit claims, and manage authorizations across all connected payers.
- Widely adopted. 2M+ provider users, meaning extensive peer knowledge and payer familiarity with the platform.
Weaknesses
- Free tier is limited. The free portal handles individual lookups, but full clearinghouse functionality (batch claims, ERA, automation) requires the paid Essentials Pro subscription.
- Difficult support. Getting issues resolved can take longer than with smaller, more responsive clearinghouses. A common pain point among users.
- Payer-centric design. Payers fund the platform, and some workflows feel optimized for payer convenience rather than provider efficiency.
- Utilitarian interface. The UI is functional but not intuitive. Navigation can be confusing, especially for new users.
EMR Integrations
Availity integrates with many EMR and practice management systems, including:
- ChiroTouch (certified)
- Epic
- Cerner (Oracle Health)
- Athenahealth
- eClinicalWorks
- NextGen
- Allscripts (Veradigm)
- Greenway
- MEDITECH
- AdvancedMD
- Kareo (Tebra)
- PracticeSuite
Pricing
| Transaction | Price |
|---|---|
| Claims | Free (individual) / Essentials Pro for batch |
| Eligibility Checks | Free (individual lookups) |
| ERA Retrieval | Essentials Pro required |
| Claim Status | Free |
Basic portal access is free. Essentials Pro (batch claims, ERA, automation) runs $100-$300/month depending on practice size.
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