Provider Enrollment and Management System Plus (PEMS+) Revised Go Live Plan per HHSC

Date: May 9, 2025

Attention: Providers

Effective dates:
May 30, 2025 for Master Provider File and P-files
August 31, 2025 for Credentialing Functionality

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) wants providers to be aware of some changes made to the original PEMS timeline. 

How this impacts providers: This project is focused on implementing the PEMS-based master provider file (MPF) and the capability for providers to apply for managed care credentialing in PEMS. Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the project stakeholders had been tracking toward a May 30, 2025, deployment date.

New timeline: HHSC is proceeding with the revised go-live plan as follows.

Phase I Deploy the following PEMS+ related functionality on May 30, 2025:

• Implement loading and processing of the PEMS-based MPF.
• Implement new file layouts, validations, and response files for the Provider Network Files (P-Files).

Phase II Deploy the Credentialing functionality in PEMS on August 31, 2025, with the following tentative staged rollout plan*.

Stage 1: Providers completing initial credentialing with DMOs start using PEMS for credentialing.

Stage 2: Providers completing initial credentialing with MCOs start using PEMS for credentialing.

Stage 3: Providers completing recredentialing with MCOs and DMOs start using

PEMS for recredentialing.
*HHSC will collaborate with MCOs, DMOs and other project stakeholders to finalize the staged rollout plan.

The reason for the revised timeline: This change is due to concerns about the impact of these two major changes deploying at the same time and concerns about data discrepancies that must be addressed by TMHP and providers, HHSC explored options to revise the go-live plan. HHSC developed an alternative go-live plan. HHSC worked with TAHP and TACHP to get initial feedback from MCOs and DMOs, then reviewed the plan in detail with the MCOs and DMOs during the IT Consortium call held on May 2, 2025.

Next step for Providers: Providers must follow the guidance in this communication, as TCHP will utilize PEMS information as the source of truth for all provider information.

• TCHP will contract, credential and pay only those providers who are properly enrolled with TMHP and whose information is received in the official PEMS file from TMHP.
• It is essential for every provider to be enrolled at each location where they see patients. This will help ensure an accurate online directory with correct search results.

If you have any questions, please email Provider Relations at: providerrelations@texaschildrens.org. 

For access to all provider alerts: www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/provideralerts.