Glossary
Participating Provider
A provider who has signed a contract with a health plan to deliver services in-network at agreed rates.
A participating provider, often shortened to "par," is one who has executed a contract with a payer and agreed to its terms, including the negotiated fee schedule, in exchange for being listed in-network. Non-participating or out-of-network providers have no such agreement and are typically reimbursed differently, often leaving patients responsible for a larger share. Achieving participating status is the goal of payer enrollment and is what lets a provider see covered patients at predictable rates.