URAC Core 17 -- v. 2.1 revision

No language has changed in Core 17 from version 2.0 to 2.1.  However, subsection (b), which requires that a delegation agreement mandate that the contractor perform the delegated functions in accordance with the organization's requirements and with URAC standards, has been changed from a secondary element to a primary element.  This is a more significant change than it might appear to the uninitiated in the URAC scoring system. 

The change would be rather minor if Core 17 were not a mandatory standard, with a weight of 5.  However, because the standard is mandatory, this change is quite important.  In a nutshell, by making this change, URAC is saying that your delegation agreements must have this clause or else you cannot achieve full accreditation.  This is true because, while you can miss a secondary element of a mandatory standard and still receive a score of 3 out of 4, missing a primary element forces your score for that standard down to a 1 out of 4, which is below the threshold of 2 for meeting a mandatory standard.  

So, go back and check all your delegation agreements (as well as your P&P governing delegation agreements, since, as I said in another blog, your P&P is as important as your behavior when it comes to complying with URAC standards). 

One other note -- remember that language requiring compliance with your requirements is not enough -- compliance with URAC standards (or "applicable accreditation standards") must also be required by your contract.  Compliance with another accreditation body's standards (such as NCQA or AAAHC) simply won't do.