Clearinghouse CTPA Vs consortium: How they differ?
Clearinghouse C/TPA and consortium are two terms you may encounter if you are an employer needing to comply with the DOT drug and alcohol testing regulations. But what do they mean and how do they differ? And how can they help you with your drug testing program? In this article, we will answer these questions and more.
What does a CTPA mean?
C/TPA stands for Consortium/Third-Party Administrator. It is a service agent that provides or coordinates various drug and alcohol testing services for employers, such as:
Random selections
Urine collections
Lab testing
MRO services
Alcohol testing
SAP evaluations
Record keeping
Compliance assistance
A clearinghouse C/TPA can also help employers with maintaining required testing records and staying compliant with the DOT rules and regulations. Sign up for CTPA services near you.
What is a Consortium?
A DOT random consortium is a group of employers who join together to administer their drug and alcohol testing programs as a single entity. A consortium is typically managed by a third-party administrator, who perform the drug & alcohol test-related tasks on behalf of the employers. A consortium is especially useful for owner-operators and small employers who cannot manage their random testing programs.
What is the Difference Between a C/TPA and a Consortium?
The main difference between a TPA and a consortium is that a third-party administrator is a service provider, while a consortium is a group of employers. A C/TPA can manage a consortium, but a consortium cannot manage a C/TPA.
A C/TPA can also provide services to individual employers who are not part of a consortium.
Online DOT Consortium Services
For owner-operators searching for consortium third-party administrators near me, goMDnow is the solution with over 20,000 drug testing centers in the United States.