Blue cross of idaho prior authorization phone number

WASHINGTON – The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program® (FEP®) announced today that it will waive cost-sharing for coronavirus diagnostic testing, waive prior authorization requirements for treatment and take other steps to enhance access to care for those needing treatment for COVID-19 to ensure its members can swiftly access the right care in the right setting during the outbreak.

These changes, which have been approved by the Office of Personnel Management, will ensure that nearly 6 million federal employees, retirees and their families have comprehensive, accessible care. They include:

FEP will waive prior authorizations for diagnostic tests and for covered services that are medically necessary and consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance if diagnosed with COVID-19.
Similarly, FEP will waive any copays or deductibles for diagnostic tests or treatment that are medically necessary and consistent with CDC guidance if diagnosed with COVID-19.
FEP will increase access to prescription medications by waiving early medication refill limits on 30-day prescription maintenance medications. FEP will also encourage members to use 90-day mail order benefit.
FEP will also eliminate any cost share for prescriptions for up to a 14-day supply.
FEP will waive copays for telehealth services related to COVID-19.

“As Americans continue to monitor the coronavirus outbreak, one thing they should not be concerned with is whether Blue Cross and Blue Shield will be there for them,” said William A. Breskin, senior vice president of government programs for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. “We take our members’ health very seriously and want to make sure there are no barriers to their seeking appropriate care if they become sick.”

FEP and Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies are following CDC prevention guidelines and other federal recommendations and will continue to support and protect the health and well-being of its members, their families and the community. These actions will apply to all FEP members of the 36 U.S. and Puerto Rico-based BCBS companies, including those members located overseas, when applicable.

For more information on FEP’s policy changes, please visit www.fepblue.org for details on the expansion of benefits and services. Members can also call the National Information Center at 1-800-411-BLUE (2583). If you are not an FEP member and have questions about your health plan, please contact your local BCBS Company: bcbs.com/memberservices.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 34 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is an association of 35 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield companies.

Some services may require Prior Authorization from Blue Cross Community Health PlansSM (BCCHP). Prior Authorization means getting an OK from BCCHP before services are covered. You do not need to contact us for a Prior Authorization. You can work with your doctor to submit a Prior Authorization.

BCCHP won’t pay for services from a provider that isn’t part of the BCCHP network if Prior Authorization is not given. You can work with an out-of-network provider to receive Prior Authorization before getting services.

Some services that do not need a Prior Authorization are:

Primary care
In-network specialist
Family planning
WHCP services (you must choose doctors in the network)
Emergency care

View the Certificate of Coverage starting on page 3. It has a full list of covered services and if a Prior Authorization is needed.

Your doctors will use other tools to check Prior Authorization needs. These tools used by PCPs (or specialists) include medical codes. Our doctors and staff make decisions about your care based on need and benefits. They use what is called clinical criteria to make sure you get the health care you need. Medical policies are also used to guide care decisions. Medical Policies are based on scientific and medical research.

See Prior Authorization tools, clinical review criteria and BCCHP Medical Policies. These are used by your doctor to make a decision.

BCCHP has strict rules about how decisions are made about your care. Our doctors and staff make decisions about your care based only on need and benefits. There are no rewards to deny or promote care. BCCHP does not encourage doctors to give less care than you need. Doctors are not paid to deny care.

You can talk to a BCCHP staff member about our utilization management (UM) process. UM means we look at medical records, claims, and prior authorization requests. This is to make sure services are medically necessary. We also check that services are provided in the right setting and that services are consistent with the condition reported. If you want to know more about this process or how decisions are made about your care, contact Member Services at 1-877-860-2837 (TTY/TDD: 711).