Independence blue cross blue shield provider phone number

Contact Independence Blue Cross about a Total Benefits Solution

We’re ready to help you design a comprehensive and flexible benefits solution. Contact us to learn more!

By Phone

Jeff Powell
Director of National Sales
215-241-4773

If you have a billing or claims question, please call 1-800-ASK-BLUE or visit www.ibx.com.

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Providers

Independence Provider Hub  

For members who have prescription drug coverage through Independence Blue Cross (Independence), prior authorization is required for certain prescribed formulary drugs in order for such drugs to be covered. The approval criteria were developed and endorsed by the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and are based on information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, manufacturers, medical literature, actively practicing consultant physicians, and appropriate external organizations.

A request form must be completed for all medications that require prior authorization. Prior authorization requests are reviewed by FutureScripts®, our independent pharmacy benefits manager, on behalf of Independence. Submit by fax using the forms posted on the FutureScripts website.

Request form instructions

Providers

• When completing a prior authorization form, be sure to supply all requested information.
• Fax completed forms to FutureScripts at 1-888-671-5285 for review. Make sure you include your office telephone and fax numbers.
• You will be notified by fax if the request is approved. If the request is denied, you and your patient will receive a denial letter.
• If you have not received a response after two business days from when you submitted your completed form, please call FutureScripts at 1-888-678-7012.

Members

• Take the appropriate request form to your physician for completion.
• You or your physician should fax the completed form to FutureScripts at 1-888-671-5285 for review.
• If you have not received a response after two business days from when your completed form was submitted, please contact the physician who requested your prior authorization.

As with all our preapproval requirements, the prior authorization form must be completed in full to avoid delay. If you have questions about the preapproval process, call 1-800-ASK-BLUE.

Please refer to the drug formularies page for more information about the different formularies offered by Independence.

Providers

Independence Provider Hub  

Credentialing and recredentialing made easier

Any professional provider interested in participating in our network must complete and return a credentialing application kit. You can simplify this process by using the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare’s (CAQH) online credentialing application: CAQH ProView®. Learn more about our credentialing criteria.

Save time

Completing the credentialing process can take hours if you’re filling out paper forms. This is especially true if your practice contracts with multiple health plans. The CAQH ProView online application minimizes the time it will take to complete this administrative work by eliminating the need to fill out multiple, redundant, and time-consuming forms.

Save money

The CAQH ProView online application is entirely free to providers and helps practices save money on administrative resources.

Keep your information current

Keeping your practice information up-to-date isn’t just important for credentialing purposes — it’s important for health plan records and directories, too. The CAQH ProView online application makes it quick and easy for you to stay current by allowing you to update only the information that needs to change. There’s no need to resubmit information that should stay the same.

The CAQH ProView electronic credentialing application is free to providers and available on the CAQH ProView website.

Behavioral health

Independence Blue Cross (Independence) currently works with Magellan Healthcare, Inc. (Magellan) to provide a behavioral health network to its members. We are working to build a new directly contracted behavioral health network effective January 1, 2023.

If you are a behavioral health provider interested in joining our network:

• If you do NOT currently participate in the Magellan network, the first step is to apply for credentialing.
• If you currently participate in the Magellan network but have NOT signed an Independence Professional Provider Agreement, the first step is to apply for credentialing.
• If you currently participate in the Magellan network and have signed an Independence Professional Provider Agreement, you do NOT need to do anything. Your current credentials will remain in effect on January 1, 2023. When you are scheduled to be re-credentialed, the Independence Credentialing team will contact your office. If you are a participating practice, please make sure that your practitioner roster is up to date.

If you have further questions, please email Credentialing Inquiries.

Note: Magellan will continue to manage the behavioral health network until December 31, 2022. They will also work with us through a transition period to ensure continuity of care. You can contact Magellan Provider Services Line at 1-800-788-4005 for assistance.

Effective January 1, 2023:

If you have not signed an Independence Professional Provider Agreement but are currently participating with Magellan Healthcare, Inc, you will be considered participating in the Independence network and will be reimbursed in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the If you have not signed an Independence Professional Provider Agreement but are currently participating with Magellan Healthcare, Inc, you will be considered participating in the Independence network and will be reimbursed in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in the Magellan Professional Provider Agreement. While you will maintain your in-network participation status to provide services to Independence members, you will not be eligible for the Independence terms and conditions (including provider appeal rights and reimbursement) until at which time you sign an Independence Professional Agreement. While you will maintain your in-network participation status to provide services to Independence members, you will not be eligible for the Independence terms and conditions (including provider appeal rights and reimbursement) until at which time you sign an Independence Professional Agreement.

Four steps to complete credentialing
It typically takes 30-60 days to complete the credentialing process once Independence has received all requested documentation.

1. In addition to your application, you must submit all required supporting documentation. Independence will provide an email outlining what documents are needed.
2. Once Independence has received all required documents, we will review the information on your CAQH ProView® application to ensure that it is consistent with the information provided on your Practitioner Participation Form. Please be sure to grant Independence Credentialing permission to view/pull-in your CAQH application.
3. Once your credentialing application has been approved, you will receive an email from DocuSign with the standard contract, if required.
4. You have 15 business days from the date of the DocuSign email to electronically sign and return the contract. Please note: If the contract is NOT returned within this time frame, your credentialing application will be rescinded, and you will need to reapply if you still wish to become part of the Independence network.

Magellan Healthcare, Inc., an independent company, manages mental health and substance abuse benefits for most Independence members.

Network area

Pennsylvania and Delaware

If you have a primary practice address in Pennsylvania or Delaware and would like to join our network(s), you must notify Independence Blue Cross (Independence) by submitting a Practitioner Participation Form.

Important credentialing notes

• Any professional provider interested in participating in our network must complete the Practitioner Participation Form and the CAQH ProView credentialing application.
• Any credentialing application request not received through the Practitioner Participation Form will be returned with instructions to submit the request using the form.
• The Practitioner Participation Form is only for credentialing applications.
• Certified registered nurse practitioners (CRNP) must have a collaborative agreement with a participating physician who holds a current and unrestricted license. The training and scope of practice of the collaborating physician must be consistent with the practice of the CRNP. To see scenarios where CRNPs are only allowed to be contracted and credentialed with Independence, please read this article.

New accreditation requirements

Office-based varicose vein procedures

Effective June 1, 2019, all network offices that perform varicose vein procedures will need to obtain office-level accreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) Vein Center. All network offices that plan to perform or would like to continue performing varicose vein procedures must appear on the IAC-approved list for Vein Center Accreditation by June 1, 2019, indicating that they have met the IAC standards. Those offices who fail to meet the requirements by this date will no longer be reimbursed for varicose vein procedures.

To learn more about the IAC Vein Center accreditation program, please visit the IAC website or call 1-800-838-2110. If you have additional questions, please email us at . Be sure to include your name, contact number, and provider ID number in your email.

Closed networks

The following professional provider networks have limitations to participation:

Pathology

The pathology provider network is closed for new office-based pathology providers in the Independence five-county service area (i.e., Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties) and contiguous counties (i.e., counties that border the Independence five-county service area) except when the pathologist meets the following condition:

• A pathology provider is joining an existing participating hospital-based pathology group in a participating hospital in our five-county service area or a contiguous county (as identified above).

Note: Pathologists cannot be added to participating non-pathology practices.

Podiatry

The podiatry network is closed to new providers except when the provider meets one or more of the following conditions:

• When the provider is located in counties outside of Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Philadelphia, and Bucks counties
• When the provider is joining an existing participating group
• When a non-participating provider is purchasing the assets of a participating provider, and the participating provider is terminating their Independence agreement

Chiropractic

The chiropractic network is closed to new providers in Pennsylvania and Delaware except when the provider meets one of the following conditions:

• When the provider is joining an existing participating group
• When a non-participating provider is purchasing the assets of a participating provider, and the participating provider is terminating their Independence agreement

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