After moving to Availity in 2021, many of our current online tools will still be available

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network will move our secure provider website to the Availity^® Provider Portal in 2021. We’re going to focus on different aspects of this transition through a series of articles in this publication over the next year.

Here are the articles we’ve already published, in case you missed them:

• New, secure provider website coming in 2021 (September 2020 issue)
• Availity multi-payer provider portal brings advantages to providers (November 2020 issue)

This month, we’re focusing on the tools that won’t change with the move to Availity.

What’s not changing
Change can be exciting, but it can be difficult, too. While there will be new things to learn in the move to Availity, many of the tools that you’re familiar with will remain. The only change will be how to find those tools.

Once Blue Cross and BCN move to the Availity Provider Portal next year, you’ll log in to Availity rather than logging in to the Blue Cross and BCN Provider Secured Services website at bcbsm.com. As we get closer to the 2021 launch date, we’ll provide you with training and specific step-by-step instructions to make it easy for you to find what you need.

Here’s a list of tools you’ll still be able to find and use once we move to the Availity Provider Portal. Please note that some of these tools may only be available to certain providers based on their access role:

• e-referral (for managing referrals and authorization requests)
• BCBSM Pharmacy Benefit — Medication Prior Authorization
• BCBSM, BCN and Medicare Advantage PPO Medical Benefit — Medication Prior Authorization/NovoLogix^®
• Health e-Blue℠ (patient data registry and treatment opportunities for primary care physicians and groups)
• Benefit Explainer (benefit details for Blue Cross commercial members with coverage from employer groups located within Michigan)
• Provider Enrollment and Change Self-Service
• BCBSM Behavioral Health Preservice Review
• Clear Claim Connection™ (for Michigan providers to view claim edits)
• Internet Claims Tool
• BCN Negative Balance Reports
• BCBSM Qualification Form

Many of the other resources you use will also continue to be available, including: Entire Fee schedules and Fee Changes, Provider Publications and Resources, Provider Manuals, the Medical Policy and Pre-Cert/Pre-Auth Router and Find a Doctor.

In future issues of The Record, we’ll provide information on the new and updated features you’ll find in Availity, how to register for Availity and everything you’ll need to know to transition to the Availity Provider Portal for your Blue Cross and BCN patient needs.