Meeting members’ behavioral health needs in a time of crisis

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network want to make it easier for you to care for your patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also want to encourage our members to continue to seek care with you during this crisis and we want to make them feel safe while doing so.

As a result, we’ve made the following changes to meet members’ behavioral health needs.

Note: Several of these changes involve telemedicine. For additional information about telemedicine services for behavioral health providers, see the Telehealth for behavioral health providers document.

Telemedicine incentives

Through the Physician Group Incentive Program, or PGIP, we introduced incentives to assist behavioral health providers with funding the adoption of telemedicine.

Member cost share waived

Through June 30, 2020, we’re waiving cost share for the most common behavioral health services when delivered via telehealth for Blue Cross and BCN commercial members.

Through Dec. 31, 2020, we’re waiving cost share for the most common behavioral health services when delivered via telehealth for Medicare Plus Blue^SM and BCN Advantage^SM members. In addition, cost share is waived through Dec. 31 for in-person behavioral health services for our Medicare Advantage members. Some self-funded groups are still making decisions on this waiver; watch for a web-DENIS message with more information.

Examples of common behavioral health services are counseling and medication reviews. For a list of specific procedure codes for which we’re waiving cost share, see the Telehealth procedure codes for COVID-19 document.

Group therapy sessions via telemedicine

Some of our provider partners are offering group therapy sessions via telemedicine that are focused on addressing stress related to COVID-19. If you’re offering COVID-19-related group therapy sessions via telemedicine, let us know by calling 1‑800‑482‑5982. We’ll share your information with members in your area who inquire about these services.
Members can call the appropriate phone number to contact Behavioral Health for more information:

• Blue Cross’ PPO members: 1-800-762-2382
• Medicare Plus Blue^SM PPO members: 1-888-803-4960
• BCN HMO^SM members: 1-800-482-5982
• BCN Advantage^SM members: 1-800-431-1059

Crisis hotline

We established a 24-hour behavioral health crisis hotline to provide emotional support to members and non-members during this crisis. The hotline is staffed by New Directions^®, a company that provides behavioral health services for most of our Blue Cross members.

The phone number for the hotline is 1-833-848-1764.

Autism services via telemedicine

With the release of our updated Telemedicine Medical Policy, the following autism services are covered when delivered via telemedicine.

• *97151: Assessments. Temporary change: During this crisis and until further notice, we’re allowing providers to perform assessments via telehealth. This will allow them to collect information via interviews, questionnaires, rating scales, etc.
• *97155: Protocol modification. Temporary change: During this crisis and until further notice, a parent/caregiver can perform this service in place of a technician 100% of the time. In addition, a licensed behavior analyst, or LBA, may troubleshoot treatment protocols directly with the parent/caregiver.
• *97156: Caregiver training, which can be provided using telehealth for up to 100% of the time during which services are provided.
• *97157: Multi-family caregiver training, which can be provided using telehealth for up to 100% of the time during which services are provided.

Psychiatric illnesses and substance use disorders

We’ve enabled providers to conduct intensive outpatient programs, or IOP, and partial hospital programs, or PHP, via telemedicine. This allows providers to continue to serve the acute needs of members with psychiatric illnesses or substance use disorders that require a higher level of care.

Also, we support using outpatient protocols for detoxification and delivering outpatient services via telemedicine when medically appropriate. The Outpatient detoxification and follow-up-care protocols for treating substance use disorders document provides information that will help providers develop detoxification programs and follow-up care for patients being treated for substance use disorders.

Blue Cross^® Coordinated Care

Blue Cross Coordinated Care staff are reaching out to members who are high risk, seniors or those affected by the virus to check on their welfare during this time of social isolation.

Also, the Wellframe mobile app now includes COVID-19 modules. (Wellframe is the mobile app through which care teams communicate with members.)

Provider-Delivered Care Management

Through June 30, 2020, we expanded Provider-Delivered Care Management options for Blue Cross members to include the following:

• Helping to connect members to their families to have important discussions about their care and get updates from hospital providers and the care team
• Directing family members to appropriate behavioral health resources

Through June 30, care coordination services that typically must be delivered in a face-to-face setting can be delivered via telemedicine (audiovisual or telephone). PDCM procedure codes *98961, *98962, G9001 and G9002 are affected by this temporary change.

As a reminder, nurses, social workers and other licensed providers who are working as part of the care team can bill under the physician’s provider identification number, as described in the PDCM billing guidelines. Medical assistants and other non-licensed professionals can bill telephone-only codes under the guidance of a care team.

myStrength program

The myStrength program is an online tool offered through Livongo^®, an independent company that works closely with Blue Cross and BCN. The program includes a module specifically for coping with COVID-19; it provides stress management strategies, parenting tips and emotional support tools, and covers the following topics:

• Coping skills during COVID-19
• Mental wellness and resilience in difficult times
• Keeping your relationships strong
• Staying connected while social distancing
• Simple ways to practice mindfulness

Through Dec. 31, 2020, all Blue Cross and BCN members have access to the myStrength program at no cost.

To get started with myStrength, members can go to bh.mystrength.com/bcbsmcvd19 and create a free myStrength account.