Authorization for IOP treatment no longer required for State of Michigan enrollees starting in January

Providers will no longer need to obtain authorization for intensive outpatient services from New Directions Behavioral Health for State of Michigan enrollees (group number 007000562), starting Jan. 1, 2021. Previously, the State of Michigan was one of the few groups that required authorization for IOP services.

Authorization will continue to be required for all higher level of behavioral health care admissions for which State of Michigan enrollees have a benefit, including acute inpatient psychiatric, substance use disorder acute detox and residential care, psychiatric and SUD partial hospitalization, and outpatient applied behavioral analysis treatment for autism.

Providers and office staff can log in to WebPass** to request prior authorizations for State of Michigan members. Providers who’ve never utilized WebPass before can visit the website** to review a training tutorial on how WebPass works.

Reminder

• Medical necessity criteria for New Directions is available on web-DENIS.
• Log in to web-DENIS.
• Click on BCBSM Provider Publications and Resources on the left side of the page.
• Click on Newsletters and Resources.
• Click on Clinical Criteria & Resources under Popular Links.
• Scroll down to Behavioral Health Information and Current Behavioral Health Clinical Criteria — Use for admissions on or after Jan. 1, 2020.
• Be sure to check your patients’ member ID cards and web-DENIS for eligibility and prior authorization information. 

**Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan doesn’t own or control this website.