The Record

We’ll no longer accept faxed prior authorization requests for SNF admissions starting in June

What you need to know
Skilled nursing facility prior authorization requests will need to be submitted through the e-referral system.

Starting June 1, 2022, we'll stop accepting faxed prior authorization requests for commercial skilled nursing facility admissions. These requests must be submitted through the e-referral system.

This applies to SNF requests for initial admissions and additional days for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network commercial members.

We previously communicated that we’d stop accepting faxed requests on Jan. 1, 2022, but we’re allowing additional time for SNFs to sign up for access to the e‑referral system and learn how to use it.

Starting June 1, faxes will only be accepted for urgent requests when the e-referral system isn’t available. In those instances, fax the form using the instructions on the document titled e-referral system planned downtimes and what to do.

Earlier communications

We first communicated about the requirement to use the e-referral system to submit prior authorization requests for commercial SNF admissions in September 2020. This requirement went into effect Dec. 1, 2020.

Since then, we’ve communicated about it several more times through web-DENIS messages, news items on our ereferrals.bcbsm.com website and articles in The Record and BCN Provider News.

Sign up now to use the e-referral system

Refer to our ereferrals.bcbsm.com website:

To sign up for the e-referral system: Follow the instructions on the Sign Up or Change a User page.

To learn how to use the e-referral system: Refer to the Training Tools page, where you’ll find the e-referral User Guide and Online self-paced learning modules.

Do’s and don’ts when submitting through the e-referral system

For tips on how to make it easier to use the e-referral system when submitting commercial SNF prior authorization requests, refer to the May 2021 Record article: "Do’s and don’ts when submitting commercial SNF requests using the e-referral system."

Submit Medicare Advantage requests to naviHealth

naviHealth, an independent company, manages prior authorization requests for SNF admissions for our Medicare Plus Blue℠ and BCN Advantage℠ members.

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