Dear Provider,
As you know, providers are still unable to properly access the Carelon online prior authorization (PA) portal. BCNC has resolved one technical error causing this problem and is actively working on the other. HNS has held several meetings and communicated multiple times with BCNC each day about this issue, and we will continue to do so until it is fully resolved.
Importantly, during those many meetings and various communications, HNS repeatedly insisted that BCNC, at a minimum, move back the effective date of the new PA program for physical therapy (PT) services until the portal issue was fully resolved.
As a result of those efforts, we are happy to report that BCNC has now agreed to do just that. The PA program will not go into effect on 11/1/2024 as intended, but at some date after the portal issues have been resolved. For the time being, BCNC is not requiring you to request PA for PT services.
BCNC intends to issue more details about the extension of the program’s effective date in the coming days. Once they do, HNS will immediately communicate that information to you. For now, this is all the information we have about this change, but we wanted to share it with you as soon as we knew.
Sincerely,
HNS