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Blue Cross Blue ShieldUsing your Blue Cross Blue Shield plan for virtual outpatient treatment.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is a federation of state and regional plans, and the benefit design can look very different across them. We work with BCBS plans nationally on an out-of-network basis. Your plan is unique. We verify yours specifically before you commit to anything.
The honest version.
We are out of network with commercial carriers. In-network credentialing is in progress. We verify your out-of-network benefits and tell you the real out-of-pocket number before you start.
What we will and will not tell you about cost.
We do not waive cost-shares. We do not tell you treatment is free. We verify your OON benefits, give you the real number, and if cost is a genuine barrier we will talk about it case by case.
A short overview, no fine print.
Plans vary widely, so the numbers below are intentionally not on this page. Yours are unique, and we pull them with you on the phone or in a two-minute form.
The pieces of the plan
- An allowed amount for each kind of visit or day of care.
- A deductible you meet before the plan starts splitting the cost.
- A coinsurance split after the deductible.
- An out-of-pocket maximum for the year, after which the plan covers more or all.
- An authorization step for intensive outpatient and PHP-intensity hour expansion, which we handle.
What we do for you on the benefits side
- Call your carrier on the back of your card and pull the actual out-of-network behavioral numbers for the level of care you need.
- Translate them into the dollar cost of a week of treatment, so there are no surprises.
- Submit the authorization and stay on the case through review and renewal.
- Bill what the plan considers reasonable, so there is no balance-bill surprise later.
Why a state-specific page may not be live yet.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is not one company. It is a federation of independent state and regional Blues plans. The benefit design, the authorization process, and the OON behavioral health benefit can look very different in two states with the same Blue Cross logo. We work with BCBS plans nationally on an out-of-network basis. If a state-specific page is not yet built for your plan, this page is a fine starting point.
The OON pattern
Most BCBS commercial PPO plans include an out-of-network behavioral health benefit with a separate OON deductible and a coinsurance split. Pure HMO plans often have a narrower OON benefit. We pull yours specifically before you commit.
Start the benefit check Self-funded employer on a BCBS networkPlan rules come from the employer
If your card says BCBS but your employer self-funds, the employer's plan document sets the rules and BCBS rents the network. The behavioral benefit can look very different from a fully insured plan with the same logo. Send us the front of the card and we will tell you what your plan actually covers.
Start the benefit checkYour home plan, our virtual program, anywhere you are.
Most BCBS plans use the BlueCard program so members can access care across state lines. Because we deliver care virtually, you keep your home plan and we coordinate the authorization with your local BCBS. The OON benefit shape follows your home plan, not the state you happen to be sitting in.
Plain-English answers.
Is Shift in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield?
No. We are out of network with commercial carriers, including all BCBS plans nationally. In-network credentialing is in progress. Most BCBS plans include an out-of-network behavioral health benefit, which is what we bill against.
All BCBS plans are the same, right?
No. Blue Cross Blue Shield is a federation of independent state and regional Blues plans. Anthem BCBS, Highmark BCBS, Independence Blue Cross, Florida Blue, Premera, Regence, Horizon BCBS, BCBS Wisconsin, and others operate independently with different benefit designs. The card tells us which plan you have, and we read your specific plan before you start.
My employer self-funds on a BCBS network. Does that change anything?
Yes. When an employer self-funds, the employer's plan document sets the rules and BCBS rents the network and processes claims. The behavioral benefit can be richer or narrower than a fully insured plan with the same logo. The plan document is the source of truth, not the carrier brochure.
Does BlueCard cover virtual treatment across state lines?
Generally yes. The BlueCard program lets BCBS members get care from providers outside their home plan's state, billed back to the home plan. Because we are a virtual program, you keep your home plan and your home plan's benefit shape applies. We coordinate authorization with your home plan.
Will I owe an out-of-pocket cost?
Almost always, yes. Out-of-network plans use a separate deductible, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum. We collect the patient share as required. We pull your specific numbers before you start so there are no surprises.
How do I find out what my plan really covers?
Send us the member ID and group number on the front of your card. We call your plan, pull the actual out-of-network behavioral numbers for the level of care you need, and translate them into what a typical week of treatment would cost you.
Verify your benefits in two minutes.
Send us the member ID and group number on the front of your card. We come back with your specific out-of-network deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and what a typical week of intensive outpatient or partial hospitalization-intensity care would cost you. No commitment until you decide.
If you or someone you are with is in immediate danger, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. Shift Support Network is an outpatient program and is not an emergency service.