Medium impact
Belimumab (Benlysta®)
BCBS Tennessee·Effective Sep 30, 2026
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is implementing a new medical policy for Belimumab (Benlysta®) effective September 30, 2026, covering treatment of active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and active lupus nephritis in patients 5 years and older. Coverage requires prior authorization, specific autoantibody testing, concurrent standard therapy, and prescriber specialty validation (rheumatology/nephrology). The policy excludes severe active CNS lupus and concurrent biologic use.