Start free

PolicyChanges tracks payer policy changes for medical practices and tells you what to do before they take effect.

Create a free accountPolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.
← Back to list
BCBS IllinoisCommercial · Prior Auth · General · IL · Emergency MedicineHigh impact

Alacura for Medical Transportation Management: Learn More

Act
immediately
Effective date
Jan 1, 2026
Identified
Jun 16, 2026

Summary

Effective January 1, 2026, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois now requires prior authorization through Alacura Medical Transportation Management for all non-emergent air and ground ambulance transportation for fully insured and retail PPO/POS members. Ambulance providers must call Alacura at 866-671-5085 before transport for non-urgent situations.

Get alerts when payers change rules like this one

We check BCBS Illinois and other payers every day and email you when a change matches your specialty and state.

Get BCBS Illinois alertsPolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.

What to do

immediately · 4 steps
01All ambulance providers and hospitals must contact Alacura at 866-671-5085 for prior authorization before any non-emergent, non-urgent medical transportation for BCBSIL fully insured and retail PPO/POS members.
02Hospitals must call for all facility-to-facility transports and non-emergent outpatient transports.
03Update workflows to verify Alacura authorization before patient pickup.
04Include ambulance run reports, flight records, and clinical documentation when submitting claims to prevent processing delays.

Original notice

Alacura for Medical Transportation Management: Learn More
bcbsil.com · Always check the source before changing claims.
View original ↗

Related changes

See all BCBS Illinois changes →
FAQ Update: Medical Transportation Changes, Effective Jan. 1, 2026HighEffective Jan 1, 2026 · GeneralBrowse every BCBS Illinois change in the policy list

Related policy hubs

BCBS Illinois policiesIL policy changesEmergency Medicine

Summaries are AI-assisted. Always confirm against the original payer notice.

What is PolicyChanges

One workspace for payer rules, prior auth, coding and compliance

Medical practices use PolicyChanges to catch payer changes before they cause denials. Every change is summarized in plain English, with the codes involved, the date it takes effect and what to do.

Policy MonitoringPayer policy, prior auth and coding changes, filtered to your saved searchesOIG ScreeningStaff and vendors screened every month against OIG LEIE, SAM.gov and state Medicaid listsPrior Auth LookupKnow if a service needs prior authorization before you schedule itCredentialing TrackerLicenses, CAQH, Medicare revalidation and payer enrollments, with reminders before anything lapsesCompliance CenterKeep your HIPAA program documented and ready to show
Start freePolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.
Get alerts for changes like thisPolicy Monitoring is free. No card required.Create a free account