All PlansAdministrativeMedium impact
Encourage Follow-up Care after Hospital Visits for Mental Health
BCBS Illinois·IL · Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine +1 more·General
Effective date
Feb 6, 2026
We identified it
Jun 16, 2026
Summary
Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois is encouraging providers to schedule follow-up care within 7 days for members discharged from hospitals or emergency departments for mental health conditions. This policy emphasizes improving HEDIS quality measures for mental health follow-up care and provides guidance for coordination between behavioral health and primary care providers.
Action Required
Immediately: Establish protocols to schedule mental health follow-up appointments within 7 days of hospital/ED discharge. Ensure mental health diagnosis codes are used consistently at follow-up visits (not non-mental illness codes). Coordinate care documentation between behavioral health and primary care providers, including sharing progress notes with mental health diagnoses. Contact members who cancel mental health follow-up appointments to reschedule promptly.