Medicare AdvantageAdministrativeHigh impact
[New York] Take action: Use no-cost electronic claims and payments to avoid paper administrative fees
Anthem BCBS·NY·Provider Bulletin
Effective date
Oct 1, 2026
We identified it
Aug 2, 2026
Summary
Effective October 1, 2026, Anthem Blue Cross will impose a $5 administrative fee for each paper-submitted claim (if net paid amount ≥ $10) and each printed paper check (if total paid amount ≥ $10) for contracted Medicare Advantage providers in New York. Providers must submit claims electronically and enroll in EFT or other electronic payment options to avoid these fees.
Action Required
By September 30, 2026: (1) Billing team must ensure all Medicare Advantage claims for Anthem Blue Cross are submitted electronically via Availity Essentials. (2) Enroll in EFT through EnrollSafe at enrollsafe.payeehub.org or contact 877-882-0384 to receive electronic payments instead of paper checks. (3) Update billing workflows to eliminate paper claim submission and paper check processing for Anthem Medicare Advantage claims. (4) Train all billing staff on electronic claims submission procedures using Availity Essentials (visit Digital Solutions Learning Hub for training). Failure to comply will result in $5 fees per paper claim and per paper check, reducing practice reimbursement and increasing administrative costs. Providers cannot bill members for these fees.