CommercialCoverageMedium impact
October 7 is National Depression Screening Day
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island·RI · Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Practice +1 more·Behavioral Health
Effective date
Oct 1, 2021
We identified it
Jun 19, 2026
Summary
BCBSRI promotes National Depression Screening Day (October 7) and encourages primary care providers to use PHQ-9 screening tools annually for all patients. The policy outlines the Collaborative Care Model requirements and referral processes for behavioral health services through Beacon Health Options.
Action Required
Primary care providers should implement annual depression screening using PHQ-9 tools for all patients per USPS Task Force guidelines. For practices wanting to bill for Collaborative Care Model services, submit detailed program descriptions to Behavioralhealth@bcbsri.org for approval before billing. Claims can be submitted 60 days after program approval with no retroactive payments allowed.