CommercialAdministrativeHigh impact
March 2017
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island·RI · Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Practice +1 more·Provider Update
Effective date
Jan 1, 2017
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
BCBSRI's web-based referral management tool became mandatory effective January 1, 2017 for all BlueCHiP Commercial, BlueCHiP for Medicare Advance, and New England Health Plan products. Primary care providers must now submit all referrals through the online tool instead of paper-based processes, and claims may be denied without proper web-based referrals.
Action Required
Immediately: All PCPs must register for and use BCBSRI's web-based referral management tool for BlueCHiP Commercial, BlueCHiP for Medicare Advance, and NEHP patients. Visit BCBSRI's secure Provider site, click Referrals, and complete registration process. Ensure all referrals are created through the online tool - referrals can be backdated 30 days and are valid for 6 months. Failure to use the web-based tool will result in claim denials for specialist services.