Announcing a New Network - Connection

Effective January 1, 2020, Empire BlueCross BlueShield (“Empire”) will be launching a new network called Connection. The Connection network will be available to Local and National Large and Small Groups in the following Downstate New York Counties: Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland. 

 

Empire members enrolled under a benefit plan that utilizes the Connection network will have member ID cards that read “Connection” at the top of their member ID card. If you are included as a provider in the Connection network, it is important for you to remember that this is a limited provider network. The product offered under the Connection network is Gatekeeper EPO (GEPO and EPO). 

 

The EPO and GEPO plans will not offer coverage for services received by out of network providers; therefore, please confirm a provider’s participation status with Empire’s Find a Doctor tool found on www.empireblue.com prior to referring to or scheduling services with another provider

 

Should a non-participating provider be required, Empire’s Use of a Non-Participating Provider Advance Patient Notice Policy will apply. As a reminder, Empire’s Advance Patient Notice form can be found at www.empireblue.com/provider. Failure to refer patients to a participating provider could result in claim denials and increased out of pocket costs for our members.

 

The prefixes used for the Connection Network are:

 

Product	Network Name	Medical Product Type	BCA Prefix
Small Group	Connection	EPO	CJL
Small Group	Connection	Gatekeeper EPO	CJV
Small Group	Connection	HSA-HMO	XBJ
Large Group	Connection	Gatekeeper EPO	BCW
Large Group	Connection	EPO	BKT