Digital Request for Additional Information (Digital RFAI) is the fastest and easiest way to get us the documents we need to process your claim. Now, it is even better! We’ve added filter, sort, and search features for greater productivity. 

New filtering functions are ideal for organizations where more than one person is responsible for submitting claim attachments. Another great feature: your filters are saved (locked) – so you can see your desired filter view each time you log on but easily clear them when your search criteria changes. 

We are committed to shared success and reporting is just another way we are giving Digital RFAI users a productivity boost. We’ve added reporting fields that can be used for both History and Inbox reports.

Fields available for History and Inbox reports

Expanded reporting fields are downloadable! Use the download option to meet your specific reporting requirements.

We’re here to help! 

Want to know more about receiving digital notifications for faster claims processing? Visit the Digital RFAI learning microsite or reach out to your Provider Relations Account Manager.

Description/Approach 

Provider performance can vary widely in relation to efficiency and quality. Our goal as your Medicare health plan partner is to ensure our members receive high-quality care that leads to improved member health outcomes across a wide range of variables. 

We will add a new sorting option on the Find Care tool for members to leverage when they are searching for a non-PCP specialist provider. This sorting option, called Personalized Match Phase 1, is based on each provider’s score relative to their peers in the patient’s preferred mileage search radius. Providers will be listed in order of their total score, though no individual scores will appear within the tool or be visible to the covered patients. The Personalized Match Phase 1 algorithm will be based on quality and efficiency criteria to assist members in making more informed choices about their medical care. Other sorting options will still be available on Find Care for our members. Members should consider a variety of factors when making decisions for choosing a specialist provider to manage their care. 

We evaluate provider groups and individual providers annually, using updated quality and efficiency methodologies and data.

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We understand that providing the information needed to process a claim can cause payment delays, and the manual methods associated with mailing letters and returning information non-digitally is costly and inefficient.

We’re changing that by implementing a new process: Digital Request for Additional Information (Digital RFAI), and we’re inviting you to participate.

Digital requests for additional information are 50% faster than returning documentation any other way — making it the most efficient way to receive and return information — resulting in faster claim payments. 

Participation in Digital RFAI is easy

1. Registration:
   • Your organization’s Availity* administrator will register for Medical Attachments:
     • This enables you to receive digital notices (instead of paper) and to attach the requested documents directly to your claim.
     • Ensure all of your billing NPIs/TINs are registered.
2. User roles:
   • Your Availity administrator will also update or add new users with these specific role assignments through Availity Essentials:
     • Claims Status
     • Medical Attachments
   • This enables the users to view the Availity Attachment Dashboard.
3. Ready to go:
   • After the registration and user roles are completed on Availity, the Digital RFAI process is ready to go. 
   • Requests will automatically appear on the Attachments Dashboard each morning (when documents are needed).

Additional support

You, your organization’s Availity administrator, or other members of your team may need additional support – and we’re to help:

• For Availity Administrators: Take this training to ensure your NPIs are registered properly. 
• For those sending attachments: Take this user training to learn about accessing notifications, sorting and filtering, and other enhancements that improve your experience. 

Through our efforts, we are committed to reducing administrative burden and ensuring timely payments because we value you, our care provider partner. For additional resources, visit the Digital RFAI webpage or contact your Provider Relations Account Manager. 

Starting mid-September, search for patient information in Availity Essentials* Eligibility and Benefits without having a member ID. We’ve updated and streamlined the process to eliminate the need for the member ID while maintaining the highest HIPAA standards. Easily search for patient eligibility and benefits details using the Patient Search option of patient last name, patient first name, date of birth, and patient zip code.

Find Eligibility and Benefits Inquiry on Availity’s top menu bar under Patient Registration. Once it becomes available, make sure to use the new search feature when you need to find member information and do not have access to the member ID.

Need the member ID for another capability in Availity Essentials? When you use the new search option in Eligibility and Benefits Inquiry and see the eligibility and benefits details, the member’s current ID details will be available and allow you to transact within other digital capabilities where the member ID is required. 

Watch for more information on the Availity Essentials home page under News and Announcements to notify you when this feature is available. 

Get access to Availity Essentials now

If you and your organization aren’t currently registered for Availity Essentials, now is the time to make that happen. Availity Essentials offers secure online access for working together and is free to our providers. To register, visit the availity.com Registration Information page.

Effective November 1, 2023, HealthKeepers, Inc. will align the benefit limits for ostomy and colostomy products and accessories with Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) benefit limits. The affected codes are listed below. This change will affect the current reimbursement policy and related claims processing rules associated with the listed codes.

HealthKeepers, Inc. will no longer reimburse for any amount that exceeds the DMAS benefit limits for Anthem HealthKeepers Plus members.

HealthKeepers, Inc. will only reimburse providers for quantities exceeding DMAS limits when prescribed by a physician, documented on a certificate of medical necessity (CMN), and authorized by HealthKeepers, Inc. HealthKeepers, Inc. follows the same criteria as DMAS in determining all medical necessity approval.

We recommend that providers visit the online provider manual to review all authorization, appeals, and reconsideration processes at:

• Policies, Guidelines & Manuals | HealthKeepers, Inc. (anthem.com)

If you have any questions about this communication, call Anthem HealthKeepers Plus Provider Services at 800-901-0020.

Effective September 1, 2023, prior authorization (PA) requirements will change for the following code(s). The medical code(s) listed below will require PA by HealthKeepers, Inc. for Anthem HealthKeepers Plus members. Federal and state law, as well as state contract language and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidelines (including definitions and specific contract provisions/exclusions) take precedence over these PA rules and must be considered first when determining coverage. Non-compliance with new requirements may result in denied claims.

Prior authorization requirements will be added for the following code(s):

To request PA, you may use one of the following methods:

• Web: Once logged in to Availity Essentials* at https://availity.com
• Fax: 800-964-3627
• Phone: 800-901-0020

Not all PA requirements are listed here. Detailed PA requirements are available to providers at https://mediproviders.anthem.com/va/Pages/communications-updates.aspx on the Resources tab or, for contracted providers, by accessing Availity.com. Providers may also call Anthem HealthKeepers Plus Provider Services at 800-901-0020 for assistance with PA requirements.

The following services will be added to precertification for the effective dates listed below.

Precertification responsibility

The ordering or rendering provider of service is responsible for completing the prior authorization process.

HMO plans: Services that require precertification will be denied if rendered without the appropriate prior authorization for in-network providers. HMO members may not have benefits for nonemergency services rendered outside of the network and are subject to review and may be denied.

PPO plans: Precertification for services requiring prior approval is highly recommended. If not completed in advance, a prepayment review of the claim will occur and may result in a denial of claim reimbursement.

EPO plans: Precertification for services requiring prior approval is highly recommended. If not completed in advance, a pre-payment review of the claim will occur and may result in a denial of claim reimbursement. No out-of-network benefit is available with the exception of ER/urgent care and authorized services.

To request precertification with the Virginia Plan

Access Availity Essentials* (Availity.com.)

For maternity, medical, or surgical precertification, call the number listed on the back of the member’s ID card.

For mental health and substance abuse precertification, call 800-755-0851. Professionals are available 24/7.

Effective December 1, 2023, prior authorization (PA) requirements will change for the following code(s).  The medical code(s) listed below will require PA by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield for Medicare members. Federal and state law, as well as state contract language and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidelines, including definitions and specific contract provisions/exclusions take precedence over these precertification rules and must be considered first when determining coverage. Non-compliance with new requirements may result in denied claims.

Prior authorization requirements will be added for the following code(s):

Not all PA requirements are listed here. Detailed PA requirements are available to providers on anthem.com/medicareprovider on the Resources tab or for contracted providers by accessing Availity.com.* Providers may also call the number on the back of the member’s ID card for assistance with PA requirements.

Effective for dates of service on and after December 1, 2023, the following clinical criteria were developed and might result in services that were previously covered but may now be found to be not medically necessary.

For Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliate HealthKeepers, Inc., prior authorization of these specialty pharmacy drugs will be managed by Anthem. Drugs used for the treatment of oncology will still require prior authorization by Carelon Medical Benefits Management, Inc.,* a separate company. This applies to members with Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and Anthem HealthKeepers Plus (HMO).

Access the Clinical Criteria document information.

Effective April 5, 2023, Sublocade^® can no longer be filled at Accredo Specialty Pharmacy.* Members currently filling through Accredo Specialty Pharmacy will need to switch to CVS Specialty Pharmacy.*   A member of the CVS Specialty Pharmacy Care team will be contacting prescribers to obtain a new prescription. Prescribers can contact CVS Specialty Pharmacy at 877-254-0015.

On November 1, 2023, HealthKeepers, Inc. will implement a change regarding continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs). Previously, we made it more convenient for members to obtain CGMs (devices and supplies) at their preferred in-network retail pharmacy or the CarelonRx, Inc. home delivery pharmacy. Beginning on November 1, 2023, CGM access, including HCPCS codes: A9276, A9277, A9278, A4239, and E2103 will only be available to a member through their in-network retail pharmacy or CarelonRx home delivery pharmacy and no longer a durable medical equipment (DME) provider. Select CGM access, including HCPCS codes A4238 and E2102 will continue to be available on the DME benefit. Members receiving CGMs and their prescribers have been/will be notified of the change.   

Note: This change only applies to CGMs and not insulin pump delivery systems.  

If you have any questions about this communication, call Anthem HealthKeepers Plus Provider Services at 800-901-0020.

The following Part B medications from the current Clinical Criteria Guidelines are included in our medical step therapy precertification review process. Step therapy review will apply upon precertification initiation, in addition to the current medical necessity review (as is current procedure). Step therapy will not apply for members who are actively receiving medications listed below. 

There are no clinical changes to Clinical Criteria CC-005, Hyaluronan Injections. Based on feedback, the table listing the preferred and non-preferred products has been updated to present the information in a more useful manner. The updated table identifies preferred alternatives based on injection series. 

Clinical Criteria Guidelines are publicly available on the provider website. Visit the Clinical Criteria page to search for specific criteria.

**This collateral ran originally in the July 1, 2023, newsletter and was also posted on the provider portal with an October 1, 2023, effective date. The new date of service will begin on November 1, 2023.** 

Effective for dates of service on and after November 1, 2023, the specialty Medicare Part B drug listed in the table below will be included in our precertification review process.  

Federal and state law, as well as state contract language and CMS guidelines, including definitions and specific contract provisions/exclusions, take precedence over these precertification rules and must be considered first when determining coverage. Noncompliance with new requirements may result in denied claims.