August 4th – UPDATE ON PHYSICIANS BEING LOADED FROM BCBSTX BELOW:
“I’m working on getting the providers loaded asap. I don’t know exactly when they will be loaded but I have requested them to be loaded as urgent and will notify you as soon as that’s done so that members can select their Primary Care Physicians.”
The following memo is for POET physicians participating in POET Blue Essentials contract with BCBSTX. Bottom line is if you do not wish to see ANY Blue Essentials member please contact POET. Otherwise you are now completely in the Blue Essentials product (unless there are carved out benefit plans. )
As you may be aware TRS will have an option of Blue Choice or Blue Essentials as of September 1, 2020.
Currently our Blue Essentials agreement only allows for ERS through the definition of Member.
To add TRS and other members, the definition of Member has been changed to:
“Blue Essentials Member (“Member”) means an individual who is eligible to receive Covered Services under a Health Plan that utilizes the Blue Essentials HMO Network. “
This means you will be in network possibly (always check benefits) for ANY patient with Blue Essentials.
If you do not wish to participate in the agreement with this change, please contact POET to request a “opt out” form to sign.
HOW TO LEARN MORE:
BCBSTX is offering webinars to help educate you and your staff about Blue Essentials. See the below link for more information.
Link to BCBSTX article: https://www.bcbstx.com/provider/providersearch.html?keyword=TRS&state=tx&portal=&collectionType=tx_prod_provider&x=10&y=4
As always if you have questions please feel free to contact POET.
UPDATE: BCBSTX has sent the following reply to POET asking when physicians would show up in website as in network:
“To answer your questions providers can be loaded into the system prior to the effective date; however, they will not be visible for members select on the website until the date the contract takes effect.”