Prior auth reminder for BH services

As the New Year approaches, we wanted to remind you that outpatient mental health and substance abuse therapy sessions do not require prior authorization with Priority Health participating providers. This went into effect July 1, 2008.

You do not need to call us to approve outpatient mental health or substance abuse therapy sessions if the member is seeing a Priority Health participating provider.

Members are required to obtain prior authorization for:

• initial evaluations for counseling
• psychological testing
• psychiatric medication management

After an initial evaluation, authorization is not needed for:

• ongoing psychological testing
• ongoing psychiatric medication management
• ongoing substance abuse intensive outpatient therapy
• ongoing outpatient counseling