Provider reimbursement policies

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and Blue Plus (Blue Cross) has developed reimbursement policies that provide coding and reimbursement requirements for healthcare services.

Coding and reimbursement processes are subject to all terms of the Provider Service Agreement as well as changes, updates and other requirements of coding rules and guidelines. All codes are also subject to federal HIPAA rules, and in the case of medical code sets (HCPCS, CPT, ICD-10-CM), only codes valid for the date of service will be accepted. These policies are superseded by benefits and/or by state or federal requirements.

The reimbursement policies are separated by line of business (Commercial, Medicaid or Medicare). If there is not a policy for a specific line of business refer to the following sources:

  • Medicaid: Refer to Minnesota Health Care Program (MHCP) Provider Manual for guidance. NOTE: Blue Cross Medicaid Reimbursement Policies became effective 1/1/2024.
  • Medicare: Refer to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for guidance.

Commercial

Commercial General Coding - 003 Code Editing Policy

Commercial General Coding - 005 Unlisted Procedure Code

Commercial General Coding - 007 Telehealth and Virtual Care Services

Commercial General Coding - 009 Max Units Per Day

Commercial General Coding - 010 Chiropractic Services

Commercial General Coding - 011 Urgent Care-After Hours Care-Extended Hours

Commercial General Coding - 016 Drug Wastage

Commercial General Coding - 018 Myocardial Perfusion (Cardiovascular Stress Test)

Commercial General Coding - 019 Professional and Technical Components for Applicable Services

Commercial General Coding - 025 Maternity

Commercial General Coding - 031 Home Infusion

Commercial General Coding - 038 Injection and Infusion Services

Commercial General Coding - 069 Ambulance Services

Commercial General Coding - 071 Bundled Services

Commercial General Coding - 072 Performance Measurement Codes

Commercial General Coding - 073 Clinical Trial

Commercial General Coding - 074 Cellular and Gene Therapy Products

Commercial General Coding - 076 Procedure Codes Not Applicable to Commercial Products

Commercial General Coding - 078 Community Health Worker

Commercial General Coding - 079 Hair Removal for Gender Affirming Procedures

Commercial General Coding - 080 Skilled Nursing Services in the Home

Commercial General Coding - 081 Inappropriate Diagnosis Code

Commercial General Coding - 082 Spravato (esketamine)

Medicaid

Medicaid General Coding - 003 Code Editing Policy

Medicaid General Coding - 005 Unlisted Procedure Code Policy

Medicaid General Coding - 009 Maximum Units Per Day

Medicaid General Coding - 071 Bundled Services

Medicaid General Coding - 073 Clinical Trial

Medicaid General Coding - 074 Cellular and Gene Therapy Products

Medicaid General Coding - 079 Hair Removal for Gender Affirming Procedures

Medicaid General Coding - 081 Inappropriate Diagnosis Code

Medicaid General Coding - 082 Spravato (esketamine)

Medicare

Medicare General Coding - 003 Code Editing Policy

Medicare General Coding - 005 Unlisted Procedure Code

Medicare General Coding - 009 Max Units Per Day

Medicare General Coding - 011 Urgent Care-After Hours Care-Extended Hours

Medicare General Coding - 079 Hair Removal for Gender Affirming Procedures

Medicare General Coding - 081 Inappropriate Diagnosis Code

Commercial

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 001 Assistant at Surgery

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 002 Bilateral Procedures

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 003 Co-Surgeon and Team Surgeons

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 004 Modifier 22

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 005 Multiple Surgical Reduction

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 006 Fracture Care

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 007 Global Surgical Package

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 008 Multiple Endoscopic Procedures

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 011 Insertion and Removal of Tympanic Ventilation Tubes

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 013 Computer Assisted Navigation in Orthopedic Surgery

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 019 Once in a Lifetime Procedures

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 021 Mohs Micrographic

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 022 Wrong Surgical and Other Invasive Procedures

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 023 Robotic-Assisted Surgery

Commercial Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 024 Split Surgical Package

Medicaid

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 002 Bilateral Procedures

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 003 Co-Surgeon and Team Surgeons

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 004 Modifier 22

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 005 Multiple Surgical Reduction

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 007 Global Surgical Package

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 019 Once in a Lifetime Procedures

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 022 Wrong Surgical and Other Invasive Procedures

Medicaid Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 024 Split Surgical Package

Medicare

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 004 Modifier 22

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 006 Fracture Care

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 007 Global Surgical Package

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 011 Insertion and Removal of Tympanic Ventilation Tubes

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 019 Once in a Lifetime Procedures

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 022 Wrong Surgical and Other Invasive Procedures

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 023 Robotic-Assisted Surgery

Medicare Surgery/Interventional Procedure - 024 Split Surgical Package