People covered by the state’s employee medical plans may need two kinds of prior approvals to get certain care or medications: prior authorization and insurance referrals.
Prior Authorization
Doctors usually ask for this approval. They send the forms and follow the plan’s rules. If you don’t get approval first, your insurance might not pay for the service or medicine.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota: Go to this page on their website. Scroll down to the “See the full lists of prior authorization and notification requirements” section in the column at right:
The medicines on the list are covered through Blue Cross. If you are looking for a medicine that isn't on this list, go to the CVS Caremark website.
HealthPartners: Go to this page on their website. Scroll down to the “Search our coverage criteria” section. To find rules about your coverage:
Note: Many of the pharmacy policies that appear in this search do not apply to coverage through SEGIP. Go to the CVS Caremark website to find details about pharmacy prior authorizations.
CVS Caremark: Go to this page on their website. You will find an A-to-Z listing of medicines.
Insurance Referrals
To see most specialists, you first need permission from your Primary Care Clinic (PCC.) You chose your PCC. You can find it listed as your Primary Care Provider (PCP) on your medical insurance ID card.
Ask your PCC for a medical insurance referral. It's how your insurance pays for care from many other providers.
However, you can go directly to these providers in your HealthPartners or Blue Cross network. Make sure the provider you see is in the network you selected.
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Obstetricians/gynecologists
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Chiropractors for acute care
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Mental health providers
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Substance use disorder providers
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Eye doctors for routine eye exams
Also, you do not need a referral for care you get in an emergency room or at urgent care.
Go to the Official Plan Documents section below and select Summary of Benefits for more details.
Cost Estimate for Dental Treatments
Predetermination and pretreatment estimate of benefits are two other phrases you’ll hear. They are cost estimates from your dental plan. If you need dental work that isn’t just a checkup or cleaning, ask your dentist to get you a cost estimate before you get care. This cost estimate helps you understand:
HealthPartners Dental calls this process a Predetermination. Delta Dental calls it a Pretreatment Estimate of Benefits.
The estimate is just that, an estimate. Go to your HealthPartners Dental or Delta Dental Summary of Benefits to review the rules for coverage.