Anthem Credentialing for Providers
Anthem, operating under Elevance Health, is the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 14 states. We submit your application through Availity, keep CAQH in sync, and follow the file through Anthem's credentialing committee to contract.
The application path we run for this payer
- Intake and gap reviewLicenses, DEA, board certificates, malpractice, work history and NPI details are collected and compared against what each target payer asks for.
- Profile setupCAQH ProView, PECOS and payer portals are created or cleaned up, attested and linked to the correct Tax ID and locations.
- Application submissionEvery enrollment is filed in dependency order, with a tracking record for each payer, date and reference number.
- Follow-up on a fixed cadencePayers are contacted on a schedule. Requests for more information are answered the same business day.
- Approval, contract and handoffEffective dates, provider IDs and fee schedules are logged and loaded into your billing system.
Anthem holds the Blue license in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. In those states it is usually one of the two or three largest commercial payers, so being out of network is not an option for most practices.
Anthem credentials through Availity and pulls supporting data from CAQH. ClainetRCM manages both, plus the state-specific quirks, like California's separate Anthem Blue Cross entity and New York's Empire history, that trip up practices credentialing across state lines.
Where this usually goes wrong
Availity application errors
Anthem's provider enrollment runs through Availity. Wrong Tax ID, wrong plan selection or an unlinked provider record causes silent rejections.
Multi-state groups
A group with locations in two Anthem states needs separate applications with each state's Anthem entity, and the contracts do not automatically extend.
Medicaid and Medicare Advantage carve-outs
Anthem's Medicaid plans and MA products often credential separately from the commercial network.
What ClainetRCM handles
One coordinator owns the file from intake to effective date.
- Availity provider enrollment application for each state and Tax ID
- CAQH ProView attestation with Anthem authorized
- State entity mapping so multi-state groups apply correctly
- Credentialing committee and contracting follow-up
- Fee schedule review and participation agreement execution
- Medicaid managed care and Medicare Advantage applications where relevant
Anthem states and how we handle them
| West | California (Anthem Blue Cross), Colorado, Nevada |
|---|---|
| Midwest | Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Wisconsin |
| South | Georgia, Virginia |
| Northeast | New York, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire |
Outside these states, the Blue plan is a different licensee. See Blue Cross Blue Shield credentialing for how BlueCard and out-of-area billing work.
Questions about Anthem
How long does Anthem credentialing take?
Anthem generally completes credentialing in 60 to 90 days after a complete Availity application, with contracting adding a few weeks. Incomplete CAQH attestations are the most common cause of delay.
Which states does Anthem cover?
Anthem is the Blue licensee in 14 states listed above. In other states the Blue plan is a separate company with its own credentialing. If you have patients from Anthem states while practicing elsewhere, they are covered through BlueCard via your local Blue plan contract.
Do I need to credential with Anthem for Medicaid patients?
Anthem operates Medicaid managed care plans in several states under names like Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal and Anthem HealthKeepers Plus. These usually require a separate application and a state Medicaid ID first. See Medicaid provider enrollment.
Can you handle Anthem credentialing for behavioral health?
Yes. Anthem behavioral health credentialing may route through Carelon Behavioral Health depending on the state and product. We confirm the correct path before filing. See mental health credentialing.