Home Administrative Billing & Reimbursement BlueCard® Health and Wellness Medical PEAR portal Pharmacy Products Quality Management

New acupuncture benefit and network now in effect

January 22, 2019

As of January 1, 2019, Independence now offers an acupuncture benefit to commercial group members. To accommodate this benefit and better serve our members, we have expanded our network to include acupuncture providers.

Benefit details

Acupuncture is considered medically necessary for certain conditions, limited to:

  • Headache (migraine and tension)
  • Post-operative and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
  • Nausea of pregnancy
  • Low back pain
  • Pain from osteoarthritis of the knee and hip
  • Chronic neck pain

The use of acupuncture for other conditions is considered experimental/investigational and will not be covered.

Verifying member eligibility

Members with employer group coverage will not have the benefit until the effective date of the group renewal. Providers should use the Eligibility and Benefits Inquiry transaction on the NaviNet® web portal to confirm member benefits.

Acupuncture network

If you are licensed to practice acupuncture in your state and would like to provide acupuncture for the conditions outlined above, you may submit a request to join the Independence Blue Cross network. For information on our network credentialing process and credentialing criteria, please visit our website. You can apply by completing the online Practitioner Participation Form.

Note: The licensing rules for acupuncturists differ by state. Providers should refer to their state’s licensing board for guidelines.

If you meet the criteria to join our network, your information will be displayed in our Find a Doctor tool. If you have questions about the network or the credentialing process, please email us at specialistsrequests@ibx.com.

Updated policy

Effective January 1, 2019, Medical Policy #12.00.01f: Acupuncture was updated to include information related to this new benefit.

To view this policy, visit our Medical Policy Portal and select Accept and Go to Medical Policy Online. Then select the Commercial tab, and then type the policy name or number in the Search field.

NaviNet is a registered trademark of NaviNet, Inc., an independent company.


This content was prepared for the Provider News Center and may not be reproduced in any way without the express written permission of Independence Blue Cross. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
Connect with us     Facebook     Twitter     Flickr     YouTube     Walk the Talk    Independence Pinterest    Independence LinkedIn    Independence Instagram Site Map        Anti-Fraud        Privacy Policy        Legal        Disclaimer
© 2023 Independence Blue Cross.
Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving the health insurance needs of Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania.