BCBS Tennessee at a glance
| Legal name | BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Also known as | BCBSTN, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee |
| Category | BCBS affiliate |
| Registry organization reference (unverified) | BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (nonprofit). This qualified same-name descriptor does not establish a parent organization. Nonprofit status has not been verified by this source comparison. |
| Claims payer ID | BCBST’s currently linked October 2023 837 companion guide, section 7.2, gives electronic payer ID 00390. Confirm the member product and trading-partner configuration; guide access does not establish submitter enrollment. |
| Eligibility (270/271) payer ID | The currently linked November 2011 BlueCORE 270/271 guide, section 10, independently specifies 00390 at loop 2100A NM109. This is an eligibility information-source reference, not a copied claims value or a blanket ERA enrollment identifier. |
| ERA (835) payer ID | No single all-product identifier established in this registry; see source findings and verify the member product and transaction separately. Clearinghouse-specific: The December 2013 835 guide uses 00390 as the outgoing ISA06/GS02 sender, and September 2024 BlueAlert identifies 00390 for Availity Remittance Viewer searches. The current digital-resources page directs EFT/ERA enrollment to Optum Payer Enrollment Services. These specific references do not verify one universal clearinghouse enrollment/routing ID; confirm the chosen receiver and product. |
| NAIC company code | Not established in this registry |
| States covered | Tennessee |
| Members covered | ~3.5 million members |
| Provider resource entry point | https://provider.bcbst.com |
| Provider phone | 1-800-924-7141BCBST lists 800-924-7141 for commercial and Medicare Advantage provider inquiries, with different operating hours. FEP and BlueCare Plus have separate contact routes; technical support uses the same main number with eBusiness prompts. |
Always verify claims-routing details against the member ID card and the payer's current EDI companion guide before submission.
Timely filing & appeals for BCBS Tennessee
The BCBST manual effective July 1, 2026 gives commercial initial claims six months from the date of service for individual providers or from discharge for facilities. Medicare Advantage primary claims use one year from service or inpatient discharge. Secondary claims, documented delayed insurance information and contract/member-benefit exceptions have separate rules. Confirm the product and applicable start event; do not convert these calendar periods into one universal 365-day limit.
| Submission type | Window |
|---|---|
| Initial claim reference | Commercial: six calendar months; MA primary: one calendar year |
| Out-of-network initial claim | Verify the member's plan and applicable out-of-network rules |
| Secondary / coordination of benefits | Verify the allowed window and start event; a primary EOB does not automatically restart filing |
| Corrected claim | Verify correction instructions; do not substitute an appeal deadline |
| Reconsideration / appeal | Use the applicable denial or decision notice and the process below |
This registry has not established a payer-specific appeal ladder for BCBS Tennessee. Use the denial notice, plan document, provider agreement, or jurisdictional rule to assign the correct route and deadline. Missing registry evidence does not mean appeal rights are unavailable.
Source: BCBS Tennessee provider policy. Always confirm before disputing a TFL denial — payer policies are versioned and product-specific.
Prior authorization with BCBS Tennessee
Decision deadlines depend on the product, service and urgency. CMS-0057-F generally starts its decision-timeframe requirements in 2026 for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and CHIP payers subject to the rule: seven calendar days for standard requests and 72 hours for expedited requests. Those requirements exclude drug authorizations and QHP issuers on the federally facilitated exchanges. Other plans, state rules and permitted extensions can differ. Check the applicable policy; a decision deadline is not a guarantee of approval.
CMS-0057-F decision-timeframe requirements and exclusions
Verify BCBS Tennessee electronic claims (837), eligibility (270/271), remittance (835) and authorization (278) separately for the member product and clearinghouse. Registry flags and routing references are not current transaction-complete approval. Confirm the companion guide, enrollment and applicable source findings below. A blank or unverified field does not establish that the transaction is unavailable. Authorization requirements and submission channels depend on the product, service and delegated reviewer. Verify the applicable policy before scheduling; a portal listing is not proof of X12 278 connectivity.
This registry does not provide a current prior-authorization code list for BCBS Tennessee. Start with the provider resources or the policy documents below, then confirm the applicable product, service and effective date. A resource link does not establish that a live code-lookup tool is available.
- → https://provider.bcbst.com/tools-resources/manuals-policies-guidelines
- → https://content.bcbst.com/api/public/content/bcbstpam.pdf?v=4396ee1e
- → https://provider.bcbst.com/contact-us
- → https://provider.bcbst.com/tools-resources/digital-resources
- → https://content.bcbst.com/api/public/content/ebusiness__user__companion__guide_04232013.pdf?v=772b8343
- → https://content.bcbst.com/api/public/content/companion_guide_270.pdf?v=05859f15
- → https://content.bcbst.com/api/public/content/companion_guide_835.pdf?v=6c61a5ac
- → https://www.bcbst.com/docs/providers/bluealert/2024/BlueAlert-sep.pdf
Top denial reasons for BCBS Tennessee
Per-payer denial benchmarks publish here once the QuickIntell anonymized ETL pipeline ingests sufficient BCBS Tennessee volume. Until then, see the broader CARC reference for industry-wide remediation guides.
Electronic claims, eligibility & ERA
| Transaction | Registry indication — not verification | Routing reference |
|---|---|---|
| 837P / 837I claims | Listed in registry; verify current scope | BCBST’s currently linked October 2023 837 companion guide, section 7.2, gives electronic payer ID 00390. Confirm the member product and trading-partner configuration; guide access does not establish submitter enrollment. |
| 270 / 271 eligibility | Listed in registry; verify current scope | The currently linked November 2011 BlueCORE 270/271 guide, section 10, independently specifies 00390 at loop 2100A NM109. This is an eligibility information-source reference, not a copied claims value or a blanket ERA enrollment identifier. |
| 278 prior authorization | Listed in registry; verify current scope | Verify X12 278 routing separately |
| 835 ERA | Verify support and enrollment separately | No single all-product identifier established in this registry; see source findings and verify the member product and transaction separately. Clearinghouse-specific: The December 2013 835 guide uses 00390 as the outgoing ISA06/GS02 sender, and September 2024 BlueAlert identifies 00390 for Availity Remittance Viewer searches. The current digital-resources page directs EFT/ERA enrollment to Optum Payer Enrollment Services. These specific references do not verify one universal clearinghouse enrollment/routing ID; confirm the chosen receiver and product. |
Payer IDs vary by clearinghouse — confirm against your clearinghouse payer list (Availity, Change Healthcare/Optum, Waystar) before configuring submitter routing.
What revenue cycle teams should verify before submitting claims
- For Medicare Advantage secondary claims, the July 2026 manual uses the later of one year from service/inpatient discharge or 60 days from the primary insurer’s payment notice. Its commercial secondary paragraph separately lists 60-day service/discharge/payment-notice alternatives; do not import the MA “whichever is greater” rule into commercial cases without confirmation.
- The manual identifies an electronic 277CA with assigned payer claim-control number as filing evidence. Retain the payer acknowledgement; a transmission attempt alone is not treated as accepted filing.
- The public digital-resources page links October 2023 837, November 2011 270 and December 2013 835 guides. The September 2024 remittance-search notice is historical corroboration. Current retrieval neither redates those documents nor certifies a live account, enrollment or all-product authorization route.
Source checks and remaining limits
The latest partial comparison is dated . Retained earlier findings keep their original dates below. This is a partial source check, not a whole-page, clinical or legal review. It does not refresh the legacy review date above.
timely_filing_days, filing_rule, timely_filing_source_url — BCBST manual index
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: Current linked manual is effective July 1, 2026. The October 1 preview is not treated as in-force on September 18. Locator: Current Provider Administration Manual; separate October 1, 2026 preview. Version: No publication or effective date established on the checked HTML page.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_read. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for timely_filing_days, filing_rule, timely_filing_source_url — bcbst manual indextimely_filing_days, filing_rule, timely_filing_source_url — BCBST Provider Administration Manual
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: Commercial initial filing uses six calendar months from service or facility discharge; MA primary uses one calendar year from service/inpatient discharge. Separate secondary, insurance-discovery and contract exceptions remain distinct. Locator: PDF 1 cover; PDF 41 commercial billing; PDF 347 Medicare Advantage timely filing. Version: Effective July 1, 2026; commercial and Medicare Advantage networks.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_pdf_plus_actual_download_and_scoped_visual_review. Only the documented PDF pages were inspected; not a whole-document review. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for timely_filing_days, filing_rule, timely_filing_source_url — bcbst provider administration manualprovider_phone, field_status — BCBST provider contacts
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: Stored 800-924-7141 is supported for commercial and Medicare Advantage inquiries with different hours; FEP and BlueCare Plus have separate numbers. No phone call made. Locator: Commercial; Medicare Advantage; FEP and BlueCare Plus sections. Version: No publication or effective date established on the checked HTML page.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_read. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for provider_phone, field_status — bcbst provider contactspayer_ids.claims, payer_ids.eligibility, transaction_scope, payer_ids.era, era_payer_id, field_status — BCBST digital resources
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: Current page links older 837, 270 and 835 guides and directs EFT/ERA enrollment to Optum Payer Enrollment Services. Public links do not confirm a submitter account or routing configuration. Locator: EFT and ERA Enrollment; Blue CORE; EDI Companion Guides. Version: No publication or effective date established on the checked HTML page.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_read. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for payer_ids.claims, payer_ids.eligibility, transaction_scope, payer_ids.era, era_payer_id, field_status — bcbst digital resourcespayer_ids.claims, payer_ids.eligibility, transaction_scope — BCBST 837 companion guide
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: The payer expressly gives 00390 for its 837 electronic claims in this guide; retain claims reference rather than infer from envelope values alone. Locator: PDF 1 cover; PDF 13 section 7.2 Payer ID. Version: October 2023; currently linked by digital resources.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_pdf_plus_actual_download_and_scoped_visual_review. Only the documented PDF pages were inspected; not a whole-document review. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for payer_ids.claims, payer_ids.eligibility, transaction_scope — bcbst 837 companion guidepayer_ids.claims, payer_ids.eligibility, transaction_scope — BCBST BlueCORE 270/271 companion guide
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: 00390 is an explicit eligibility information-source ID, independent of claims routing. Retain only in BlueCORE guide and configured-product scope. Locator: PDF 1 cover; PDF 31 section 10, loop 2100A NM109. Version: Version 2.0, November 2011. PDF modification metadata in 2026 does not change the stated guide date.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_pdf_plus_actual_download_and_scoped_visual_review. Only the documented PDF pages were inspected; not a whole-document review. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for payer_ids.claims, payer_ids.eligibility, transaction_scope — bcbst bluecore 270/271 companion guidepayer_ids.era, era_payer_id, field_status — BCBST 835 companion guide
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: 00390 is the outbound 835 envelope sender. That field role is not a universally verified enrollment or clearinghouse routing identifier. Locator: PDF 1 cover; PDF 20 ISA06; PDF 21 GS02. Version: December 30, 2013, 005010 Version 1.0; current resource link does not redate this version.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_pdf_plus_actual_download_and_scoped_visual_review. Only the documented PDF pages were inspected; not a whole-document review. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for payer_ids.era, era_payer_id, field_status — bcbst 835 companion guidepayer_ids.era, era_payer_id, field_status — BCBST September 2024 BlueAlert
Source comparison: 2026-09-18
Source scope: 00390 is explicitly a search reference in Availity Remittance Viewer. Preserve that supported historical workflow reference without claiming it certifies every ERA enrollment path. Locator: PDF 4, Search for Electronic Remittance Advice by Payer ID. Version: September 2024 newsletter; historical corroboration, not refreshed operational certification.. Retrieval: content_read; public_web_pdf_plus_actual_download_and_scoped_visual_review. Only the documented PDF pages were inspected; not a whole-document review. This is a partial source comparison, not whole-field or whole-record approval.
Primary source for payer_ids.era, era_payer_id, field_status — bcbst september 2024 bluealert
Not checked in this pass: Unresolved fields from the immutable 43-field inventory: aka, appeal_levels, category, common_denial_risks, display_name, electronic_claims_supported, legal_name, lives_covered_millions, naic, parent_org, payer_ids, portal_url, prior_auth_required_codes_sample, quickintell_workflow_fit, record_scope, source_review, states_covered, supports_278, supports_279_271; Whole-record approval, current legal entity/ownership, enrollment and complete insured geography; Every provider agreement, product, claim type, filing/appeal exception and clinical authorization policy; Current transaction-specific enrollment/capabilities and authenticated portal behavior; unknown does not mean unavailable; QuickIntell integrations/outcomes and historical April 2026 DataForSEO demand; Accountable reviewer approval; last_reviewed and reviewed_by remain unchanged.
Sources used for this guide
State coverage
BCBS Tennessee operates in the following states. Each link opens state-level Medicaid program details, dominant commercial payers, and state-specific RCM regulations.
Evaluate QuickIntell workflow fit for BCBS Tennessee
These module references are evaluation starting points, not evidence of a validated connection, supported transaction or customer deployment. Confirm the actual member plan, data access and product scope first.
- QuickRCM
Evaluate claim preparation, follow-up and denial worklists for BCBS Tennessee; verify the actual plan rules and available connections before implementation.
- QuickAuth
Assess authorization-packet and status workflows for BCBS Tennessee; confirm product, service, delegated reviewer and permitted submission channels.
- QuickERA
Verify the actual 835 files, posting exceptions and reconciliation requirements for BCBS Tennessee before evaluating automation. An ERA identifier alone does not establish supported ingestion or posting.
Frequently asked questions about BCBS Tennessee
Where is the BCBS Tennessee provider portal?
Use https://provider.bcbst.com as a starting point for BCBS Tennessee provider resources. This link may open a directory or contact page rather than a transaction portal. Select the applicable product and administrator, then verify the available functions, enrollment and access requirements. QuickIntell is not the official payer portal.
What is the timely filing limit for BCBS Tennessee?
The BCBST manual effective July 1, 2026 gives commercial initial claims six months from the date of service for individual providers or from discharge for facilities. Medicare Advantage primary claims use one year from service or inpatient discharge. Secondary claims, documented delayed insurance information and contract/member-benefit exceptions have separate rules. Confirm the product and applicable start event; do not convert these calendar periods into one universal 365-day limit.
What is the BCBS Tennessee payer ID?
Claims: BCBST’s currently linked October 2023 837 companion guide, section 7.2, gives electronic payer ID 00390. Confirm the member product and trading-partner configuration; guide access does not establish submitter enrollment.. Eligibility (270/271): The currently linked November 2011 BlueCORE 270/271 guide, section 10, independently specifies 00390 at loop 2100A NM109. This is an eligibility information-source reference, not a copied claims value or a blanket ERA enrollment identifier.. ERA (835): No single all-product identifier established in this registry; see source findings and verify the member product and transaction separately. Clearinghouse-specific: The December 2013 835 guide uses 00390 as the outgoing ISA06/GS02 sender, and September 2024 BlueAlert identifies 00390 for Availity Remittance Viewer searches. The current digital-resources page directs EFT/ERA enrollment to Optum Payer Enrollment Services. These specific references do not verify one universal clearinghouse enrollment/routing ID; confirm the chosen receiver and product.. Do not substitute a claims ID for an unverified transaction ID. Check current source findings and the member ID card before submitting.
Does BCBS Tennessee accept electronic claims?
Verify BCBS Tennessee electronic claims (837), eligibility (270/271), remittance (835) and authorization (278) separately for the member product and clearinghouse. Registry flags and routing references are not current transaction-complete approval. Confirm the companion guide, enrollment and applicable source findings below. A blank or unverified field does not establish that the transaction is unavailable.
How do I appeal a BCBS Tennessee denial?
This registry has not established a payer-specific appeal ladder for BCBS Tennessee. Use the denial notice, plan document, provider agreement, or jurisdictional rule to assign the correct route and deadline. Missing registry evidence does not mean appeal rights are unavailable.
How long do BCBS Tennessee prior authorization approvals take?
Decision deadlines depend on the product, service and urgency. CMS-0057-F generally starts its decision-timeframe requirements in 2026 for Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and CHIP payers subject to the rule: seven calendar days for standard requests and 72 hours for expedited requests. Those requirements exclude drug authorizations and QHP issuers on the federally facilitated exchanges. Other plans, state rules and permitted extensions can differ. Check the applicable policy; a decision deadline is not a guarantee of approval.
What is the BCBS Tennessee provider phone number?
This registry lists 1-800-924-7141 as a contact reference for BCBS Tennessee. BCBST lists 800-924-7141 for commercial and Medicare Advantage provider inquiries, with different operating hours. FEP and BlueCare Plus have separate contact routes; technical support uses the same main number with eBusiness prompts.
Automate workflows around BCBS Tennessee requirements
Connect eligibility, prior authorization, pre-submission claim checks, and remittance routing in one governed workflow. Payer and plan configuration is confirmed during implementation.
Disclaimer
This page is operational reference for medical-billing professionals. It is not legal, clinical, or contractual advice. Payer policies change without notice — always verify against BCBS Tennessee's current published documents before submission. CPT® is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.