Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Psychological Testing? Get the Facts!

Okay, so, I’ve been digging into this whole insurance thing, specifically with Blue Cross Blue Shield, and whether they cover psychological testing. It’s a bit of a headache, but I’ve finally gotten somewhere, so I figured I’d share what I found.

First off, I started by looking up some general info online. Turns out, Blue Cross and Blue Plus plans do usually cover mental and behavioral health services. That sounded promising, but it didn’t specifically say anything about psychological testing. So, I kept digging.

Then, I found out that these testing services need to be provided or supervised by licensed medical or mental health providers. Makes sense, right? You wouldn’t want just anyone doing these tests. I made a mental note of that.

The next thing I did was call up Blue Cross Blue Shield directly. I wanted to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth, you know? The rep I spoke to was pretty helpful. They confirmed that psychological testing can be covered, but there are a bunch of conditions. It’s not just a free-for-all. It needs to be “medically necessary.”

This is where it got a bit tricky. I learned that if you’ve had testing done in the last 12 months, they generally won’t cover it again. Unless, of course, there’s a good reason for it. They didn’t really specify what those “good reasons” might be, so that’s something to keep in mind.

After the call, I went back online and did some more searching. I found a few articles that talked about insurance coverage for psychological testing, and they pretty much echoed what the rep told me. It’s all about whether the testing is considered medically necessary.

Call insurance company: Confirmed coverage, but with conditions.
Research online: Found articles supporting the “medically necessary” requirement.
Look up provider requirements: Testing must be done by licensed professionals.
Note the 12-month rule: Generally no coverage if tested in the last year.

So, here’s the bottom line from my little adventure: Blue Cross Blue Shield might cover psychological testing, but it’s not a guarantee. You gotta make sure it’s deemed medically necessary, and you probably need a licensed professional involved. Plus, there’s that whole 12-month rule thing. It’s not super simple, but it’s not impossible either. I am still trying to figure out what exactly is the standard of this “medically necessary”. Maybe I should call them again to ask for more details about this.