Expiration of the Public Health Emergency – Prior Authorization for ABA Services

Effective Oct. 1, 2023, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) will end flexibilities for prior authorizations for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services allowed during the Public Health Emergency (PHE).

During the PHE, BCBSNM providers were not required to submit new prior authorization requests for continued services, according to the Special COVID-19 Letter of Direction (LOD) #9-1.

The PHE ended on May 11, 2023 and HSD has issued LOD #98 which provides guidance for modification of services and program standards related to the expiration. Providers will now be required to submit prior authorization requests at the expiration of any previously authorized ABA services.

For more information about LOD #98, visit HSD’s website.

If you have questions, please contact your Provider Representative using the Network Contact List.