Join the IBX behavioral health network
Independence Blue Cross (IBX) recognizes the need to integrate the delivery of medical and behavioral health care by developing a closer partnership with behavioral health clinicians who treat our members.
IBX directly contracts with behavioral health providers in order to ensure a high quality, robust, and available network for our members.
Note: If you have not signed an IBX Professional Provider Agreement, you will be considered out-of-network for our members.
Interested in joining our network?
If you are a behavioral health provider interested in joining our network, the first step is to apply for credentialing. Please complete the online application as thoroughly as required. Applications require timely responses and are closed if the provider does not respond to requests for additional information if needed.
If you do not respond within the designated timeframes, your application will be closed, and you will be required to resubmit all information.
Key steps to join our network
- To start the process,
apply for credentialing.
- Sign a contract.
- Register for access to our provider portal, known as PEAR (Provider Engagement, Analytics & Reporting). Visit the
PEAR portal webpage for instructions on how to register.
Four steps to complete credentialing
It typically takes 30-60 days to complete the credentialing process once we have received all requested documentation.
- In addition to your application, you must submit all required supporting documentation. Please ensure you have allowed access to your Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) application and that it is updated with the correct information and matches what is listed on your provider participation form for credentialing.
- Once we have received all required documents, we will review the information on your CAQH ProView® application to ensure that it is consistent with the information provided on your Practitioner Participation Form. Please be sure to grant Credentialing permission to view/pull-in your CAQH application. It is critical that the information you provide on the Practitioner Participation Form is accurate. This information is ultimately part of your record that assists in processing claims once you are contracted. Inconsistencies will result in incorrect claim payments.
- Once your credentialing application has been approved, you will receive an email from DocuSign with the standard contract, if required.
- You have 30 business days from the date of the DocuSign email to electronically sign and return the contract.
Please note: If the contract is NOT returned within this time frame, your credentialing application will be rescinded, and you will need to reapply if you still wish to become part of the IBX network.
Register for the PEAR portal
Our PEAR portal provides fast, secure web access to applications and reports that make it easier for providers to manage clinical and financial activities, such as billing. PEAR also provides access to a variety of health plan information specific to your provider organization.
Visit the
PEAR portal webpage for instructions on how to register.
Connecting your patients to the right care quickly
The IBX Behavioral Health team offers many services that help your patients (our members) connect to the right care quickly.
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Behavioral Health Case Managers: Registered nurses, licensed social workers, and professional counselors proactively identify members who may benefit from behavioral health services. These case managers look at a member’s health history and care patterns to identify risk levels and offer support, including helping the member access care, schedule follow-ups, and stay aligned with their care plans.
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Behavioral Health Customer Care Advocates and Licensed Behavioral Health Professionals: This specialized team helps with care navigation services. They work together to provide risk screening and guide members to the right care options based on their individual needs.
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Clinical Triage Team: This team supports high-risk members by identifying priority needs, providing in-the-moment support, directly connecting the member to care (via warm transfer or direct scheduling), and following up to ensure safety and successful linkage. Care navigation services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide members with rapid connection to the right care.
Additional behavioral health support and tools
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Quartet Health*
IBX members enrolled in fully insured health plans can get additional support from
Quartet Health, a company that matches patients to mental health care that fits their needs and preferences and is covered by their health insurance.
Quartet Health also has a Virtual Clinic that it launched with IBX. The clinic, which focuses on treating the needs of patients with serious mental illness, has a patient appointment availability guarantee within 48 hours.
IBX offers these navigational services free to eligible members.
If you have questions, or want to enroll with Quartet, please email Quartet at
support@quartethealth.com.
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Shatterproof* Treatment Atlas tool
IBX members have access to the
Shatterproof Treatment Atlas® tool, which helps people search and compare addiction treatment facilities to find high-quality care for themselves or their loved ones.
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Teladoc Health*
Members have coverage for mental health coaching by
Teladoc Health, a digital resource offering personalized, evidence-based programs, and dedicated support for a wide range of topics, including stress, depression, chronic pain, work-life balance, substance use, and anxiety.
Mental health coaching is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from a computer or the Teladoc mobile app.
*Quartet Health, Shatterproof, and Teladoc Health are independent companies.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services
Effective April 1, 2026, all ABA services for IBX and Independence Administrators members are managed by the IBX Care Management team instead of Magellan Healthcare, Inc. (Magellan).
What's new for ABA providers?
- For all requests on or after April 1, 2026, you must use the ABA prior authorization form (find them under “Forms for providers") to submit requests.
- Fax the completed form and all supporting documents to
215-238-2500.
- For questions, contact the Autism Case Management team:
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IBX: 1-800-688-1911
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Independence Administrators: 1-800-778-2119
Note: On May 1, 2026, Magellan terminated their fax number (1-888-656-4925) that was used for ABA services. Requests for ABA services should not be sent to Magellan.
Magellan Healthcare, Inc. (Magellan) is an independent managed care behavioral health care company.
Mental Health Incentive Program
The Independence Blue Cross (IBX) Mental Health Incentive Program (MHIP) utilizes metrics to assess quality performance for Mental Health outpatient/professional practices (excludes substance use services). This program ensures that practices are providing quality mental health care and effectively managing the care of their patient population.
Watch this
message from Dr. Ryan Connolly, and learn more details about the MHIP by accessing the
MHIP FAQ and theMental Health Incentive Program guide on the PEAR Help Center. You must first log into PEAR to view the guide.
Connect to Care
Access to care is a key priority for IBX to ensure your patients, our members, have access to high quality mental health professionals. If you or your practice has capacity for additional referrals from our care navigation team, please contact us at
mhincentiveprogram@ibx.com.
Behavioral Health Provider Partnership Associates (PPA)
Amber Davis-Acosta
Email
| PA
| Berks, Bucks, Lancaster, and Lehigh
|
Anita Mason-Smith
Email
| PA
| Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia
|
Judy Wright
Email
| NJ & DE | Burlington, Camden, Cecil, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, New Castle, Salem, and Warren
|
Judy Wright
Email
| PA
| Montgomery and Northampton
|
Provider News Center articles
2026
Mental Health Awareness: How IBX behavioral health support helps your patients (May 12, 2026)
Reminder: ABA services transitioned to IBX on April 1, 2026 (April 2, 2026)
Attention ABA providers: ABA services are transitioning to IBX on April 1, 2026 (March 2, 2026)
Behavioral health providers: Update demographics and check credentialing status (January 20, 2026)
Integrated behavioral health support: Addressing depression (January 6, 2026)
2025
Supporting Shared Decision-Making for Behavioral Health conditions (October 27, 2025)
Reminder: Depression screenings eligible for reimbursement (September 18, 2025)
Our licensed clinical staff can provide enhanced patient care and support (August 28, 2025)
Use these steps to search for telemedicine and behavioral health benefits in PEAR Practice Management (August 14, 2025)
IBX’s expanded behavioral health services deliver faster care, improved health outcomes, and reduced costs (June 30, 2025)
Support in bridging medical and behavioral care (June 4, 2025)
2024
Now available: New streamlined authorization workflow for behavioral health services in PEAR Practice Management (August 1, 2024)
New policy for Behavioral Health Services in a School Setting (August 1, 2024)
Behavioral Health providers: Ensure you have access to the PEAR portal (June 18, 2024)
New in 2024 – A Mental Health Incentive Program (MHIP) for professional and facility providers (May 30, 2024)
Support in bridging medical and behavioral health care (May 21, 2024)
Behavioral Health: Verifying coverage for telebehavioral health services (April 9, 2024)
Manuals
Behavioral Health IBX Provider Manual
Behavioral Health IBX Hospital Manual
Other behavioral health resources
Behavioral, physical, emotional health | Independence Blue Cross (ibx.com)
HEDIS Quality Tip Sheet: Initiation and Engagement of Substance Use Disorder Treatment (IET)
HEDIS Quality Tip Sheet: Use of First-Line Psychosocial Care for Children and Adolescents on Antipsychotics (APP)
In-network resources for Medicare Advantage patients needing care for substance use disorders
Know Your Mind | Independence Blue Cross (ibx.com)
Mental & Behavioral Health Archives - IBX Insights
Quality Tip Sheet: Concurrent Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines (COB)