Office-based Buprenorphine Treatment

Buprenorphine Enhanced Medication Assisted Recovery and Treatment (BESMART) Program

BESMART was developed in 2019 to be a specialized, high quality provider network delivering comprehensive care to TennCare members with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), including medications for OUD.

  1. Must be a TennCare provider.
  2. Must have a specific contract with each Managed Care Organization (MCO) for BESMART.
  3. Must complete the BESMART attestation, attesting to the BESMART program description.

Not yet a TennCare provider? Visit Provider Enrollment to learn more.

BESMART Program Description

The following are benefits for providers in the BESMART program:

  • Clinical and care coordination support from MCOs
  • Increased data on quality and health outcomes
  • Enhanced reimbursement from the MCOs for defined BESMART services
  • Access to monoproduct buprenorphine
  • Ability to prescribe evidence-based doses of preferred buprenorphine products without prior authorization*

*Prior authorization may be required for non-preferred products or monoproduct. The Prior Authorization Form may be submitted via fax or electronically. It cannot be submitted over the phone.

Please contact OptumRx with questions or feedback.

OptumRx Call Center

Phone: 1-866-434-5524

The following describe the steps to become a BESMART provider:

  • Understand the program description and evaluate your current care model
  • Identify any potential gaps or areas for increased support from MCOs
  • Obtain a Medicaid Provider ID (if needed)
  • Indicate interest in joining BESMART and ability to meet program standard

For contracting questions:

Wellpoint: WLPBESMART@wellpoint.com
BlueCare: MAT_Referral_CM_UM@bcbst.com
UnitedHealthcare: SE_Government_Programs@uhc.com

  • Contract as a BESMART provider with appropriate MCO(s) to join network
  • Continue to provide high-quality MOUD care to TennCare members

Not yet a TennCare provider? Visit Provider Enrollment to learn more.

As outlined As outlined in TCA § 53-11-311, Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) must participate in at least one MCO’s network of BESMART providers in order to be reimbursed for the prescription of buprenorphine.

To be eligible to contract with TennCare as a BESMART Provider, a NP or PA must also meet the following criteria:

  • Contracted in the BESMART Program
  • Has a supervising physician that is contract within the MCO’s BESMART Program
  • Specializes in family, adult, or psychiatric medicine
  • Employed in an approved setting as outlined in state law
  • Follows member limits according to the legislation

    For contracting questions:

    For contracting questions:

    For prescribing questions:

    Referrals to Behavioral Health Services

      Wellpoint Provider Directory

      Tips for searching for a community mental health center:

      • Click the Provider Portal link above.
      • Select Find Care.
      • Scroll down and Select Basic search as a guest.
      • Follow the prompts.
      • Enter location and search information in text box Community Mental Health Center.

      Tips for searching for an outpatient substance use disorder provider:

      • Repeat the first four steps above.
      • Enter location and search information in text box There are options to search by specialty such as, Behavioral/substance use providers. You can also search by care provider using the radio buttons provided.

      BlueCare Tennessee Provider Directory

      Tips for searching for a community mental health center:

      • Click the Provider Directory link above.
      • Change All Networks to BlueCare.
      • To narrow the search, enter your City, State and Zip Code.
      • Search for Behavioral Health Facility.

      Tips for searching for an Outpatient Substance Use Disorder provider:

      • Repeat the four steps above.
      • Click the More Filters option and select Expertise.
      • Select the appropriate category from the drop-down list.
      • To search for Child/Adolescent it is listed as Outpatient Substance Use Disorder (Adolescent).
      • To search for Adult it is listed as Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Counseling Adult.

      UnitedHealthcare Provider Directory

      Tips for searching for a community mental health center:

      • Click the Provider Directory link above.
      • Click Find a Provider
      • Click Medicaid Explore Coverage
      • Select Behavioral Health Directory
      • Type in state, city or zip code
      • Select United Healthcare Community Plan TennCare
      • Select Mental Health Professionals or Treatment Centers
      • Browse by category or type in specific keyword in the “Find Care” search field

      Tips for searching for an Outpatient Substance Use Disorder provider:

      • Repeat the first seven steps above.
      • Browse Substance Use Support or type specific keyword in the “Find Care” search field

      For more specific provider details (general overview, ages, locations, hours, services, and websites/hyperlinks) click on the selected provider, then select “locations” and “programs”.

      Are you concerned that your patients need:

      • Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
      • Assistance with behavioral health appointments/resources
      • Assistance with scheduling a follow-up appointment with a primary care provider
      • Additional information about their health care benefits
      • Advocacy and assistance in finding health care specialists
      • MCO-level case management because they are chronically ill

      MOUD Provider Referral Information

      Wellpoint Portal for MOUD Providers

      Tips for searching for a Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Provider:

      • Click the Provider Portal link above.
      • Select Patient Care.
      • Click Behavioral Health and scroll down to Related Information – choose MAT Providers for in-network BESMART provider list.

      Provider assistance with member referrals:

      For referrals to the Behavioral Health Case Management Team contact Provider Services: 833-731-2154

      Follow Prompts and select Case Management.

      Behavioral Health Case Management referrals can also be sent to: WLPBehavioralHealthRef@wellpoint.com

      BlueCare Tennessee Portal for MOUD Providers

      Tips for searching for a Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Provider:

      • Click the BlueCross Provider link above.
      • Choose BlueCare Network.
      • Enter your location.
      • Choose Medication-Assisted Treatment.

      MOUD Provider Referral Line:

      800-814-8936

      UnitedHealthcare Provider Directory

      Tips for searching for a MOUD provider:

      • Click the link above.
      • Select Find a Provider
      • Select Medicaid
      • Select Behavioral Health Directory
      • Type in state, city or zip code
      • Select United Healthcare Community Plan TennCare
      • In search bar type: Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) or Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
      • View by Provider or Provider Group results
      • Select specific provider to obtain additional details for locations, area of expertise, hours, ages, etc.

      Provider Services:

      800-690-1606

      Press 8 if this is related to behavioral health or substance use.

      Say “Yes” if you are a provider, state your reason for calling (e.g., Find a provider for referral)

      Enter the member’s identification number.

      TennCare Managed Care Organization Contacts for Complex Cases

      Note: Use this information if your patients have challenging medical and behavioral health conditions and you need additional assistance locating an inpatient or outpatient provider.

      If you need help scheduling an outpatient appointment for a patient with complex medical or behavioral health needs, please contact the member’s TennCare MCO.

        For complex case referrals, contact Provider Services: 833-731-2149

        Email referrals to case management: WLPBehavioralHealthRef@wellpoint.com

        Referral Line:

        888-416-3025

        Provider Services:

        800-690-1606

        Email referrals to case management: tn_case_management@uhc.com

        Inpatient Assistance:

        If you need assistance with discharge planning, contact your assigned UHC Utilization Nurse and they can refer you to a Discharge Care Manager.

        Member Contact Information

        Are you a TennCare member and are interested in receiving behavioral health services? See below contact information.

          Member Services:

          833-731-2153

          Wellpoint 24-Hour Nurse HelpLine: 866-864-2544

          Wellpoint website

          BlueCare Member Services:

          800-468-9698

          BlueCare Tennessee website

          Member Services:

          800-690-1606

          United Healthcare website

          For questions, members may select “Contact Us” at the lower portion of the screen to be directed to frequently asked questions or chat option.