Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee Timely Filing Limit
Provider-side filing deadline guidance, caveats, and evidence for claims submitted to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee.
The most important thing to confirm with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee is not just the number of days, but also what event starts the clock. Some payer documents measure from date of service, some from discharge, and some publish different rules for corrected claims or appeals.
At a glance
- Timely filing varies by product. The commercial provider manual states BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s commercial timely filing period is six months from the date of service for individual providers, or within six months from the date of discharge for facilities. If BlueCross is secondary, the period is 60 days from the date of service, or for facilities 60 days from discharge or from the primary carrier’s notice of payment. BlueCare Tennessee uses different rules, including 120 days in several contexts and 365 days for school districts.
Initial claim filing limits
- Commercial: six months from date of service for individual providers.
- Commercial: six months from date of discharge for facilities.
- Commercial secondary: 60 days from date of service; facilities 60 days from date of discharge or primary carrier’s notice of payment.
- BlueCare Tennessee: 120 days in several contexts; school districts 365 days from date of service.
Corrected claim filing limits
- BlueCare Tennessee corrected bills: within 120 days of the original remittance in standard correction scenarios.
- BlueCare Tennessee exceptions: within 120 days of notification for certain post-remittance actions.
- BlueCare Tennessee school districts: corrected bills within 60 days from denial or 365 days from date of service, whichever is later.
Appeal and reconsideration deadlines
- A denial due to lack of information may be appealed within 180 days of notification of denial (commercial manual).
Trigger basis and caveats
- BlueCross states that if the provider has documented evidence that the member did not provide insurance information, the timely filing period begins when the insurance information was received, subject to the benefit agreement.
- For returned paper claims, the returned form/claim copy serves as proof of timely filing.
- Electronic 277CA reports serve as proof of timely filing; transmission-error rejections do not count as proof.
- Timely filing is highly product-specific; BlueCare Tennessee rules differ from commercial rules.
- Secondary payer rules differ from primary payer rules.
- The commercial manual excerpt captured here does not show the full first sentence of the commercial timely filing rule, but it clearly states six months for commercial claims.
Provider resources
- Manuals, Policies & Guidelines (official)
- Health Care Providers / Authorizations & Appeals (official)
- Coverage & Claims (official)
- Provider Contact Us (official)
- BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Provider Administration Manual (official)
- BlueCare Tennessee Provider Administration Manual (official)
- Claim Summary (official)
- Documents and Forms (official)
Sources
| Fact | Value | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial timely filing and secondary rules | Commercial timely filing period is six months from date of service for individual providers, or within six months from date of discharge for facilities. If BlueCross is secondary, timely filing is 60 days from date of service or, for facilities, 60 days from date of discharge or from the primary carrier’s notice of payment. | Official | high |
| Commercial proof of timely filing | Returned paper claims use the black and white copy with error codes; electronically submitted claims use the 277CA Health Care Information Status Notification. | Official | high |
| Commercial claim denial appeal period | The practitioner may appeal a denial due to lack of information within 180 days of notification of denial. | Official | high |
| BlueCare Tennessee corrected bill timing | Corrected bills should be submitted within 120 days of the original remittance; exceptions are also described. | Official | high |
| BlueCare Tennessee school district timing | School Districts must submit claims and any required documentation within 365 days of date of service; corrected bills within 60 days from denial or 365 days from date of service, whichever is later. | Official | high |
Last reviewed: March 27, 2026
Sources used: 2 official