Referrals and preapprovals in NY

For some Medicaid services, you’ll need a referral from your primary care provider (PCP) before getting care.

When to get a referral in New York

 

You’ll need to get a referral from your PCP before:

 

 Meeting with a specialist.

 

 Going to a hospital for nonemergency care.

 

 Getting certain medicines, tests, and services.

 

Self-referral services

 

For most services, you'll go to your PCP or another provider in our plan. But there are some services we'll pay for, even if you get them from a provider who's not in our plan. These are called self-referral services.

 

You don’t need a referral from your PCP for:

 

 Emergency care

 

 Urgent care

 

 Women’s healthcare services

 

 Maternal depression screening

 

 Family planning services

 

 Behavioral health services (mental health and substance use)

 

 Dental care from a LIBERTY Dental plan dentist (select plans)

 

 Vision care from a plan provider (select plans)

 

 HIV and STI screenings

 

 Smoking cessation services

You may need preapproval for a service

 

A preapproval is when your doctor asks us to approve a service before you receive it. Your PCP will work with us to get the preapprovals you need.

 

Your PCP will need to send in a preapproval for:

 

 Some ambulatory surgery

 

 Certain chemotherapy not covered by NYRx

 

 Dialysis

 

 Durable medical equipment

 

 Growth hormone evaluation

 

 Digital hearing aids

 

 Home care

 

 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

 

 Inpatient services

 

 Lithotripsy

 

 Non-emergent fixed wing transportation

 

 Obstetrical services (except family planning services)

 

 Prosthetics and orthotics

 

 Some physician-administered drugs not covered by NYRx

 

 Transplant evaluation

Have questions?

 

Check your member handbook or live chat with a representative through the online portal or the Sydney Health app.