What if I need an approval after Blue Cross NC business hours, at night, or on the weekends?

Blue Cross NC works with American Imaging Management (AIM) for the approval of high-tech scans. AIM lets doctors request approval at any time online. If your doctor does not have access to the internet and the request is urgent, your doctor has two business days to file the paperwork to AIM for Blue Cross NC to approve the scan. If your doctor does not file the paperwork within two business days after an urgent request, Blue Cross NC may not pay for the scan.

If your doctor is in the Blue Cross NC network, they are responsible for getting prior approval on your behalf. If your doctor is out-of-network or located outside of North Carolina, you are responsible for the cost of the scan if the doctor doesn’t obtain prior plan approval before the scan is done.

Note: You don't need prior plan approval for a high-tech scan if it is part of an emergency room visit or an inpatient hospital stay.