Credentialing

Thank you for your interest in joining the Evernorth Behavioral Health provider network. Your participation with us helps fulfill our mission to improve the health, well-being, and sense of security for the people we serve. Please scroll down on this webpage to find instructions on how to apply to Evernorth as an individual practitioner, clinic, autism clinic, and/or facility. Evernorth Behavioral Health network providers must treat all covered patients equally and must agree to participate at all service locations (i.e., participation is not limited to specific Tax ID Numbers).

Minimum Credentialing Requirements

Before starting the application process, please review the following credentialing requirements to confirm that you meet the basic guidelines to apply for credentialing:

  1. A license to practice independently (without supervision) in the state in which you are providing services;

  2. Professional liability insurance with minimum limits of:

    • $1 million/$3 million for Physicians and Psychiatric Nurses with prescriptive authority, or
    • $1 million/$1 million for all other providers; exceptions include:
      • Texas: the minimum recommended amount of professional liability coverage for providers in Texas is $200,000 per occurrence and $500,000 aggregate;
      • Florida: the minimum recommended amount of professional liability coverage for providers in Florida is $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate;
      • Providers in states which regulate a patient compensation fund for insurance coverage, or which regulate the amount of insurance a provider must carry, should meet at least the state's requirement if they do not meet Evernorth Behavioral Health's minimum requirements.

Providers with federal tort coverage (Federal Tort Coverage Act) do not have to meet Evernorth Behavioral Health's minimum insurance requirements. For those providers, a copy of the federal tort letter or an attestation from the providers stating that he or she has federal tort coverage must be included in the credentialing file.

How to join the Evernorth Behavioral Health network


Individual practitioners (including new providers affiliated with contracted clinics and facilities)

  • To join our network as an individual practitioner, including new providers affiliated with contracted clinics and facilities, please complete the Evernorth Behavioral Health Provider Information Form.
  • After your application submission, a recruiter will be assigned to review your application. Within 21 business days (or as otherwise required by law) from your application submission, your recruiter will outreach you with next steps regarding credentialing and contracting.
  • The email will be sent to the email address that you list in the "Contracting/Credentialing" field under the Professional Contact Information section.
  • If you are already contracted with Evernorth Behavioral Health and need to submit demographic changes, please see the Health Care Provider Directory Changes page.

The entire process to join the Evernorth Behavioral Health network can take up to 90 days to complete (or as otherwise required by law). If you work with a third-party agency/clearinghouse to assist with provider credentialing or contracting, please advise them of the 90-day application timeframe.

During the application process, we will communicate with you to:

  • Confirm your application was received.
  • Request any missing documentation or application information. If we do not receive missing information, we’ll send you an email notification that we closed your application.
  • Keep you updated on where your application is in our credentialing verification process.
  • Confirm you have been approved and credentialed as a network-participating provider with your effective date or notify you that you have not been approved.

If you have any questions during the individual practitioner application process, please email your recruiter or BehavioralContracting@Evernorth.com and include your NPI or TIN on all correspondence.

Individual practitioners providing behavioral services at Cigna-participating medical practices:

  • If you are providing behavioral services at a Cigna-participating medical practice and are not accepting direct referrals from the community, call 1.800.88.Cigna (1.800.882.4462) to apply to the practice’s medical contract.
  • If you are providing behavioral health services at a Cigna-participating medical practice and are accepting direct referrals from the community, AND/OR you provide behavioral health services outside of the medical practice (e.g. in your own private practice), please apply to join the Evernorth Behavioral Health Network by submitting the Evernorth Behavioral Health Provider Information Form.

Important notice for Texas only:
Cigna will accept applications for participation in their networks of physicians and other providers from December 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Applicants must meet all credentialing and other participatory criteria. All applications will be reviewed and responses will be made within 90 days of receipt.

If you practice in Maryland, Ohio or Washington:
The Evernorth Behavioral Health Provider Information Form is not required for practitioners who provide services in the states of Maryland, Ohio or Washington. Email us at BehavioralHCPEnrollment@Evernorth.com with your request to participate and include the following information for identification purposes. You will receive a response within 15 business days (or as otherwise required by law).

  • First and last name
  • Middle initial
  • CAQH ID# (accepted, but not required for Washington)
  • Tax Identification Number (TIN)
  • National Provider Identifier (NPI)
  • License type (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, MD, LP, etc.)
  • Primary mailing address
  • Service location(s)
  • Phone number (for contracting/credentialing purposes)

If you practice in Minnesota, North Dakota or western Wisconsin:
In these markets, Evernorth's Behavioral Health network represents an alliance between Evernorth and HealthPartners. For contract consideration, complete the HealthPartners Behavioral Health Contract Application available at the HealthPartners Provider Portal.

Clinics

Clinics are groups of behavioral health providers who share the same TIN, location, and administrative staff.

  • To consider your clinic for network participation, please complete the Screening Application for Behavioral Health Clinics and send it, along with required attachments, to the Evernorth Behavioral Contracting Unit at BehavioralOutpatientClinic@Evernorth.com.
  • Submit the following documentation with this application:
    • Service location form(s)
    • Completed W-9 forms
    • Proof of current professional liability insurance coverage (policy face sheet or certificate of insurance that indicates liability limits and expiration date, and may not be binder policies)
  • Evernorth Behavioral Health will respond by email within 60 calendar days after reviewing your application. Our response will be sent to the email address that you list in the "Primary Clinic Contracting Contact."

The entire process to join the Evernorth Behavioral Health network can take up to 90 days to complete (or as otherwise required by law). If you work with a third-party agency/clearinghouse to assist with provider credentialing or contracting, please advise them of the 90-day application timeframe.

During the application process, we will communicate with you to:

  • Confirm your application was received.
  • Request any missing documentation or application information. If we do not receive missing information, we’ll send you an email notification that we closed your application.
  • Keep you updated on where your application is in our credentialing verification process.
  • Confirm you have been approved and credentialed as a network-participating provider with your effective date, or notify you that you have not been approved.

If you have any questions during the clinic application process, please email your recruiter or BehavioralContracting@Evernorth.com and include your NPI or TIN on all correspondence.

Autism Clinics

Autism clinics are groups of autism providers who share the same TIN, location, and administrative staff.

  • To consider your practice for network participation, please complete the Screening Application for Autism Services and send it, along with required attachments, to the Evernorth Behavioral Contracting Unit at BehavioralOutpatientClinic@Evernorth.com.
  • Submit the following documentation with this application:
    • Service location form(s):
    • Completed W-9 forms
    • Proof of current professional liability insurance coverage (policy face sheet or certificate of insurance that indicates liability limits and expiration date, and may not be binder policies)
    • A sample of your clinic’s standardized treatment record forms
  • Evernorth Behavioral Health will respond by email within 60 calendar days after reviewing your application. Our response will be sent to the email address that you list in the "Primary clinic contracting contact."

The entire process to join the Evernorth Behavioral Health network can take up to 90 days to complete (or as otherwise required by law). If you work with a third-party agency/clearinghouse to assist with provider credentialing or contracting, please advise them of the 90-day application timeframe.

During the application process, we will communicate with you to:

  • Confirm your application was received.
  • Request any missing documentation or application information. If we do not receive missing information, we’ll send you an email notification that we closed your application.
  • Keep you updated on where your application is in our credentialing verification process.
  • Confirm you have been approved and credentialed as a network-participating provider with your effective date, or notify you that you have not been approved.

If you have any questions during the autism clinic application process, please email your recruiter or BehavioralContracting@Evernorth.com and include your NPI or TIN on all correspondence.

Facilities

Facilities are hospitals, residential type settings and/or programs that provide partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient services for the treatment of mental health or substance use.

The entire process to join the Evernorth Behavioral Health network can take up to 90 days to complete (or as otherwise required by law). During this time, you’ll also receive emails from us to:

  • Confirm your application was received.
  • Request any missing documentation or application information. If we do not receive missing information, we’ll send you an email notification that we closed your application.
  • Keep you updated on where your application is in our credentialing verification process.
  • Confirm you have been approved and credentialed as a network-participating provider with your effective date, or notify you that you have not been approved.

To check on the status of your Facility Information Form, please email BehavioralFacilityRecruitment@Evernorth.com.

  • Please note, as part of our minimum credentialing requirements, facilities must have the following:

    1. A valid state license/certificate/permit for all services/programs that are provided, if applicable

    2. Professional and General Liability insurance with minimum limits of:

      • Hospital/Residential Setting: 1 million per occurrence and 3 million aggregate
      • Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs: 1 million per occurrence and 1 million aggregate

    3. Accreditation by one of the follow organizations*:

      • The Joint Commission
      • Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC)
      • Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
      • American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
      • Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP)
      • Council on Accreditation (COA)
      • DNV GL NIAHO®

* If applicable, accreditation by other organizations may be acceptable.

Additional resources