June 16, 2026
Although most people with depression can get better with the right treatment, only about 35 percent of people with severe depression get help from a mental health professional, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Primary care providers can help our members by asking them to complete a screening and encouraging follow-up care with behavioral health care providers when appropriate.
Who should be screened? Members who are ages 12 years and older without an active diagnosis of depression, bipolar disorder or other mood symptoms.
Who shouldn’t be screened?
- Members who have had an annual depression screen or refuse to participate
- Members who are in an urgent or emergent situation where a delay in treatment may jeopardize health status
- Members whose functional capacity or motivation to improve may impact the accuracy of results, such as certain court-appointed cases or cases of delirium
A follow-up plan related to a positive screen includes one or more of the following:
- Additional evaluation for depression
- Suicide risk assessment
- Referral to a therapy practitioner qualified to diagnose and treat depression
- Pharmacological interventions
- Other interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis or treatment of depression
Screening tools and tips
- Ask members to complete an age-appropriate depression screener during their visit, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 or -2.
- Report results for informational purposes only (not reimbursement) using either procedure codes G8431 (positive screen with plan) or G8510 (negative screen) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Adult Core Set in conjunction with standard outpatient procedure codes for the visit. LOINC code along with score via electronic reporting are also encouraged.
- Talk with members about the importance of following up and adhering to treatment recommendations.
- Use the same diagnosis for mental illness at follow-up visits. A non-mental illness diagnosis code will not fulfill this measure.
- Reach out to members who cancel appointments and help them reschedule as soon as possible.
Closing care gaps
We track quality measures related to mental health, including:
- Depression Screening and Follow-Up for Adolescents and Adults, which measures the percentage of members ages 12 years and older who were screened for clinical depression using a standardized instrument and, if screened positive, received follow-up care within 30 days.
Earn continuing education credit: Our introductory behavioral health webinars include a course on depression in a primary care setting. Register or sign in to attend and earn continuing education credit. Learn more.
Documentation and coding for quality measures: Refer to our Quality Care 2026 booklet on Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) measures for more information. You can access it in Availity® Essentials within our Payer Spaces in the resources section.
Availity is a trademark of Availity, LLC, a separate company that operates a health information network to provide electronic information exchange services to medical professionals. Availity provides administrative services to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. BCBSIL makes no endorsement, representations or warranties regarding third party vendors and the products and services they offer.
HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
The above material is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment. References to other third-party sources or organizations are not a representation, warranty or endorsement of such organization. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their certificate of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.