Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Psychiatrists and Therapists in Brooklyn
If you have Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Good Health Psychiatric Services accepts your plan and remains in-network with it. On January 1, 2024, Empire BlueCross BlueShield changed its name to Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, but your coverage, network, and member ID number stayed the same. That means your Empire BCBS mental health coverage still applies at our practice for psychiatric evaluations, medication management, individual therapy, and TMS and Spravato for depression that has not responded to medication.
Whether your card still says Empire or now shows the Anthem logo, our board-certified psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, and licensed therapists are accepting new patients. You can see us at our Downtown Brooklyn office or by telehealth in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Connecticut, with same-day and next-day appointments often available.
Empire BCBS Coverage at a Glance
Plan Type | Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in New York (now branded Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield) |
Network Status | In-network with Empire / Anthem BCBS New York plans |
Cards Accepted | Both older Empire cards and newer Anthem cards (same member ID) |
Services Covered | Psychiatric evaluation, medication management, individual therapy, TMS, Spravato |
Locations | In person: 26 Court Street, Suite 1510, Brooklyn, NY. Telehealth: NY, NJ, PA, FL, CT |
Appointments | Same-day and next-day |
Member Portal |
Get Your Eligibility & Estimated Cost
What Empire BCBS Members Get at Good Health
- In-network rates, so you pay your plan’s copay or coinsurance rather than out-of-network costs
- No need to wait for a new card: your Empire member ID still works for booking and billing
- Mental health care covered on the same terms as medical care, as federal parity law requires
- A choice of visits at our Brooklyn office or by telehealth, both billed to your plan
- A benefits check, including any authorization rules, before your first appointment
Copays, deductibles, and authorization requirements vary across Empire / Anthem BCBS plans. This page describes general plan features and does not guarantee coverage or payment. Please verify your individual benefits before your first appointment.
Mental Health Services Covered by Empire BCBS at Good Health
Psychiatric Evaluation
Your first appointment is a full psychiatric evaluation with a board-certified psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner. You and your clinician go over your symptoms, history, and any treatment you have tried, check for related conditions, and agree on a treatment plan. Empire BCBS plans generally cover this evaluation as an outpatient behavioral health visit.
Medication Management with an Empire BCBS In-Network Psychiatrist
If medication is part of your plan, an Empire BCBS in-network psychiatrist or nurse practitioner prescribes it and follows your progress at regular visits. Each follow-up reviews how the medication is working, adjusts the dose if needed, and addresses side effects. These Empire covered psychiatry visits are billed as outpatient care, and your prescriber checks your plan's formulary to keep pharmacy costs down.
Therapy Covered by Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
Good Health's therapists who take Empire BCBS include licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), and psychologists. Depending on what brings you in, therapy may use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), trauma-focused therapy, solution-focused therapy, or another evidence-based approach. Most Empire plans cover outpatient therapy sessions, with copays and any visit limits set by your plan.
Empire BCBS TMS Therapy Coverage
Yes, for members who meet the plan's clinical criteria. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatment for major depressive disorder that has not responded to antidepressants. Empire plans now follow Anthem's coverage guidelines, which typically require prior authorization and a history of at least two antidepressant trials that did not help. Good Health prepares and submits the authorization before treatment begins.
Spravato (Esketamine) Treatment with Empire BCBS
Spravato is an FDA-approved esketamine nasal spray for adults with treatment-resistant depression, or with major depressive disorder and active suicidal thoughts. Each dose is given in our Brooklyn office, where a clinician monitors you for the full observation period. Empire BCBS covers Spravato when prior authorization and medical necessity criteria are met, and our clinical team handles that request for you.
Coverage differs between Empire / Anthem BCBS plans. Good Health checks your specific benefits before your first visit so you know what to expect.
Conditions Treated by Mental Health Providers Accepting Empire BCBS
Our mental health providers accepting Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield treat adults, adolescents, and children for a range of concerns, including:
- Depression and treatment-resistant depression
- Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety, OCD)
- ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults
- PTSD and the aftermath of trauma
- Bipolar disorder
- Postpartum depression and perinatal mood concerns
- Insomnia and sleep disruption
- Adjustment disorders during stressful transitions
- Grief and loss
- Co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions
If you are unsure whether we treat your concern, call (718) 522-3600, and our intake team will tell you before you book.
Find a Psychiatrist Who Takes Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
How to Use Your Empire BCBS Plan at Good Health
- Call or book online. Use the member ID on your Empire or Anthem card; the number did not change with the new name.
- Let us confirm your benefits. Our team checks your copay, deductible status, referral rules, and any authorization needs before your first visit.
- Attend your evaluation. Visit 26 Court Street, Suite 1510, in Downtown Brooklyn, or join by video from NY, NJ, PA, FL, or CT.
- Let us handle authorizations. If TMS or Spravato is recommended, we send the clinical documentation and prior authorization request to your plan.
- Continue care billed directly to your plan. Medication visits, therapy sessions, and TMS or Spravato treatments are billed to Empire / Anthem BCBS.
Good Health Psychiatric Services welcomes Empire members looking for psychiatrists accepting Empire BCBS in Brooklyn or a telehealth psychiatrist in one of our five states. Same-day and next-day appointments are available for evaluations and therapy, and we verify your benefits ahead of time so the cost is clear from the start.
Call (718) 522-3600 or book online. If you are not sure what your Empire plan covers for mental health care, our front desk can review your benefits with you before you schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Good Health Psychiatric Services remains in-network with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, now branded Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The name change did not affect provider networks or contracts, so your psychiatry and therapy visits are billed at in-network rates. Our team verifies your benefits at no charge before your first appointment.
Yes. According to Anthem’s notice about the name change, both Empire-branded and Anthem-branded cards are valid, and member ID numbers did not change. Empire has been part of the Anthem family since 2006, and the 2024 change was a rebrand, not a change of insurer. If you have not received an Anthem card, you can request one from member services or view it in the Sydney Health app.
No. The Empire Plan is the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) for public employees and retirees, and its mental health benefits are managed by Carelon Behavioral Health, not by Empire BCBS. If your card says “The Empire Plan,” call our front desk at (718) 522-3600 so we can check how your benefits apply before you book.
Most Empire PPO and EPO plans let you book outpatient mental health care without a referral. Some HMO plans ask for a referral from your primary care doctor first. You can check your plan documents, log in to your member account, or call the number on your card. Our front desk also confirms this when verifying your benefits.
Your cost depends on your plan’s copay or coinsurance and how much of your deductible you have met. Under the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, your plan cannot apply stricter cost-sharing or visit limits to mental health care than to comparable medical care. Good Health sends you an estimate based on your actual benefits before your first visit, and our team can help with an appeal if a claim is denied.