Line of business: BlueAlliance (Commercial) & BlueAlliance Care+ (Medicaid)
Percentage of Members 12 years of age and older who were screened for clinical depression using a standardized instrument and, if screened positive, received follow-up care.
Members 12 years of age and older as of January 1.
January 1 – December 31
Data for screening will come from supplemental data sources. Rates are reported in three age stratifications and a total rate.
The measure requires use of an age-appropriate screening instrument. The patient’s age determines the screening instrument.
If there is a positive screen resulting from a PHQ-2 score, documentation of a negative finding from a PHQ-9 performed on the same day qualifies as evidence of follow-up.
Name of the depression screening tool and result.
The below screening tools use LOINC codes which require a corresponding result.
Instruments for Adolescents (≤17 years) | Positive Finding |
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)® | Total score ≥10 |
Patient Health Questionnaire Modified for Teens (PHQ-9M)® | Total score ≥10 |
Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2)®1 | Total score ≥3 |
Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS)®1,2 | Total score ≥8 |
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale—Revised (CESD-R) | Total score ≥17 |
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) | Total score ≥10 |
PROMIS Depression | Total score (T score) >60 |
1Brief screening instrument. All other instruments are full-length.
2Proprietary; may be cost or licensing requirement associated with use.
Instruments for Adults (18+ years) | Positive Finding |
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)® | Total score ≥10 |
Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2)®1 | Total score ≥3 |
Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS)®1,2 | Total score ≥8 |
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) | Total score ≥20 |
Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale—Revised (CESD-R) | Total score ≥17 |
Duke Anxiety—Depression Scale (DUKE-AD)®2 | Total score ≥30 |
Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS)1 | Total score ≥5 |
Geriatric Depression Scale Long Form (GDS) | Total score ≥10 |
Edinburg Post-Natal Depression Scale (EPDS) | Total score ≥10 |
My Mood Monitor (M3)® | Total score ≥5 |
PROMIS Depression | Total score (T Score) ≥60 |
Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) | Total score ≥31 |
1Brief screening instrument. All other instruments are full-length.
2Proprietary; may be cost or licensing requirement associated with use.
The analysis of any medical coding question related to a measure is dependent on the measure’s technical specifications including the factual situations present related to the member, the practice, the professionals, and the medical services provided.
Should you have specific coding or other questions related to the measure, please send your questions to BlueAlliance@bcbsnd.com.
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