How to Get In Network With Anthem Blue Cross in California (Availity and Carelon Explained)

Anthem Blue Cross in California, in one paragraph

“Anthem Blue Cross” is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. It sells commercial plans (employer, individual, and Covered California), Medicare Advantage plans, and Medi-Cal managed care in many counties. It isn’t the same company as Blue Shield of California, which has its own process; see my Blue Shield guide. Members from other states’ Blue plans who live or visit here are handled through BlueCard, with Anthem as the host plan.

Step-by-step: joining Anthem’s commercial network through Availity

Anthem’s California provider contacts sheet says providers who want to join should start at anthem.com/ca/provider/enrollment, then check application status in Availity under My Dashboard.

1. Prepare CAQH. Anthem’s digital enrollment uses your CAQH ProView data. Complete every section, attest, and authorize Anthem. (CAQH rebranded as DataSpring in June 2026; same login.) See my CAQH guide.
2. Set up Availity. If your practice isn’t registered, the person who will be your Availity administrator registers first. Other users in your practice may need that administrator to grant them access to Anthem’s provider enrollment tool.
3. Start the application. From Anthem’s enrollment page, choose the California application. In Availity, open the Anthem payer space and select Provider Enrollment. Choose the professional (individual) path, or the path for adding a clinician to an existing contracted group.
4. Submit and save any application ID you receive. Anthem’s California contacts sheet says you can check your application status in real time under My Dashboard in Availity.
5. Respond to requests quickly and watch your Availity dashboard for contract documents.
6. Wait for your effective date before treating Anthem members as in network.

Like every plan, Anthem weighs network need. A complete application can still be declined where the network is full, and timelines vary.

Where Carelon fits: Anthem Medi-Cal

Carelon Behavioral Health is part of the same corporate family as Anthem. Here is what current sources confirm for California:

• Anthem Medi-Cal: Anthem’s California Medi-Cal provider manual (effective July 1, 2026) states that Carelon Behavioral Health of California provides behavioral health services on behalf of the health plan, and lists Carelon Behavioral Health services among the digital applications available to providers. The California Health Care Foundation’s overview of Medi-Cal non-specialty mental health (2023) also lists Carelon as Anthem’s behavioral health administrator for those services.
• Joining Carelon: Carelon says all new individual, group, and facility enrollments go through the Carelon Behavioral Health payer space in Availity. For California, it says that if you want to be considered for Medi-Cal, you need a Medicaid ID or proof of application through PAVE, the state’s enrollment portal. See my PAVE enrollment guide.
• Commercial plans: for Anthem’s commercial behavioral health network, Anthem’s California contacts sheet routes applications through Anthem’s own enrollment page and Availity. I couldn’t confirm from current official sources that Carelon runs the network for Anthem’s California commercial plans, so check each member’s ID card and benefits in Availity rather than assuming.

So “Anthem in Availity” and “Carelon in Availity” are two different payer spaces. If you want Anthem Medi-Cal members, plan on PAVE plus Carelon. If you want Anthem commercial members, use Anthem’s provider enrollment. Carelon also runs behavioral health for other California plans, including the Kaiser referral network; see my Kaiser and Carelon guide.

After you are approved

• Verify eligibility and benefits in Availity for every new client. Anthem’s contacts sheet lists Availity for claims, eligibility, claim status, remittance, authorizations, and provider data updates.
• Keep your directory data current with Availity’s Provider Data Management tool. Anthem uses it for demographic changes for California behavioral health network providers.
• Know who your contact is. Anthem says participating commercial behavioral health providers have an assigned provider relationship management associate.
• Medi-Cal is different. Medi-Cal plans have their own authorization, documentation, and eligibility rules. See how to bill Medi-Cal as a therapist.

Bill only for what you legitimately provide and document.

Associates and other ways in

Associates: I couldn’t find a public Anthem Blue Cross provider policy on billing for registered associates in California. Don’t assume another payer’s rule carries over. Ask Anthem in writing, naming the product (commercial, Covered California, or Medi-Cal), whether it pays for AMFT, ASW, or APCC sessions billed by your group and how it wants the claim built. Anthem Medi-Cal members also fall under that plan’s own contract rules. See Can associates bill insurance in California?.

Headway and Alma: Headway’s California listings show Anthem Blue Cross California and Carelon among the plans its therapists accept. Headway also notes that Anthem plans in California require providers to live in California (at least 183 days a year); having an office here isn’t enough. If Headway fits, here is my Headway referral link.

Referral disclosure: I may receive a referral reward if you sign up through my Headway link. It costs you nothing extra, and you get the same help from me either way.

Alma is another option, and a direct Anthem contract gives you your own agreement. Compare them in Headway vs. Alma vs. direct insurance. For the other Availity-based payer, see my Aetna guide.

Referral disclosure: I may receive a referral reward if you sign up through my Headway link. It costs you nothing extra, and you get the same help from me either way. Alma and contracting directly with the plan are also good options.