Gold Card Fall Expansion: More than 24,000 Providers Now in the Program

Highmark continues to expand its Gold Carding Program, which expedites prior authorization for clinicians who have achieved authorization approval rates of 99% or higher for select modalities in Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania. Highmark automatically enrolls clinicians when eligibility criteria are met, publishing updated Gold Card Program rosters in March and September.

As of the Sept. 1, 2026, update, the Gold Card Program includes more than 24,000 providers, following the addition of 1,685 net-new physicians who qualified for the program.

To review any updates to your Gold Card status, consult the Master Gold Card Clinician Roster located on our Provider Resource Center (PRC).

Modality Changes This Fall

Nuclear Medicine and Varicose Veins Treatment will be removed from the Gold Card Program, effective Sept. 1. Nuclear Medicine no longer requires prior authorization and is no longer included on Highmark’s Prior Authorization List (PAL) on July 1, 2026. Varicose Vein Treatment has also been taken off the Gold Card Program while Highmark reassesses the modality’s future eligibility within the program.

How the Gold Card Program Works

Once Gold Carded, clinicians will enter the appropriate information for the Highmark member and, upon submission, will receive an immediate Pre-notification number for select services to attach to any subsequent claims. For follow-up services that qualify for the Gold Card Program, clinicians can schedule those appointments before patients leave the office. This helps patients get the care they need without delays.

You can view the current list of Gold Carded clinicians by visiting Highmark’s Gold Carding Program page on the PRC to verify if you are Gold Carded or your practice has Gold Carded clinicians. You can also review the Gold Card Pre-notification Process for authorizations and eligibility criteria.