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                                                                       Exhibit 5


                      B A S S,  B E R R Y  &  S I M S P L C
                    A PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
                                ATTORNEYS AT LAW

2700 FIRST AMERICAN CENTER                       1700 RIVERVIEW TOWER
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37238-2700                  POST OFFICE BOX 1509
TELEPHONE (615) 742-6200                         KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 37901-1509
TELECOPIER (615) 742-6293                        TELEPHONE (423) 521-6200
                                                 TELECOPIER (423) 521-6234

                                  August 8, 1996




ENVOY Corporation
15 Century Boulevard, Suite 600
Nashville, Tennessee  37214

         Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-3
                 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to ENVOY Corporation (the "Company") in
connection with the preparation of the above-referenced Registration Statement
on Form S-3 filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
August 8, 1996, pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 
1933, as amended ("Registration Statement"), covering the 425,500 shares of
common stock, no par value per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company to be
sold by the Company and by certain selling shareholders of the Company (the
"Selling Shareholders") to the underwriters represented by Alex Brown & Son
Incorporated, Hambrecht & Quist, LLC, J.C. Bradford & Co., L.L.C., and
Southcoast Capital Corporation (the "Underwriters") for public distribution
pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement between the Company, the Selling
Shareholders, and the Underwriters (the "Underwriting Agreement") filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.

         In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon such
records, documents and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or
appropriate in order to express the opinions hereinafter set forth and have
assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents
submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to original documents of all
documents submitted to us as certified photostatic copies.

         Based upon the foregoing and such other matters as we have deemed
relevant, we are of the opinion that the shares of Common Stock to be sold by
the Company when issued and delivered in the manner and on the terms of the
Underwriting Agreement will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the reference to our law firm in the Registration
Statement under the caption "Legal Matters" and to the use of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                                                   Very truly yours,

                                                   /s/ Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC