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At Independence Blue Cross, we are committed to giving our customers the information they need to understand the ever‑changing COVID‑19 environment. We are hopeful that once vaccines start to become widely available we will be able to beat the virus.
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COVID‑19 vaccine coverage
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Independence will cover the cost of health care providers administering the COVID‑19 vaccine with no cost‑sharing to members of fully insured groups, in accordance with federal and state laws and regulations. Self‑funded groups are responsible for these costs for their members. As vaccines are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use Authorization, the federal government will initially supply the vaccine to health care providers at no cost.
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The COVID‑19 vaccine will be covered for commercial members as a preventive service, similar to the flu vaccine, and the charges for administering the vaccine will be payable under the Medical benefit and at the pharmacy.
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Here are a few additional points around cost‑sharing as it pertains to specific plan design and/or site‑of‑service scenarios:
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- Cost‑sharing for high‑deductible health plan members will be waived/covered.
- Cost‑sharing for COVID‑19 vaccines administered by a home health agency will be waived/covered. Home‑bound requirement will be waived for vaccine administration.
- Office visit cost‑sharing will apply if a member receives the COVID‑19 vaccine during an office visit that is not considered preventative.
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As with all vaccines, Independence has no control over the availability and prioritization of distributing the vaccine. Distribution of the COVID‑19 vaccine will be controlled by the federal government, in collaboration with state and local governments. More information can be found on the CDC website. Stay tuned for more details on the COVID‑19 vaccine coming soon.
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COVID‑19 prior authorizations continue to be waived
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To help members receive the care they need during the pandemic, we will continue waiving the prior authorization requirements below for members with a COVID‑19 diagnosis through March 31, 2021.
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- Acute inpatient admissions from the emergency department at in‑network facilities.
- Transfers from acute in‑network, inpatient facilities to post acute, in‑network facilities.*
- Transfers from acute in‑network, inpatient facilities to another acute in‑network, inpatient facility, including ambulance transport.
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IHG Virtual Fall Forum: COVID‑19 FAQs
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Last month we offered a webcast featuring a COVID‑19 update from our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Richard Snyder. We received a number of questions during and after the program and I wanted to share this FAQ with you.
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We will continue to provide updates as new questions are received and as information changes. Additionally, any new COVID‑19 information will be added or updated in our Newsroom or on our COVID‑19 webpage.
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