A colorized electronic microscope image of one of a coronavirus virion. (Credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
Some commercial health insurers are responding to the COVID-19 crisis by beefing up enrollee benefits — and the agency that runs Medicare is beefing up immediate cash support for providers.
All of the major health insurers have said they will cover COVID-19 testing without imposing co-payments or deductibles on the patients, and most say they are covering telehealth services without cost-sharing.
A new federal law, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, has closed one potential testing benefits gap, by requiring self-insured employer plans to cover testing without cost-sharing. Before the act became law, some state insurance regulators had emphasized that the COVID-19 testing benefits at self-insured plans were outside their jurisdiction.
Here's a look at some of the changes commercial health insurers are making, drawn from the company's own announcements and a list compiled by America's Health Insurance Plans.
Aetna, a part of CVS Health, says it will eliminate cost-sharing for all in-network inpatient COVID-19 care through June 1.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is eliminating co-payments for COVID-19 treatments at doctor's offices, emergency rooms and urgent care clinics.
Bright Health is offering members transportation to their doctors.
