Are you insured by Blue Cross NC? Your coronavirus test now will be covered.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced it is expanding coverage of COVID-19 testing for members and waiving prior test approval across its network of 36 companies nationwide, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.
The coverage will include fully insured, Blue Cross NC Medicare Advantage and Federal Employee Program members. Self-funded employer groups can apply these changes to their employees’ plans, the provider said.
Blue Cross NC spokeswoman Laura Eberhard told The News & Observer that testing costs will be covered at any network lab, including Burlington, NC-based laboratory and drug company LabCorp.
LabCorp announced that it is making coronavirus tests available to U.S. health care providers following a complaint of a shortage of test kits in the state, The News & Observer reported this week.
“Blue Cross NC holds the health and safety of all members as top priority,” said Dr. Von Nguyen, Blue Cross NC vice president of clinical operations and innovations, in a press release. “While it may not be certain exactly how much the Coronavirus will spread, we want members to rest assured that they’ll be covered.”
The company says Nguyen was part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention teams responding to Cholera, Zika, MERS and fungal meningitis.
Doctor visits to screen for the coronavirus will be covered as a normal visit, based on members’ health insurance plans.
Blue Cross NC said the new measures will remain in effect for 30 days starting March 6 and will be re-evaluated after that.
“Since we don’t know how this virus will spread or what kind of impacts it might have we will re-evaluate the situation to determine if the policy is still needed after 30 days,” Eberhard said. “The health and safety of our members is always top priority so we will continue the policy as long as needed.”
Citing the need to act quickly during the outbreak, the health provider is also increasing access to prescription drugs and virtual access to doctors as it monitors the virus.
Doctor visits can be performed virtually if needed to help reduce the spread of infection in public and at facilities, the press release said.
Early medication refill limits will be waived on 30-day prescription medications based on CDC recommendations to have a one-month supply on hand.
More information on the provider’s new measures can be found at BlueCrossNC.com/Coronavirus.
According to the CDC, a total of 164 cases of coronavirus and 11 deaths have been reported in the United States, as of March 6. There are 110 cases under investigation.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the nature of LabCorp providing test kits to health care providers. Blue Cross and Blue Shield NC will cover testing costs.
This story was originally published March 7, 2020 at 1:37 PM with the headline "Are you insured by Blue Cross NC? Your coronavirus test now will be covered.."
