Premera Blue Cross has announced it is waiving consumer cost shares and deductibles for treatment related to COVID-19 for its fully insured, Medicare and individual market customers through Oct. 1.
According to a company press release, Premera and LifeWise Health Plan of Washington customers won’t have to pay out of pocket for treatment of COVID-19 or health complications associated with COVID-19. That includes inpatient and outpatient hospital admissions, urgent care and emergency room visits, medical transport when needed, and FDA-approved inpatient medications for both in- and out-of-network providers.
Premera will work with self-funded customers who want to implement a similar approach. Customers should check their benefit plans first.
For group and individual customers, this includes any claims received since Jan. 1, related to COVID-19, which will be reprocessed to waive all cost shares and deductibles. For Medicare customers, claims received since Feb. 4, related to COVID-19, will be reprocessed to waive all cost shares and deductibles.
Premera Blue Cross had already waived cost shares for novel coronavirus testing.
