UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES

If you're not feeling well, please contact your doctor and discuss your symptoms. You may be asked about your travel history and about those with whom you have been in close contact.

According to medical experts, symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. These symptoms are similar to the flu or other respiratory diseases.

Use this symptom checker tool to help you make decisions and seek medical care, if necessary.

Please call your doctor and be prepared to share with them where you have traveled and with whom you have been in close contact.

You should follow the guidance of your doctor, the governor, and federal and state health experts: avoid large gatherings, work from home if your business allows it, and practice social distancing – keeping six feet away from people you don’t know. Avoid travel. This will help slow the spread of the disease.

Click here for the latest information from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Effective March 24, 2020 at noon, Governor Baker ordered that businesses and organizations that don't provide essential COVID-19 related services should close their physical locations, and prohibited gatherings of more than 10 people, to further prevent the spread of the virus.

Our doctors and most clinicians recommend that everyone take basic precautions to avoid infection with any virus, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes
• Disinfect commonly touched services

Please talk to your doctor. You doctor will determine if you should be tested in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Public Health guidelines.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization all provide regular updates on their websites:

• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
• mass.gov/dph
• who.int

In addition to our Coronavirus Resource Center, we’re also providing information on our health news site, Coverage.bluecrossma.com

Our HMO, POS, PPO, and Indemnity plans cover both viral (also known as antigen) and antibody (also known as serologic) tests, when ordered by a health care provider who is making an individualized clinical assessment of the patient in accordance with current standards of medical practice, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines.

(Medicare plans) Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts follows Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-mandated requirements, as well as state-mandated requirements related to coverage of SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing, for our Medicare HMO and Medicare PPO members.

Blue Cross will cover viral or antigen and antibody or serologic Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tests when ordered by any health care professional authorized under state law for the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection.

Your health plan covers both viral (also known as antigen) and antibody (also known as serologic) tests, when ordered by a health care provider who is making a medically necessary clinical assessment of the individual patient, following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines.

Please note that CDC guidelines regarding antibody (also known as serologic) tests indicate that this type of test shouldn't be used to:

• Determine if someone can return to work;
• Group people together in settings such as schools, dormitories, and correctional facilities;
• Determine the immune status in individuals, since medical experts aren't sure that the presence of antibodies creates immunity or how long any potential immunity may last.

Please talk to your doctor about the best location for you to get tested. Blue Cross will cover tests when conducted at, but not limited to, the following sites:

• Drive-through testing sites
• Emergency rooms
• Medical provider offices
• The patient’s home (using a testing kit—a patient self-swab)

Please remember that the test must be ordered by a health care provider, who is making an individualized clinical assessment of the patient in accordance with current standards of medical practice, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines. The test must be Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved, or must have received Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA; or the manufacturer (maker) intends to request Emergency Use Authorization.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has created an interactive map of testing sites on its COVID-19 resource web page. Please visit Mass.gov.

Your health plan covers medically necessary services to diagnose or treat illness.

Blue Cross does not cover routine screenings to determine an individual’s fitness to return to work, for purposes of travel, to attend school, daycare or camp or for public health surveillance purposes.

Your health plan covers medically necessary services to diagnose or treat illness.

Blue Cross does not cover tests related to travel. Including Governor Baker’s recent guidance related to travel.

Some examples of when testing is covered include, but are not limited to:

• When a person has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, anosmia, and gastrointestinal distress
• If a person has had direct exposure to another individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19
• Those people who have been identified by contact tracing as being at risk of exposure
• Symptomatic or asymptomatic patients who require testing prior to a medical procedure or surgery
• People who are admitted to a health care facility including but not limited to a hospital operated or licensed by the Department of Public Health or Mental Health, a long-term acute care hospital, or a skilled nursing facility

Your health plan does not cover tests:

• Requested for general screening purposes such as return-to-work, clearance to travel or attend school, day care or camp or for public health or surveillance purposes
• Used as routine screenings for individuals such as people who live or work in residential facilities such as skilled nursing homes
• That have been denied FDA approval, or tests that do not have Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA, or tests whose developers have not requested Emergency Use Authorization within a reasonable timeframe
• Antibody or serologic tests are not covered for screening purposes such as eligibility to donate plasma

Your health plan will cover COVID-19 tests for each individual, when ordered by a health care provider who is making an individualized clinical assessment of the patient in accordance with current standards of medical practice, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines.

Effective on March 16, and for the duration of the Massachusetts state of emergency, you may receive all medically necessary covered services from an in-network provider via telehealth or by telephone.

We're waiving all member cost share (copayments, co-insurance, or deductibles) for members who receive care via, phone, video, or telehealth in place of an office visit for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related services received from an in-network provider.

You're temporarily eligible to receive services via the phone or other chat application if available from your provider.

Well Connection Telehealth Visits

Many members may also have an existing telehealth benefit included as part of the Blue Cross health plan. For members with this telehealth benefit, we're waiving cost sharing for telehealth visits conducted through Well Connection. To find out if you're covered, call Member Service at 1-800-262-BLUE (2583), or sign in to MyBlue and click Review My Benefits. Be sure to include your insurance information when registering for Well Connection.

For Federal Employee Program (FEP) members:

Effective March 10, 2020, we’ve removed the member cost share for all telehealth services (COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related) received through the Teladoc network. Members can register for Teladoc by visiting fepblue.org/coronavirus. For other providers offering telehealth services not on Teladoc, the applicable office visit cost share will apply (unless COVID-19 related).

Our 24/7 Nurse Line also is available at no cost to FEP members, and offers a safe and convenient clinical resource for minor ailments or questions. Call the 24/7 Nurse Line at 1-888-258-3432 or learn more.”

Effective March 10, 2020, we’ve removed the member cost share for all telehealth services (COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related) received through the Teladoc network. Members can register for Teladoc by visiting fepblue.org/coronavirus. For other providers offering telehealth services not on Teladoc, the applicable office visit cost share will apply (unless COVID-19 related).

Our 24/7 Nurse Line also is available at no cost to all members and offers a safe and convenient clinical resource for minor ailments or questions. The number for the Nurse Line is 1-888-247-2583.

For members in our Medicare Advantage, Managed Blue for Seniors, and Medex^®' plans, Blue Cross has waived the cost share related to medically necessary coronavirus testing, counseling, vaccinations, and treatment at doctor’s offices, ERs, and urgent care centers, in accordance with CDC and DPH guidelines.

Blue Cross also has waived cost share for all telehealth (both medical and behavioral) services, not just those related to COVID-19, including services delivered by phone as well as video. This is effective as of March 16, 2020, and will last for the duration of the state of emergency

Due to the spread of COVID-19, Massachusetts is allowing individuals who are currently uninsured to enroll in coverage for themselves and dependents between now and May 25, 2020.

If you already have coverage, you cannot change plans.

If your employer offered you health care coverage and you turned it down, you may enroll in a plan during this special enrollment period.

For those who are eligible, coverage for yourself and your dependents can be purchased directly from Blue Cross or any other health insurer, or through the Massachusetts Health Connector.

If you're interested in a Blue Cross plan please visit www.getbluema.com or call 1-800-422-3545.

If you have coverage through Dental Blue^®, and until further notice, you can receive care from your dentist via telephone or video if your dentist offers virtual services. There will be no member cost share up to the member's existing annual dollar maximum. Services provided by non-participating dentists could be subject to balance billing.

Our members are covered for emergency medical care while traveling internationally. If someone were to be hospitalized while traveling, costs would be covered according to the terms of your plan.

You can purchase additional health insurance designed for travelers from any number of companies. Blue Cross offers health insurance for travelers that provides extended coverage, called GeoBlue^®. You can learn more at https://www.geobluetravelinsurance.com/bcbsma or by calling 1-855-481-6647.

Yes, Blue Cross Blue Shield has temporarily lifted limits on early refills of prescription medications allowing members to obtain one additional fill of their existing prescription.

Please note: the prescribing physician or pharmacy filling the prescription may decide to continue to impose limits at their discretion.

Certain medications, such as opioids and medications with quality care dosing limits, are excluded.

Members can get a two-month supply of a medication for two copayments at the retail pharmacy of their choice, as benefits allow. Additionally, members can use the Express Scripts^®' (ESI) mail order to get three-month supplies of medications.

If a member is enrolled in Smart90^®', they are eligible for 90-day supplies at retail for certain maintenance medications.

We won't allow for greater than a 90-day supply to avoid stockpiling or potential shortages.

Members being told Blue Cross isn't allowing early refills can call Member Service at the number on their member ID card while at the pharmacy for help.

We're working with our pharmacy network to ensure they understand this change.

Additionally, the pharmacist can call the Express Scripts Pharmacy Help Desk at 1-800-922-1557.

Please remember: pharmacies and the provider who wrote the prescription can maintain these limits at their discretion.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency authorization to use chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as possible treatments for COVID-19 and has indicated that these drugs should only be used on a short-term, inpatient basis with patients who are seriously ill, as these medications also have the potential for serious and well-known adverse side effects.

These medications are commonly used to treat autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, as well as malaria.

Members with the Blue Cross pharmacy benefit with a current prescription for chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine are encouraged to refill their prescription. We're allowing for one additional refill of these and other medications.

Some members may be eligible for our mail order benefit and could get up to a 90-day supply of this prescription. Call the Member Service number on the front of your ID card to see if you are eligible.

Our members are covered for emergency medical care while traveling internationally. If someone were to be hospitalized while traveling, costs would be covered according to the terms of your plan.

You can purchase additional health insurance designed for travelers from any number of companies. Blue Cross offers health insurance for travelers that provides extended coverage, called GeoBlue^®. You can learn more at https://www.geobluetravelinsurance.com/bcbsma or by calling 1-855-481-6647.

You should follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control or the U.S. State Department when it comes to personal travel outside of the U.S.

The State Department provides guidance on travel at travel.state.gov and has advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel and that U.S. citizens traveling abroad should return to the U.S.

The CDC website provides regular updates and a global risk assessment of the virus.

Government officials haven't issued any guidance about domestic travel.