COVID-19 Updates

  • General News
    Published May 18, 2020

    Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska is here to help support you and your clients during the COVID-19 outbreak. Check out our complete COVID-19 FAQ for the most current information.

    Important updates from July 10, 2020

    • Premera’s Benefit Coverage Guideline is effective for serology tests for dates of service July 1, 2020 and forward.  Premera will reimburse for serology tests that are for the purpose of supporting a COVID-19 diagnosis as part of the treatment or management of a patient’s medical condition. 

    • We will not include testing coverage (molecular/antigen or antibody tests) for return to work strategies for our insured book of business just as we don’t cover drug testing for employment purposes, as an example. The EEOC has clarified (see A.6) that any mandatory medical test is job related and consistent with business necessity. 

    Important updates from June 24, 2020

  • Premera’s Benefit Coverage Guideline is effective for serology tests for dates of service July 1, 2020 and forward. Premera will reimburse for serology tests that are for the purpose of supporting a COVID-19 diagnosis as part of the treatment or management of a patient’s medical condition.
  • We will not include testing coverage (molecular or antibody tests) for return to work strategies for our insured book of business just as we don’t cover drug testing for employment purposes, as an example. The EEOC has clarified (see A.6) that any mandatory medical test is job related and consistent with business necessity.

    • Important updates from May 26, 2020

    IRS NOTICE 2020-29 includes the following changes: 

    • Ability to amend plan documents (if group currently offers a grace period) to allow an extended grace period for FSA and DCAP plans to December 31, 2020.
      • Employers decide whether or not they want to extend the grace period. It does not allow for groups to amend their plan to opt into a grace period if they didn’t previously offer it.
      • Change is only applicable to grace periods ending in 2020 and may only continue to December 31, 2020 regardless of when grace period was scheduled to end. Example: A grace period ending March 15, 2020 or December 29, 2020 may only be extended to December 31, 2020.

    The FSA grace period is defined as a two month and 15 day period following the end of the plan year that allows FSA/DCFSA owners who have remaining funds from prior plan years to use their funds for current plan year expenses. Note – not all employer plan designs offer a grace period.

    DOL guidance issued to extend health care benefit deadlines

    The new Rule and guidance (EBSA Disaster Relief Notice 2020-01) extend certain health care benefit deadlines under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and may impact your ConnectYourCare (CYC) programs, including flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), and COBRA. CYC is currently working diligently to assess their systems and procedures to support these changes."

    Important updates from May 12, 2020

    • Premera will provide up to $65 million in premium relief funds across Washington state. All active insured small and large group employers including associations will receive a one-time credit of up to 15% on the group’s August 2020 premium bill.
    • Premera has expanded the available invoices from the past 12 months to the past 24 months. This will allow your client to download the entire 2019 calendar year.
    • The Employer Portal has previously limited availability of invoices to only 12 months.
    • As part of an application for a Small Business Association (SBA) loan, employers must provide an accounting of all expenses for the 2019 calendar year.

    To review available invoices, log into the secure employer portal.

    Important updates from April 3, 2020

    • We are waiving cost shares and deductibles for all COVID-19 related testing and treatment (both inpatient and outpatient) effective April 2, 2020.
    • This cost share waiver will continue through October 1, 2020.
    • This includes hospitalizations and medical transport when needed, and FDA-approved medications administered inpatient for in or out of network providers.
    • Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska will review claims received since January 1, 2020 and reprocess any with COVID-19 related diagnoses.
    • If have an employee who believes they have a claim for treatment related to a COVID-19 diagnosis prior to March 9, please have them contact our customer service team with the following information: Date of claim, provider, name of patient.

    Important updates from March 26, 2020

    • Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska has expanded our telehealth network to include 98point6, Doctor on Demand, and myCare Alaska to give your employees greater access and address the increased demand related to COVID-19.
    • All cost shares for in-network telehealth providers will be waived.
      • This includes those employees enrolled in QHDHP plans.
      • This expanded network and cost share waiving will be available until June 30, 2020, with the potential to extend the duration based on businesses and epidemiological considerations.

    Important updates from March 23, 2020

    • We’ve made changes and clarifications relating to group eligibility rules that are in effect during the COVID-19 nationwide public health crisis. These are temporary measures meant to help your clients during this difficult time.
    • Our updated FAQ has detailed information about group eligibility rules and requirements.

    For more information, check out our FAQ.

    If you have any questions, please contact your Premera account manager.