Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Expands COVID-19 Coverage to Include Office Visits and Virtual Care at No Cost

(Eagan, Minnesota) March 14, 2020 — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), the state's leading health insurer, has announced immediate no-cost coverage updates as part of its ongoing effort to help prevent the spread and impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Blue Cross now covering all costs for office visits associated with medically necessary testing for COVID-19
With no cost to the member, Blue Cross will pay for the appropriate medically necessary diagnostic testing and related office visits for fully insured* employer, individual and Medicare members who meet CDC guidelines for COVID-19 testing. These members will not have any copay, coinsurance or deductible costs for COVID-19 tests and related office visits. Any needed care following a diagnosis of COVID-19 will be covered consistent with your standard health plan benefits. Self-insured* employers will have the flexibility to apply the same no-cost structure.  

All virtual care provided through Doctor On Demand is now available at no cost for all Blue Cross members whose benefits include coverage for Doctor On Demand 
There will be no cost for all virtual medical and behavioral health services offered by Doctor On Demand through April 13, 2020. Given the nature of this pandemic, seeking in-person medical care may lead to further spreading of the virus; therefore Blue Cross encourages the use of virtual care whenever possible.

Additional Blue Cross coverage commitments for COVID-19
These coverage changes are in addition to those announced by Blue Cross on March 6, 2020:

  • Blue Cross will cover the full cost of medically necessary diagnostic tests consistent with CDC guidance related to diagnosing COVID-19.
  • Blue Cross will waive all prior authorization for tests and covered services that are medically necessary and consistent with CDC guidance if diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • For members who have Prime Therapeutics as their Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM), Blue Cross will increase access to prescription medications through a waiver of early medication refill limits on 30-day prescription maintenance medications (consistent with member’s benefit plan) and/or encouraging members to use 90-day mail order benefit.

Blue Cross remains vigilant and focused in our efforts to ensure we are doing all we can to ensure the health and safety of our members and our associates. Timely information and updates can be found at bluecrossmn.com/coronavirus.

*Fully insured: A benefit plan offered by a company in which the insurance company pays for the member's health care claims and sets the plan benefits. Self insured: A benefit plan offered by a company in which the employer pays for the member's health care claims and sets the plan benefits. 

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

For more than 90 years, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (bluecrossmn.com) has supported the health, wellbeing and peace of mind of our members by striving to ensure equitable access to high quality care at an affordable price. We are on a mission to inspire change, transform care and improve health for the people and communities we serve by reinventing both ourselves and the broader system. Our more than 2.5 million members can be found in every Minnesota county, all 50 states and on four continents. As a proud nonprofit organization, we believe working to advance wellness for all Minnesotans is the greatest investment we can make. Our goal is nothing less than for everyone to be able to achieve their full health potential, regardless of race or other socially defined circumstances. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, which serves more than 107 million members across the U.S.