Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Extends Cost-Share Waiver for COVID-19 Treatment

Saint Paul, Minn. (November 12, 2020) -- As part of an ongoing effort to lessen the health and financial impacts of COVID-19, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) is extending its cost-share waiver for in-network COVID-19 treatment through March 31, 2021.

In the initial stages of the pandemic, Blue Cross waived all patient costs related to in-network COVID-19 care − including office visits and hospitalizations – for the remainder of 2020. Recent increases to the community spread of the virus in Minnesota prompted Blue Cross' decision to extend these no-cost services into the spring of next year.

The treatment cost-waiver applies to all members in fully insured commercial plans, which encompass thousands of small to large businesses throughout the state; Minnesotans who purchase Blue Cross coverage on their own; and seniors enrolled in Medicare. Self-insured employers have the flexibility to direct Blue Cross to administer the same change within their own health benefit plans.

"Throughout this pandemic, we will continue to do what is best for our members' health and wellbeing," said Dr. Craig Samitt, president and chief executive officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations on the rise, we want to keep doing our part to ensure access to necessary care and address any potential barriers related to cost."

To learn more about how Blue Cross is working to address the immediate and long-term implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.bluecrossmn.com/coronavirus.

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.