For Immediate Release: April 1, 2020
For more information contact:
Christa Dubill
Christa.Dubill@BlueKC.com
816-395-2746
KANSAS CITY, MO. (April 1, 2020)—Today Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) announced additional measures for members to ease the treatment of COVID-19.
Effective April 1, Blue KC is waiving all member cost sharing and copayments for inpatient hospital admissions due to the diagnosis of COVID-19. This policy will remain in place through June 30, 2020 and applies to insured Blue KC plans.*
"Our top priority is to ensure that our members with COVID-19 can receive the care they need,” said Greg Sweat, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Blue KC. “These additional measures will reduce barriers to care for our members.”
In addition to this expanded coverage, Blue KC has taken the following measures to assist our members and providers through this unprecedented time:
- Waived cost sharing for COVID-19 testing including the related office visit and related services
- Waived early medication 30-day refill limits
- Expanded access to in-network telehealth for all covered services and waived member cost sharing for virtual office visits and behavioral health therapy
Blue KC has enhanced telehealth offerings to support members’ health and wellbeing during this uncertain time. Members can meet with virtual care doctors trained to evaluate COVID-19 conveniently through their smartphone, tablet or computer. Both Urgent Care Visits and Behavioral Health Therapy visits provided in the Blue KC app are at no cost for members through June 30, 2020. Members may also connect with in-network providers for virtual, telephone, e-mail or text visits for medical services or behavioral health therapy at no cost. Members can download the app from the Apple App Store and Google Play or go to BlueKCVirtualCare.com to access the virtual care portal.
“During these extraordinary times, Blue KC is working in collaboration with city officials, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, regulators and other key partners to care for the people who work and live in our community,” said Erin Stucky, Blue KC President and CEO. “As a local healthcare company, we are in a unique position to support our community through this national public health pandemic and will continue to do so to the best of our ability.”
Blue KC is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of our members through the prevention, testing and treatment of COVID-19. Visit BlueKC.com/consumer/covid-19 to learn more.
*Minimum Premium and ASO customers may opt out by April 10, 2020.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and the only not-for-profit commercial health insurer in Kansas City, has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City provides health coverage services to more than one million residents in the greater Kansas City area, including Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and 30 counties in Northwest Missouri. Our mission: to provide affordable access to healthcare and to improve the health of our members. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information on the company, visit its website at BlueKC.com.