Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Individual & Family and Employer Group Plans | Anthem Blue Cross Skip To Main Content
COVID-19 Resource Center

Individual & Family
and Employer Group Plans

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

We know these are challenging times, and want you to know that we remain deeply committed to supporting you to get care and protect your overall health and wellbeing.

Information About Benefits and COVID-19

All Anthem plans cover COVID-19 testing and the care visit where the test takes place with no out-of-pocket costs. Find a COVID-19 testing location near you by using this tool. Please talk to a doctor first to be certain you need a COVID-19 test. A doctor must order a COVID-19 test for you.

FIND A COVID-19 TEST CENTER
We’ve partnered with Castlight Health to help you find COVID-19 testing. Enter your address or state and county to quickly locate testing centers near you.
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If you’re diagnosed as having COVID-19, you won’t have any out-of-pocket costs to pay if you receive treatment for COVID-19 from doctors, hospitals, and other health-care professionals in your plan’s network through December 31, 2020. This benefit may not apply to all members. Please call the Member Services number on your ID card to confirm your COVID-19 benefits.

Telehealth doctor visits give you access to care without leaving your home. Telehealth visits with doctors and health-care professionals in your plan’s network are covered at no cost to you until further notice. This includes visits that are not related to COVID-19. Ask your doctor if they offer telehealth visits.

The Virtual Care text feature on the Sydney Care mobile app allows you to chat with a doctor. Your first text session is free through December 31, 2020. Additional text visits are $19 each. You can download the app here. It works together with your Sydney Health or Engage Wellbeing app.

This benefit may not apply to all members. Please call the Member Services number on your ID card to confirm your COVID-19 benefits.

SEE A DOCTOR FROM HOME
Get personalized guidance about your health and connect with a doctor via text, chat or video with the Sydney Care mobile app. Sydney Care app features, benefits and costs vary from plan to plan.
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As of March 19, 2020, Anthem will cover telephone-only medical and behavioral health care from doctors and health care professionals in your plan’s network.

Only plans that include out-of-network benefits will cover care from doctors and health care professionals who aren’t in your plan’s network. Sponsors of self-insured plans have the choice to participate and may opt out of this program. Members enrolled in self-insured plans can call the Member Services number on their ID card for information.

Anthem encourages its members to use LiveHealth Online to virtually connect to a doctor through a live video chat on their phone, tablet, or computer. The LiveHealth Online doctors can screen for COVID-19 and make recommendations for care. Members can find more information on Live Health Online here.

Members should consider using Anthem’s Sydney Care mobile app for a quick and easy way to evaluate symptoms and see a doctor, free of charge. Members can check their symptoms, and then the app will connect them to a doctor through a LiveHealth Online video session or a Virtual Care text session right from their phone. Download the Sydney Care mobile app here.

Members who have health questions can call the Anthem 24/7 NurseLine at the number listed on their Anthem ID card to speak with a registered nurse.

Anthem is relaxing early prescription refill limits, where permitted, for members who have Anthem pharmacy benefits and wish to refill a 30-day supply of most maintenance medications early. Additionally, members who have a pharmacy plan that includes a 90-day mail-order benefit should talk to their doctor about whether changing from a 30-day supply to a 90-day supply of their prescriptions is appropriate. There are no delivery charges for members who use Anthem’s Home Delivery Pharmacy. Members can call the Pharmacy Member Services number on their health plan ID card to learn more.

Taking care of your emotional health is important during this stressful time. As an Anthem member, you have access to a wide range of online resources to help you and your family members address emotional health and life challenges.

Psych Hub offers resources to help with pandemic-related stress such as social isolation, coping with grief and loss, and other mental health issues.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Navigate COVID-19 challenges like social isolation and job loss with a free mental health resource hub, powered by Psych Hub and supported by Anthem.

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Additional Employee Assistance Program (EAP) resources: Anthem is providing access to a wide range of resources that address members' emotional health issues and life challenges — from parenting and child care to financial planning, legal issues, addiction, prevention, and much more. These resources are available at no cost through June 30, 2020. Members can access anthemEAP.com website for helpful resources, including online seminars, practical tips and links to news outlets and health organization web sites. Use the company code EAP Can Help to log in.

Coronavirus is a type of virus that causes respiratory illness — an infection of the airways and lungs. COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus. It’s part of the same family of coronaviruses that includes the common cold.

The most common early symptoms appear between 2 and 14 days after being infected. Symptoms can be mild to severe. They include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Right now, medical experts think that COVID-19 spreads from person-to-person through a cough, sneeze or kiss. However, since COVID-19 is a new disease, scientists around the globe are racing to learn more about it.

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Check the CDC website for up-to-date information. If you’re traveling, you’ll want to visit the CDC travel page for their most current travel guidelines.

Good health habits can also help prevent and fight COVID-19. You should:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when sick. This includes staying home from work, school, errands, and travel for at least 24 hours after a fever is gone.
  • Cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces like phones, keyboards, and doorknobs.
  • Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, drink lots of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

It’s best to follow the CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask. CDC information for household members and caregivers can be found here.

Call your doctor if you develop a fever, have a cough, or have difficulty breathing. And let them know if you’ve been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, or if you live in or have recently traveled to an area where the virus has spread.

Some Anthem health plans include LiveHealth Online. It lets you see a doctor through live chat or video on your phone, tablet, or computer. If your plan offers LiveHealth Online, just log in at anthem.com/ca to use it. If you’re not sure whether your plan offers it, call us at the Member Services number on your ID. If it doesn’t, we can talk about your options.

No. Several recent media reports have focused on new and existing antiviral drugs being tested for use in treating COVID-19. None of these drugs is approved for use with COVID-19, and many are still being investigated. We’re monitoring developments in this area closely and will evaluate how benefits will cover treatments once treatments are approved.

Not yet. Several vaccines are being tested, but they’re still in the very early stages of development. After that, they’ll need to go through clinical trials to be sure they are both safe and effective before they’d be ready for the public.

We know how important it is to continue taking your prescriptions as directed by your doctor. You can get 90-day supplies of most prescription medicines, depending on your plan’s pharmacy benefits. This is a great time to think about changing any prescription medicines you take on a regular basis from a 30-day supply.

Talk to your doctor to see if a 90-day supply would work for you. You can even get them through home delivery pharmacy. If you have specific questions about the medicine you take, call the pharmacy services number on your member ID card.*

*Applies only for members with Anthem pharmacy benefits.

Anthem is committed to making sure you can get the care you need. We’re working closely with the doctors and other health care professionals in our plans to prepare for more calls and visits. If your doctor isn’t available for some reason, we’ll help you find alternate care. Go to the main page on anthem.com/ca to log in and search for a doctor, or call the Member Services number on your ID card.

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) (January 28, 2020): 
cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary (March 3, 2020):
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

Helpful Resources
Stay informed by checking these resources for up-to-date information about COVID-19, especially if you’re thinking about traveling.

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