Anthem Blue Cross Accelerates Payments and Support to Hospitals, Medical Groups and Doctors in Response to COVID-19 Financial Pressures
June 05, 2020
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Company is Accelerating Payments and Other Financial Support to California Health Care Providers
- Suspending select prior authorization requirements, including prior authorization requirements for all inpatient hospital transfers to skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and home health services, including ground transport in support of those transfers, and for durable medical equipment critical to COVID-19 treatment;
- Limiting hospital claims audits requiring additional clinical documentation;
- Suspending retrospective utilization management review;
- Minimizing new payment and utilization management policies and policy updates, unless beneficial to the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- Recruiting and expediting the onboarding of care providers interested in providing telehealth visits to members via Anthem’s telehealth service, Live Health Online.
- Directing more than $4 million in advance incentive payments to 54 federally qualified health centers to increase quality and telehealth capabilities for some of the California most underserved populations.
- Distributing 435 telehealth and digital solutions kiosks for safety net health centers to use with their entire patient population.
- Collaborating with safety net health centers to mail 1,000 telehealth kits to high-risk members.
Thousand Oaks (June 5, 2020) – As part of its continuing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and commitment to improving lives and communities across California, Anthem Blue Cross (Anthem) is showing its support for California health care providers through accelerated payments and other financial support to help ease some of the pressures they are currently experiencing. Anthem has accelerated more than $600 million in payments to support hospitals, medical groups and doctors who are on the frontlines providing COVID-19 treatment and supplementing critical services in communities across the state.
“As communities across our state continue to feel the impact of the ongoing effects of COVID-19, we recognize the important role we play in supporting recovery and care. We are deeply committed to serving those who depend on us as their trusted healthcare partner, including our care providers, customers and communities,” said Beth Andersen, president, Anthem Blue Cross commercial business. “As recovery efforts continue, we will continue to provide support to those we serve, and help pave the way to a healthier future for all Californians.”
Anthem also recently launched a program to extend additional funding to targeted independent primary care physician organizations and multispecialty groups; and will provide in-network dental providers a personal protective equipment (PPE) credit of $10 per patient, per visit, from June 15th through the end of August.
These efforts build on previous actions taken by Anthem to streamline processes for providers so they can deliver care to more patients quickly and effectively, including:
Additionally, as part of its ongoing commitment to the whole health of the communities and the providers who care for them, Anthem is collaborating with safety net providers who provide important services for some of California’s most vulnerable populations. Some of those actions include:
“Anthem Blue Cross understands the critical role we play in supporting our members, our communities and the frontline care providers whose collaboration is critical amid the pandemic,” said Dr. Barsam Kasravi, president, Anthem Blue Cross Medi-Cal.
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About Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Blue Cross has been serving the health insurance needs of California residents since 1937. Anthem Blue Cross, together with its branded affiliates, provides health care services to more than 8.2 million health plan members in California, including a broad network of more than 65,000 providers. Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association. To learn more, visit www.anthem.com/ca. Also, follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
