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Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Individual & Family and Employer Group Plans

 
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Stay informed: Update your email address and communication preferences to get COVID-19 updates. Log in, select Plan Notifications, and choose Email as your option for Helpful Information.
 
It’s normal to have some questions about what COVID-19 is and to think about protecting yourself and the people you care about the most. After all, there’s a lot of information going around about it right now.

Let’s take look at what COVID-19 is, how it affects us, and what we can do to look after ourselves and each other.
 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is asking everyone to help reduce the risk of infections spreading. Check the CDC website for up-to-date information, especially if traveling.

Stay Informed About How Your Benefits Will Work

Download the free Sydney Care mobile app today for a quick and easy way to assess your Coronavirus symptoms. You can assess your symptoms, and then, if you choose to, the app will connect you to a doctor through a LiveHealth Online video session or a Virtual Care text session right from your phone.

The doctor you’ll see can evaluate symptoms, help you understand whether you’re at risk for COVID-19, and let you know whether you need to visit a local health care provider in person. Your LiveHealth Online visit will be at no extra cost through June 14, 2020. This applies to Anthem Fully Insured, Individual, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid, where permitted.

Sydney Care is available to download now on Android or iOS. This app should accompany your Sydney Health or Engage benefits app.

 

Telehealth benefits
Anthem is expanding your telehealth benefits. Not only do your benefits include connecting with a doctor through the Sydney Care mobile app’s Virtual Care text session or LiveHealth Online video, but now they also cover telehealth visits by phone with the primary care doctor in your plan until June 14, 2020.

You can get one Virtual Care text session at no cost between now and June 14, 2020. Additional Virtual Care text sessions cost $19 each. Telehealth visits through LiveHealth Online or other telehealth technologies that primary care doctors in your plan use are available to you at no cost between now and June 14, 2020.

Most plans include telehealth as part of their benefits. If telehealth isn’t part of your plan’s benefits, you may have out-of-pocket expenses to use telehealth services after June 14, 2020.

All Anthem plans now cover COVID-19 testing and the care visit where the test takes place with no out-of-pocket costs.
 
If you’re diagnosed as having COVID-19, your Anthem health plan benefits apply to treatment. 
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. Members filling 90-day prescriptions can get most of their medications through our home delivery pharmacy. Members can call the Pharmacy Member Services number on their health plan ID card to learn more.

About Coronavirus and COVID-19

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.

Prevention and Treatment

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 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 to log in and search for a doctor, or call the Member Services number on your ID card.

Other Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19

U.S. Department of State China Travel Advisory

World Health Organization, Coronavirus

Sources:
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