Highlighted updates to the UC health plans COVID-19 benefits can be found here.
At-Home OTC COVID-19 Antigen tests
Anthem members should visit https://www.navitus.com/members/coronavirus-faqs for information on the antigen tests covered by Navitus. For all other COVID-19 related information, members can login to www.anthem.com/ca.
- Effective June 1, 2022, Anthem Medicare members can obtain antigen tests under the Medicare initiative as outlined on the appended May 2, 2022 HRB below.
- Non-Medicare members may continue to purchase these tests under plan coverage through Navitus.
- Kaiser released email communications to members for all things COVID-19 on May 5, 2022, announcing they will begin to provide direct coverage for FDA approved antigen tests. The updates are highlighted in the attached chart.
Kaiser members may obtain tests from Kaiser locations in person; by ordering at kp.org/covidtests; or by purchasing from retail pharmacies under the plan coverage, including Walmart. For more information and to find participating retail pharmacies, members may visit https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/northern-california/health-wellness/coronavirus-information/testing#covid19selftest or https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/southern-california/health-wellness/coronavirus-information/testing.
Kaiser members will be reimbursed up to $12 per test or the cost of the test, whichever is less, for tests purchased with out-of-pocket funds on or after May 5, 2022, under plan coverage. To submit a medical claim, Kaiser members may use this link https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/secure/coverage-costs, select “Coverage & Cost”, then “Submit a medical claim.”
- On March 28, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration granted a three-month shelf-life extension for the iHealth at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 Antigen Rapid tests, which come in bright orange color boxes. This means the iHealth tests can be used three months beyond the original expiration date listed on the packages. Members may look up the extended expiration date by entering the lot number printed on the test kit using this link: https://ihealthlabs.com/pages/news. Search results will show both the original expiration and the extended expiration date.
Members on UC non-Medicare plans, may continue to purchase up to 8 at-home OTC COVID-19 antigen tests per individual per 30-day period at no cost through their plan provider under the Federal guidance.
COVID-19 PCR tests, treatments and services –
Updates are highlighted in the attached chart.
COVID-19 booster –
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidance for who can get a second booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The guidance includes the following groups who received their first booster dose at least 4 months ago:
- People 50 and older
- People 12 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised
- Anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for both their primary dose and booster
- People 50 years and older who first received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of what type of booster they received
For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html or contact your medical plans directly.
Members are encouraged to visit their medical plans’ microsites and follow the banner for Coronavirus/COVID-19 or call the plans directly for the most up-to-date information and FAQs on all things COVID-19.