March 25, 2020
We wanted to take a few moments to go over some of the more pressing issues surrounding health insurance and how it’s been affected by the current Coronavirus pandemic. As you know, the world is facing an unprecedented health epidemic right now, and one that none of us have ever seen in our lifetimes. Being a genuine health issue, there have been many questions on how health insurance carriers are addressing the pandemic, especially when it comes to testing, treatment, coverage and other key concerns.
These are in no particular order of significance, rather, we simply want to go over a few topics and questions that have been brought to our attention in recent weeks.
Does My Health Insurance Plan Cover Coronavirus Testing?
In a great number of cases, yes. Many plans, especially high-deductible plans will cover any expenses associated with testing for the Covid-19 coronavirus. At the time of this writing, you would need to contact your primary care doctor to get authorization to be tested, and then present your insurance card at the time of the test. The process could be different from test site to test site, but in general, it should be similar in the grand scope.
Will Treatment Be Covered if I test Positive?
In the event that your test result comes back positive, and depending on your symptoms, you will be advised on whether to seek medical treatment, hospitalization or self-quarantine. If moderate to significant medical attention is needed, health insurance would treat it very much in the same way any treatment would. Be sure to know which hospital network you’re in, and contact them if necessary before heading to the hospital. Depending on your plan type, the copay and maximum out of pocket expenses will obviously vary.
I Don’t Have Coverage Right Now and Am Growing Concerned
For reasons we don’t need to explain in-depth, this is certainly not an advisable time to be without health insurance coverage for you or your family. If you don’t currently have coverage as a result of layoff, job changes or having missed the Open Enrollment deadline last winter, there are still options. Healthcare subsidies are available for many who’ve lost their job or coverage, as well as special enrollment qualifications, short-term plans, critical illness coverage and more. A local health insurance agent can help you explore all available options.
Premier is Here to Help
This is a strange time for everyone, including all of us here at Premier Financial Insurance in Lisle. If you’re in the Chicago area or elsewhere in the state of Illinois and need assistance, we’re here to help make this time as manageable as possible.
For assistance with new coverage, claim information, coverage details or any other related issues, feel free to get in touch with us at 800-369-0287 or via email through our agency’s secured and confidential contact page.