This article was revised on October 29, 2021, to update the content and coverage effective dates. To learn about testing for COVID-19, please read this article. To learn about billing and coding for COVID-19 testing, please read this article.

Member coverage for COVID-19 treatment 

Depending on the member’s plan, the effective dates for coverage of COVID-19 treatment is as follows:

• Commercial members: March 6, 2020, until further notice;
• Medicare Supplement and Keystone CHIP members: March 6, 2020, through the end of the public health emergency;
• Medicare Advantage members: throughout all of 2021 or through the end of the public health emergency, whichever is longer.​
  

Subject to the effective dates noted above, Independence will cover the treatment of COVID-19 as follows:

• Independence will waive cost-sharing for in-network, inpatient, acute care treatment of members diagnosed with COVID-19, whether for medical or behavioral health. 
  
• For Medicare Advantage members, as part of the filed benefits for Medicare Advantage business in 2021, there is no cost-sharing for in-network inpatient acute care treatment associated with COVID-19.
  
• Independence will waive cost-sharing for emergency department visits associated with admissions for in-network, in-patient, acute care treatment of COVID-19 whether for medical or behavioral health. For Medicare Advantage members, cost-sharing for emergency department visits will be waived through the end of the public health emergency.
  
• CHIP standard coverage includes no member cost sharing for in-network, inpatient acute care treatment whether COVID-19 or not.
  
• CHIP standard coverage waives emergency department visit copays for admissions whether COVID-19 or not.
  

For services not related to COVID-19, we will continue to apply the appropriate member cost-sharing.

This includes members enrolled in our fully insured commercial, Keystone CHIP, and Medicare Advantage plans, and the individual and family plans available through the Affordable Care Act.

​Note: Self-funded customers can opt out of waiving cost-sharing for the treatment of COVID-19.

Independence will reimburse in-network health care providers for the treatment of COVID-19 as outlined above at their contracted rates including the member cost-share amount.

Approved drugs to treat patients

Independence will cover the use of approved drugs for the treatment of Commercial and Medicare Advantage patients who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Read the full article to learn more.

Learn more

Read more about coverage of services related to COVID-19 in the News Articles posted on our Medical and Claim Payment Policy Portal:

• Commercial
• Medicare Advantage