LATEST UPDATES ON COVID-19
Whether you're a member or an employer, Blue KC is here to connect you to useful and trusted information. By staying informed, we can stay healthy and safe.
Whether you're a member or an employer, Blue KC is here to connect you to useful and trusted information. By staying informed, we can stay healthy and safe.
There are two kinds of tests available for COVID-19. A viral test will indicate a current infection. An antibody test might tell if you had an infection in the past.
FREE AT-HOME COVID-19 TESTS
The federal government has provided free at-home COVID-19 tests when funding has been available. Please visit COVIDtests.gov to check current availability.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR OVER-THE-COUNTER COVID-19 TESTS
On January 10, 2022, the Biden Administration released new guidance requiring health plans to reimburse covered individuals for over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests. This policy went into effect on January 15, 2022.
Coverage is limited to eight tests per covered individual per 30-day period for OTC rapid antigen diagnostic tests. Tests must be purchased from pharmacies, retail stores or online retailers. Tests must be for personal use, not for employment purposes, have not or will not be reimbursed by another source and may not be resold. Specifically, Blue KC may disallow reimbursement for tests that are purchased by a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee from a private individual via an in-person or online person-to-person sale, or from a seller that uses an online auction or resale marketplace. OTC COVID-19 tests purchased prior to January 15, 2022, are not eligible for reimbursement.
Tests must be authorized or approved by the FDA. For a list of EUA authorized tests, go here and enter OTC into the list search box located under the article titled Individual EUAs for Antigen Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2 and above the table. The list may be subject to change. Please note, tests must be self-administered and self-read. Any COVID-19 test that requires a healthcare provider to administer or read is not eligible under this OTC benefit but may be eligible under your medical benefits.
Members who purchase OTC COVID-19 tests and pay out-of-pocket can be reimbursed as described below. Additional tests are limited to eight per 30-day period per member. You will be reimbursed for 100% of the cost of the test. Sales tax and delivery charges are not covered and will not be reimbursed. Please use this online form, or this PDF form (which can be emailed or printed and mailed) to request reimbursement for tests. Please note the reimbursement eligibility requirements, including the list of FDA-approved tests, listed at the top of the form. If members choose to use their HSA or Section 125 plan to pay for OTC COVID-19 tests, they cannot submit those tests for reimbursement due to IRS rules.
Members who do not have pharmacy benefits through Blue KC should contact the customer service number listed on your pharmacy benefits ID card to inquire about test reimbursement.
Blue Medicare Advantage members visit MedicareBlueKC.com/covid19 for information about free at-home COVID -19 test.
You have a variety of in-network options if you’re interested in receiving a COVID-19 test. The following locations work with your plan, meaning you won’t have to pay out of pocket to receive a test (please note that testing sites not included below may require you to pay higher out of pocket fees and submit a claim for reimbursement):
IMPORTANT: In accordance with federal guidance, these tests will not be covered to screen for general workplace health and safety (such as employee ”return to work” program(s) or for public health surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 or for any other purpose not primarily intended for individualized diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19.
If you have questions about COVID-19 or testing, please contact your primary care provider.
Have questions about COVID-19 testing? We’ve got answers. For a closer look at important things to know, refer to the FAQs below.
First, contact your primary care physician or healthcare provider if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Alternatively, you can also use Blue KC Virtual Care 24/7 through Amwell, our virtual care provider, for a safe and secure virtual visit.
According to the CDC, other considerations for when you should get tested include if you have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19 or taken part in activities that put you at higher risk for COVID-19 because you couldn’t socially distance as needed, such as travel and attending large social or mass gatherings in crowded indoor settings.
You have a variety of in-network options if you’re interested in receiving a COVID-19 test. The following locations work with your plan, meaning you won’t have to pay out of pocket to receive a test (please note that testing sites not included below may require you to pay higher out of pocket fees and submit a claim for reimbursement):
First contact your primary care physician or healthcare provider if you are experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms.
Alternatively, you can also use Blue KC Virtual Care 24/7 through Amwell, our virtual care provider, for a safe and secure virtual visit. Using your computer or smartphone with your camera and microphone enabled, you can go to BlueKCVirtualCare.com. Or you can download the app on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
You have a variety of in-network options if you’re interested in receiving a COVID-19 test. The following locations work with your plan, meaning you won’t have to pay out of pocket to receive a test (please note that testing sites not included below may require you to pay higher out of pocket fees and submit a claim for reimbursement):
Information is changing by the hour and science is evolving daily to bring us a better understanding of the behavior of this virus, how we can most effectively test for it and react to the results of those tests.
Here is a helpful breakdown of current terms and information related to COVID-19 testing:
Here is a breakdown of the three main categories of current COVID-19 tests. Again, Blue KC recommends you contact your primary care physician or healthcare provider if you are experiencing COVID-19 like symptoms or to discuss testing options.
This depends on the type of test:
Yes, studies show that at least 40-50 percent of people who test positive have no symptoms. This is why medical experts say wearing masks and following other preventive behaviors, such as maintaining at least six feet of distance from others, is important for everyone, regardless of symptoms.
If you received an unexpected bill for COVID-19 testing (for instance, you were charged for an office visit for the testing), please call the Customer Service number on your Blue KC member ID card and we can help.
You have a variety of in-network options if you’re interested in receiving a COVID-19 test. The following locations work with your plan, meaning you won’t have to pay out of pocket to receive a test (please note that testing sites not included below may require you to pay higher out of pocket fees and submit a claim for reimbursement):
Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are being confirmed around the country, and the first cases of the B.1.1.17 COVID-19 variant, which was originally identified in the United Kingdom, have been confirmed in Kansas and Missouri. Information about the characteristics of these variants is rapidly emerging. Scientists are working to learn more about how easily they spread, whether they could cause more severe illness, and whether currently authorized vaccines will protect people against them. To learn more about these new COVID-19 variants, please consult the CDC’s website for the most up-to-date information.