Important date regarding changes made to the plan through the pandemic

Important date regarding changes made to the plan through the pandemic

Please read below regarding a new deadline upon us recently provided to us from CareFirst Administrators.  Please take note how it may impact your members.

9/30/2020: 

In our March 18 communication, we advised effective retroactively for dates of service on and after February 4, 2020 and for the duration of the public health crisis,  copays, coinsurance, and deductibles will be waived for Telephone Calls/Electronic visits with providers (for clinical staff of primary care, general practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, OBGYN and associated nurse practitioners).  On 9/30/2020 this will revert back to the plan document rules.  As our current plan document stands, it excludes telephonic/electronic visits with providers, but we will amend our plan to remove that exclusion. We want our participants to continue utilizing these mediums for care as it makes sense to prevent the spread of disease, and it saves everyone time in the car/away from the office and home.  Beginning 9/30/2020, our plan will allow for telephone and electronic visits to continue to occur with non-MDLIVE providers, but the copay (or ded/coinsurance for Bronze plan) will apply starting on that date.

COVID-19 testing and treatment is currently covered at a $0 cost share for participants.  Starting 10/1/2020, the plan will pay as outlined per the plan document.  This date is subject to change.  We are monitoring this closely, and will continue to provide updates as we receive them. Please understand CFA is following federal guidelines as it relates to this timeline.