Last Thursday Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregon had reached an agreement with some private health insurance companies to waive copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for Oregonians who undergo testing for COVID-19. The agreement will apply to a vaccine for the virus if one becomes available but does not apply to prescription drugs at this time.
State officials are working on a similar agreement for self-insured health plans. The state is also working with the federal government to clarify exceptions to cost-sharing for Medicare Advantage plans, and health savings account eligible high-deduction plans.
The following companies have committed to this agreement so far:
- A-dec
- Aetna Inc.
- BridgeSpan Health Company
- Diamler
- Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Inc.
- Kaiser Permanente
- Moda Health Plan, Inc.
- Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB)
- Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid)
- PacificSource Health Plans
- Providence Health Plans
- Public Employees’ Benefit Board (PEBB)
- Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Samaritan Health Plans, Inc.
For more information and updates on the status of self-insured plans, Medicare and HSAs, short-term health, mini-medical plan, hospital indemnity plans, or health-sharing ministry, please visit: https://dfr.oregon.gov/insure/health/understand/Pages/coronavirus.aspx.
Register here for our webinar with John W. Robinson, MD, SM, Chief Medical Officer at First Choice Health (Tuesday, March 10 at 10 AM PST).
