[Ucrea] All things COVID-19 Update

[Cristina L Otegui]

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May 11, 2023
To:
UCR Emeriti & Retirees

From:
Central HR Benefits Office on Behalf of UC Office of the President (UCOP)

Re:
All things COVID-19 Update

While the Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) will end on May 11, 2023, non-Medicare medical plans are mandated to cover COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and therapeutics for six additional months, through November 11, 2023, in accordance with the State of California's Senate Bill (SB) 1473<https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1473>. Self-funded and Medicare plans are not required to comply with SB 1473. The PHE can be viewed at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/end-of-phe.html. The State of California's Senate Bull (SB) 1473 can be viewed at: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1473.

Below are COVID-19 updates from our medical plans. Updates are also highlighted on the Medical Plan Response to COVID grid which can be viewed at: https://hr.ucr.edu/sites/default/files/2023-05/medical-plan-response-to-covid-5.23.pdf.

At-Home OTC antigen test

*         UC non-Medicare PPO plans through Navitus, UC Medicare PPO plans through Anthem, UC Blue and Gold and Kaiser Permanente will continue to cover antigen tests through November 11, 2023.

*         Antigen tests are not covered by the UC Medicare Choice plan.
PCR test

*         UC PPO plans and UC Blue & Gold HMO will continue the cost-share waiver through November 11, 2023, for tests that are ordered by physicians (in-network and out-of-network). As of November 12, 2023, the plans will continue the cost-waiver for tests that are ordered by in-network physicians until further notice.

*         Kaiser Permanente will continue to waive the cost-share through November 11, 2023.

*         UC Medicare Choice will continue to waive the cost-share for tests ordered by physicians until further notice.

Please note the Anthem Navitus website - which serves all Navitus clients, including those outside of California - lists the end date of coverage for OTC COVID antigen tests as May 15, 2023. As noted above, for UC medical plan members, these tests will be covered through November 11, 2023.








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