Key Points from Anthem Conference Call March 23, 2020
Please check Anthem’s website for the most up to date information: https://www.anthem.com/coronavirus
An official communication from Anthem should be sent to plan administrators, but we’re providing a quick update from Anthem’s March 23rd conference call. The following applies to Anthem’s fully insured plans – Self funded plans that are administered by Anthem will need to decide on these provisions on a case by case basis pending any state or federal mandate.
- Anthem’s “actively working requirement will be relaxed through May 31, 2020.” This means employees & their dependents that are not actively at work, whether due to government mandated ‘shelter at home’ requirements, illness, layoffs, etc, can stay on your group health insurance plan as long as the premiums continue to be paid. Collecting any employee contributions towards the premiums is between the employee and employer.
- Anthem will allow a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) from March 23, 2020 to April 3, 2020 for employees that previously waived coverage (United Healthcare is also doing this). Coverage effective date will be April 1, 2020.
- Unrelated to Anthem in Indiana, but they are also expecting a Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace policies at the Federal level – this would mean individuals without health insurance would have a small window to enroll into a Marketplace plan (Ambetter, Caresource). This is not approved/passed legislation as of this writing.
- From a business continuity perspective Anthem sounds confident they will be able to maintain daily operations without interruption. Many associates were already working from home before the COVID-19 outbreak.
- LiveHealth Online virtual visits free to most members through June 14, 2020. Average wait time for telehealth visits before the outbreak were 11 minutes, currently experience ½ day or longer wait times across many platforms, including Anthem’s.
