SUBJECT: Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
PROVIDERS AFFECTED: All Providers
KEY POINTS
Cost Sharing and prior authorization requirements for services associated with COVID-19
Appropriate ICD-10 diagnosis codes will be provided by Center for Medicaid Services (CMS)
Information for Hennepin Health members who need safe, stable place for self-quarantine
BACKGROUND
Hennepin Health announces a waiver on cost sharing and prior authorization requirements for services associated with COVID-19 diagnostic testing and treatment. Hennepin Health is making this change to ensure members can quickly receive the appropriate medical care during this outbreak and to help mitigate future cases of the virus and health related issues.
Reducing Barriers and Promoting Testing. Hennepin Health will waive co-payments for all
components of physician-ordered COVID-19 testing, including laboratory tests approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CPT code U0002) and the physician component of these tests (CPT code U0001), to eliminate barriers to prompt diagnosis of COVID-19. As more information becomes available, Hennepin Health will work in cooperation with Hennepin County Public Health and others to conduct necessary outreach and to encourage testing among members and residents likely to be exposed to COVID-19.
Reducing Barriers to Treatment. Hennepin Health will waive co-payments for all components of medically necessary COVID-19 treatment for members who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Hennepin Health will also allow in-network hospital stays of up to 10-days without prior authorization for members diagnosed with COVID-19, and during this time will work in collaboration with the treating provider to develop an effective treatment plan, including the authorization of longer hospital stays as medically necessary.
Quarantine and Isolation for Unstably Housed Hennepin Health Members. A traditional medical response alone may not always be the most effective intervention for COVID-19 cases. For example, quarantine and isolation may be challenging for Hennepin Health members living without stable housing, and a hospital inpatient setting may not be recommended from a public health perspective due to the risk of COVID-19 spreading within a hospital facility. If you identify a Hennepin Health member who needs to quarantine or isolate and does not have a safe, stable place to do so, please contact Hennepin Health Social Service Navigation team at 612-348-8400, HSPH.HHI.HennepinHealth@hennepin.us or secure fax at 612-336-1370.
Telemedicine. Hennepin Health covers medically necessary telemedicine services, including those related to COVID-19 treatment.
Hennepin Health is effectively addressing the public health threat of COVID-19 and we would appreciate feedback from provider networks on additional steps that Hennepin Health may take, or additional ways that we can partner. Contact Hennepin Health Member Services for additional information or to provide feedback.
Visit the links below for the latest information regarding COVID-19.
RESOURCES