The measure comes as some Americans have faced significant medical bills related to hospital stays and testing for possible COVID-19 symptoms.
Five things to know:
1. Under an emergency directive from the New York State Department of Financial Services, New York health insurers will be required to waive cost-sharing related to testing for COVID-19, including emergency room, urgent care and office visits.
2. Residents with Medicaid coverage won’t be required to fulfill copays for any COVID-19 testing.
3. Where appropriate, the state is asking insurers to work on telehealth programs with in-network providers to keep members out of the hospital, if possible. Insurers are also being required to cover a possible COVID-19 vaccine if it becomes available.
4. Mr. Cuomo directed insurers to verify that their provider networks can handle a potential uptick in healthcare services. This includes offering access to out-of-network benefits “where appropriate and required, in the event more COVID-19 cases are diagnosed in New York,” according to the state.
5. The regulation doesn’t affect self-funded employer-based health plans that aren’t regulated by New York state. In those cases, Mr. Cuomo recommends that members contact their employer to answer coverage questions.
Read the full announcement here.
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