CVS To Waive Co-Pays For Aetna Member Coronavirus Hospitalizations

Bruce Japsen Senior Contributor Mar 25, 2020,10:00am EDT

CVS Health said it will waive co-payments and related out-of-pocket cost-sharing of commercially insured Aetna members’ inpatient admissions related to the Coronavirus strain COVID-19.

The move is among the more significant thus far among health insurance companies that are expanding coverage and eliminating plan member cost-sharing for everything from doctor office visits for Coronavirus tests to telehealth consultations for screening of the disease.

But CVS’ move is a big step because co-payments for hospitalizations and related cost-sharing is likely more expensive for the health plan member than diagnostic tests or doctor office visits. It’s unclear how many Aetna health plan members could potentially take advantage of the benefit as Coronavirus cases surge across the U.S.

“We are doing everything we can to make sure our members have simple and affordable access to the treatment they need as we face the pandemic together,” said Karen Lynch, president, of the Aetna unit of CVS Health.

CVS in December of 2018 closed on its acquisition of Aetna, the nation’s third-largest health insurer with more than 20 million customers. And Lynch and CVS chief executive Larry Merlo have been working on ways to bring lower cost healthcare to Aetna health plan members following the merger.

Aetna will waive cost-sharing for inpatient admissions at all of its “in-network” hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 or health complications associated with COVID-19,” the company said in its announcement. The policy, which is effective immediately for “Aetna-insured commercial plan sponsors, is effective for any COVID-19 related admission through June 1, the company said.

Across the country, health insurance companies are expanding coverage and making efforts to reduce barriers to gaining access to care amid the Coronavirus outbreak. America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), which represents most U.S. health insurers including CVS, Anthem, Centene, Cigna and many Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, has a running tally of health plan efforts here.

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