As you may be aware, the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) will be expiring May 11, 2023. Due to the PHE’s expiration, many health plans will be making changes to their coverage of COVID-19 testing. Here’s what you need to know about testing coverage through the Illinois Tech BCBS plan for faculty & staff:
- COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests, which are covered through the health benefit, will continue to be covered at $0 member cost share through at least the end of 2023, provided members obtain the tests through an in-network provider or facility. While Illinois Tech is no longer required to cover these tests at 100%, we have been given this option through BCBS, and have decided to do so for at least the rest of the year in order to help ease the transition as the PHE ends.
- Medical visits associated with COVID-19 will no longer be free. Unfortunately, BCBS has provided no option for Illinois Tech to cover the full cost of these visits. Therefore, members will be charged applicable co-pays/coinsurance based on the tier of provider through which the tests are obtained. Those wishing to avoid testing costs also have the option to obtain over-the-counter antigen tests at no cost to them (see next bullet point).
- Over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 antigen tests will still be free to members (up to eight (8) tests per month) through the CVS pharmacy component of the plan until at least the end of 2023. While Illinois Tech is no longer required to cover OTC tests, we have been given this option through CVS and have decided to do so in order to help ease the transition as the PHE ends. Additional information on how to obtain your tests was published in Illinois Tech Today on March 1, 2022, and April 12, 2022.
Additional information on the Illinois Institute of Technology Health Plan can be found on our website here. As always, questions regarding the plan can be directed to Viktoria Rill at x73353 or vrill@iit.edu.