Blue KC Waves Co-Pays, Takes Other Measures

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, which provides insurance services to more than 1 million people in the greater Kansas City area, announced it is waiving all member cost sharing and copayments for inpatient hospital admissions due to Covid-19. The insurance company’s new policy began April 1 and will remain in effect until the end of June. 

“Our top priority is to ensure that our members with Covid-19 can receive the care they need,” said Dr. Greg Sweat, Blue KC’s chief medical officer. “These additional measures will reduce barriers to care for our members.”

Along with this expanded coverage, Blue KC, is also waiving cost sharing for Covid-19 testing, including the office visit and other services associated with the test. The company, which is the largest not-for-profit health insurer in Missouri and has been part of the Kansas City community since 1938, is also waiving early medication 30-day refill limits, expanding access to in-network “telehealth for all covered services” and waiving “member cost sharing for virtual office visits and behavioral health therapy.”

“During these extraordinary times, Blue KC is working in collaboration with city officials, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, regulators and other key partners to care for the people who work and live in our community,” said Erin Stucky, Blue KC’s president and CEO. “As a local healthcare company, we are in a unique position to support our community through this national public health pandemic and will continue to do so to the best of our ability.”

Other insurers servicing large parts of the Kansas City Metro population, such as Aetna, Cigna and Humana, have similar relief efforts in place.