Coronavirus questions?

Telehealth is the term Medicare uses for telemedicine. Telemedicine refers to real-time virtual care. This can include:

• Live-video conferencing with providers
• Telephone-only consultations with providers
• Services provided by vendors like Teladoc®

Medicare Advantage members should use telemedicine as their first line of defense to limit potential exposure to COVID-19 in physician offices.

Through December 31, 2020, Allina Health | Aetna is extending all member cost-sharing waivers for in-network primary care and specialist telehealth visits, including outpatient behavioral and mental health counseling services for all Medicare Advantage plan members.

Allina Health | Aetna is also waiving member out-of-pocket costs for all in-network primary care visits, whether done in-office and via telehealth, for any reason, and encourages members to continue seeking essential preventive and primary care during the crisis. This is effective May 13, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

Medicare Advantage members should use telemedicine as their first line of defense to limit potential exposure to COVID-19 in physician offices.

Medicare Advantage members may use telemedicine for any reason, not just COVID-19 diagnosis. This means members can continue to receive clinical care from their providers, for example, discuss their diabetes care plan or schedule a sick visit, without having to leave their home and risk exposure to COVID-19.

Members should contact their doctor to see which telehealth services they may be able to offer their patients and how to schedule them.

Yes, we have temporarily made Teladoc available to all of our Medicare Advantage members for general medical care only, at no cost, through December 31, 2020. However, we encourage members to seek virtual care from their own doctors first when possible to maintain care continuity.

To access Teladoc, members can call 1-855-TELADOC (855-835-2362) or visit https://member.teladoc.com/aetna for help. It’s available 24/7.

No, Teladoc can be used by Medicare Advantage members for general medical care only. Members should seek other telehealth care, such as dermatology and behavioral health services, from their own doctors.

Yes. MinuteClinic Video Visits are now covered and copays are waived through September 30, 2020. To access MinuteClinic Video Visits, members can visit  https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/virtual-care/video-visit or download the CVS mobile application. It’s available 24/7. 

If a doctor requests testing related to COVID-19 for a Medicare member, the test will be fully covered, with $0 copay or cost share.

No, we will cover the cost for treatment of COVID-19 for our members in full in the provider office. We will also cover the cost of the hospital stay for all of our Medicare Advantage members admitted March 25, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

We recommend using mail-order –- it’s available for most maintenance medications (medication you take regularly for things like high blood pressure). There’s no delivery fee and you can have up to a 90-day supply delivered directly to your home.

To get started with mail-order you can either call the phone number on your ID card or visit AllinaHealthAetnaMedicare.com/rxdelivery.

In addition to mail-order, most home delivery fees have been waived for prescriptions purchased from a CVS retail pharmacy. Through December 31, 2020, charges for standard 1-2 day delivery fees are waived. Same-day delivery cost is $7.99.

Yes, you may request early refills on maintenance medications. 

• If the drug is on a non-specialty tier, we’re waiving early refill limits up to a 90-day supply.
• If the drug is on a specialty tier, we’re waiving early refill limits for a 30-day supply.

All prescriptions must comply with state dispensing requirements and have enough refills to be filled. To get an early refill, the pharmacy will need to do an override (they should follow standard message codes to complete this action). They can always call the pharmacy help desk for assistance.

At this time there is no limit to the volume of early refill requests that can be made.

No, please contact your pharmacy directly for assistance.

Yes, however, you’ll have to pay for the prescription at the point of sale and submit a claim form to get reimbursed. We therefore strongly recommend that you use network pharmacies whenever possible for the best member experience and ease of payment process. Call the phone number on your ID card if you need help.

Public health and safety are important so most pharmacies will remain open. If your pharmacy closes unexpectedly, please call your prescribing doctor and let them know the prescription needs to be sent to a different pharmacy.

You also have the option to use mail-order. It’s available for most maintenance medications (medication you take regularly for things like high blood pressure). There’s no delivery fee and you can have up to a 90-day supply delivered directly to your home. To get started with mail-order you can either call the phone number on your ID card or visit AllinaHealthAetnaMedicare.com/rxdelivery.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not indicated there are any concerns with drugs manufactured in China. The FDA protects public health by promoting supply chain integrity and working to ensure medicines imported to the U.S. meet legal and regulatory requirements. Imported drugs must meet FDA’s standards for quality, safety and effectiveness.

We are closely monitoring drug supply and currently do not see any disruptions to the supply chain as a result of COVID-19 that would affect the ability to fill prescriptions. As always, we encourage you to fill your prescriptions in a timely manner.

Many doctors are offering telehealth services. Telehealth allows providers to assist patients virtually or over the phone. If your doctor doesn’t offer telehealth, try calling the local hospital to see if telehealth is available.

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends these steps to help stay safe:

• Wash your hands often
• Avoid close contact with others (distance of 6 feet is preferred)
• Stay home if you’re sick
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue if you sneeze or cough. Then throw it away immediately in a lined trash-can
• Wear a facemask if you’re sick
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (like counters and doorknobs)

For more information, members can visit the CDC website at: cdc.gov/coronavirus

The phone number is 1-866-370-4842 (TTY: 711) for Medicare members.

The phone number is 1-855-493-7019 (TTY: 711).

The toolkit is an online resource with helpful info about the coronavirus and tips for staying healthy. It also includes a recorded webinar to help members cope with coronavirus fears. Just visit http://www.promoinfotools.com/Communications/ecard/Svcs/Wellness/CoronavirusFearsRFL.html to access the toolkit.