DETROIT—Health Alliance Plan, the Detroit-based nonprofit health plan, announced several steps designed to provide financial relief and improve access to care for its members, including individual and Medicare Advantage members, as well as small business employers, all of whom have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
HAP has extended its cost-sharing waiver for telehealth services through the end of the year. All cost-sharing is waived for HAP’s individual, fully-insured employer group, Medicare, Medicaid and MI Health Link members using telehealth services through Dec. 31, even if the service is not related to COVID-19. Self-insured employer group customers control their own health benefits, and HAP is working with its self-insured customers to determine how they will cover telehealth services.
For its individual members and small employer group customers, HAP will decrease monthly premiums by 5 percent through the end of the year. A small group is defined as an employer with fewer than 50 employees. These decreases will be reflected in monthly premium bills beginning July 1 and will be in effect through December 2020.
“Individuals and small business owners have been among the hardest hit economically during this pandemic,” said Michael Genord, president and CEO, HAP. “As a Michigan-based insurer, HAP is committed to helping the economic recovery efforts in Michigan as businesses and their employees attempt to return to normal operations. We want them to know that HAP is here for them during this unparalleled era in Michigan history.”
For its Medicare Advantage members, HAP will waive copays for all in-person primary care visits and behavioral health visits through the end of the year. In addition, HAP will waive all member cost-sharing for telehealth visits for its Medicare Advantage members through the end of the year. This means that HAP Medicare Advantage members will not be charged any copays, deductibles or co-insurance for telehealth visits made through Dec. 31, even if it is unrelated to COVID-19.
“Medicare members are an extremely vulnerable population,” said Dr. Genord. “Not only in relation to COVID-19, but because the majority of them have one or more chronic conditions that need to be managed. If left untreated, chronic conditions can become worse and result in further complications. HAP wants to make it as safe and easy as possible for members to see their doctor regularly – whether it be a traditional visit to a brick-and-mortar doctor’s office or through a telehealth visit. No one should be afraid to seek care when they need it. Waiving certain costs associated with doctor visits is one way we can encourage these members to get the care they need. At the same time, HAP understands the importance of supporting health care providers, who are important partners with us in providing care to our members. We are committed to continuing to improve access to care—something that benefits both member and physician alike—and providing incentives for those physicians and health systems who deliver the highest quality of care for HAP members.”
For more information on what HAP is doing to assist its members during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.hap.org.