Actions targeted at providing relief to members during the COVID-19 pandemic

PROVIDENCE, RI – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) has taken additional steps to support dental members during the COVID-19 crisis. BCBSRI will provide a 25 percent dental premium credit for fully insured customers and is extending teledentistry services with in-network dentists through July 31, 2020.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting stay-at-home order have made it incredibly challenging for our dental members to access routine dental care, and offering premium relief is just one of the ways we can help,” said Kim Keck, BCBSRI president and CEO. “We also recognize that visiting a dentist in person may not be a viable option for those who are older or who have underlying health conditions that put them in the higher risk category. As a result, we have extended coverage for teledentistry services through the end of July.”

The dental premium credit will cover March, April and May 2020 and will appear as a one-time credit on July invoices. This applies to employers and individuals who purchase dental coverage directly from BCBSRI. For employers and individuals who purchase BCBSRI dental coverage through HealthSource RI, they will receive a check directly from BCBSRI in July.

The actions announced today follow a number of others BCBSRI has taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They include:

• Extending coverage, through July 31 2020, of medically appropriate telehealth services for primary care, behavioral healthcare or specialist care with no member cost share
• Waiving member cost sharing for doctors’ visits, emergency room visits or inpatient care related to COVID-19
• Waiving member copays and cost sharing for diagnostic testing related to COVID-19 consistent with CDC guidelines
• Waiving prior authorization and referral requirements for testing and medically appropriate treatment of COVID-19
• Allowing members to fill prescriptions earlier than the standard 30 days

For more information about COVID-19-related coverage/policy changes, general resources and what BCBSRI is doing in the community, please visit BCBSRI’s COVID-19 resource center.