Health Plans Respond To Wildfires

The wildfires currently raging north of Sacramento and in the San Diego area have caused some disruption to healthcare delivery,  prompting some of the state's insurers to suspend some of its rules and offer to replace medications and equipment that may have been damaged.

The Valley Fire in the Napa Valley region has burned 67,000 acres as of Wednesday and destroyed nearly 600 homes. In Fresno County, the Lake fire has burned more than 200 square miles. 

Anthem Blue Cross of California has stated that emergency and urgent care services in 16 counties that are delivered out of network would be paid at in-network rates, and that it would extend deadlines for filing claims. It is also waiving fees associated with conducting utilization management review.

Along with Anthem, Woodland Hills-based Health Net and San Francisco-based Blue Shield of California said they would replace any medications destroyed by wildfires free of charge. Both Health Net and Blue Shield said they were extending the availabilty of mental health services and may also make other rule changes to accommodate enrollees who are impacted by the fires.

“This summer’s wildfires are creating emotional situations for many of our members,” said Steve Sell, president of Health Net’s Western Region Health Plan. “We are reaching out to those in the most heavily impacted states in the West to help ensure they have uninterrupted access to the medical services and products they need to stay well.”