Coronavirus change: Independence, Horizon to cover all cost of inpatient care for COVID-19

Independence Blue Cross and Horizon, the largest insurers in the Philadelphia area and in New Jersey, have eliminated cost-sharing — co-payments, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs for consumers — for COVID-19 inpatient hospital treatment, joining some of their national competitors in going that route.

For Independence customers, the changes are effective retroactively to March 30 and extend through May 31. Horizon made its changes retroactive to March 1 and effective through at least June 30. New Jersey so far has been much harder hit by coronavirus infections than Pennsylvania.

The policy change does not automatically apply to individuals who have coverage through employers who pay health-care costs without buying insurance. Those employers can opt out of the change.

Horizon specified that the change also applies to Medicare and Medicaid. The insurer, based in Newark, said that plans covering state employees and school employees had already agreed to the change. In all, the change affects 2.4 million Horizon customers, a Horizon spokesperson said.

Independence did not say how many of its customers the change would affect.

Neither insurer provided estimates of the financial impact. Insurance rates for this year were set before the coronavirus was a factor.