PITTSBURGH, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to disruptions caused by Hurricane Katrina, Highmark Inc. announced today that it has temporarily modified cost-sharing and coverage rules for members who reside in or have been displaced from areas affected by this catastrophic event.
“We have temporarily instituted program changes to ensure that residents of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi who were adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina are able to use their health insurance coverage with minimum inconvenience,” said Daniel Holtz, senior vice president of National Accounts at Highmark.
The following changes will remain in effect through October 31, 2005. -- Highmark will pay all medical claims as in-network, regardless of whether or not the health care provider is in the Blue Cross Blue Shield networks. This will allow affected members to see any qualified health care provider or go to any facility to receive care. -- Highmark will waive the requirement for precertification of inpatient admissions. -- Highmark members can have mail order prescriptions shipped to a temporary alternate address or can transfer prescriptions to a retail pharmacy by calling 1-800-903-6228. -- Members who may be in need of behavioral or mental health support can call Highmark’s behavioral health service specialists at 1-800-258-9808.
If Highmark members in the affected regions are in need of immediate services, they should call the toll-free number on the back of their insurance identification card. Members unable to locate their cards should call 1-800-294-9568.
Highmark is also participating in an America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) initiative to launch a national toll-free hotline through which evacuees can get reconnected to their insurance carrier and receive information and assistance regarding health services available in their area. This toll-free number will be publicized to evacuees through a multi-media campaign from AHIP.
In early September, Highmark donated $500,000 to its partner plan -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana -- to help members deal with the Hurricane Katrina disaster. In addition, Highmark is also conducting a dollar-for- dollar matching donation campaign with its 11,000 employees. The contributions will benefit American Red Cross chapters.
Highmark is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.
Highmark Inc.
CONTACT: Leilyn Perri, +1-717-302-4243, leilyn.perri@highmark.com, orKristin Ash, +1-412-544-8971, kristin.ash@highmark.com, both of HighmarkInc.
