COVID-19

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and National Emergency 

On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and National Emergency will end on May 11, 2023.  The following information discusses the changes to the Plan as a result of these emergencies ending.

Public Health Emergency

Effective May 11, 2023, all COVID-19 tests, the related office visits, over the counter COVID-19 test kits and out-of-network COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be covered at 100%.  The Plan’s usual rules and cost sharing provisions, including deductible, will be applied to these services.  The Plan will continue to cover qualifying COVID-19 vaccines received from an in-network provider at 100% without application of the deductible.

National Emergency

Following the end of the National Emergency, all Plan deadlines will once again run, consistent with the rules described in the summary plan description (“SPD”), on July 11, 2023.  This means that for the following actions, the deadlines described in your SPD will apply on July 11, 2023:

• • • • Filing a claim for benefits
      • Filing an appeal for a denied claim
      • Requesting an external review or perfecting an incomplete request
      • Providing notice of a COBRA qualifying event
      • Making COBRA elections
      • Making COBRA premiums
      • Requesting special enrollment

As a reminder, beginning in March 2020, all Plan deadlines were suspended for the shorter of one year or the end of the National Emergency plus 60 days (referred to as the “Outbreak Period”).  With the end of the National Emergency announced, the Outbreak Period will end July 11, 2023.  Any deadline that is currently suspended, and that has not yet hit its one-year extension, will begin running on July 11, 2023.

**You are able to get 4 free COVID-19 test kits by visiting https://www.covidtests.gov as well as free testing through the State of Iowa by visiting https://www.testiowa.com.

Please contact the Fund Office for more information.