Guardian Provides 100% Coverage For Swine Flu Vaccine
NEW YORK, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), one of the largest mutual life insurers and a leading provider of employee benefits for small and mid-sized companies, today announced that it will cover 100% of the cost associated with the administration of the H1N1 vaccine for employees and their eligible dependents enrolled in a fully-insured Guardian medical plan. Read the full article.

AvMed Covers H1N1 Flu Vaccine For Members
MIAMI, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- AvMed Health Plans announced that it will cover H1N1 flu administration fees for all of its fully insured members. Co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles will not apply for administration of the H1N1 vaccine even if they have a benefit plan that does not include immunizations. Read the full article.

Insurers say they'll waive fees for H1N1 vaccine
A number of large health maintenance organizations and insurers in California have agreed to not charge co-payments or deductibles for vaccinating patients for the H1N1 flu. State regulators said they obtained agreements from the companies to waive all charges for administering the vaccine, which is provided free by the federal government. Read the full article.

Blue Cross will cover H1N1 shots
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is waiving any out-of-pocket costs for eligible customers who receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. The insurer will waive any deductible or coinsurance amounts that may apply to fully insured members who do not have immunization or preventive benefits. BCBSNC will also pay 100 percent of eligible charges for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine. Read the full article.

WellCare to Cover H1N1 Vaccine Administration Costs for Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Members
TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ --WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) announced it will cover the full cost of administration of the H1N1 vaccine as a preventative care benefit for Medicare Advantage, Medicare private fee-for-service (PFFS) and Medicaid plan members when it becomes available to the public. Read the full article.

Aetna Announces Coverage For H1N1 Vaccinations
HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aetna (NYSE: AET - News) announced today that it will provide first-dollar coverage for the administration of the H1N1 flu vaccine for all of its fully-insured health plan members, and for all members of self-funded plans unless directed otherwise by the plan sponsor. Aetna is offering this coverage even in instances where members’ plans do not include coverage for preventive care or have limits on such coverage. Co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles will not apply for the administration of the vaccine. Read the full article.

HealthSpring to Cover Administration Costs of H1N1 Vaccine
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HealthSpring will cover the costs of administering the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccination to its members as the vaccine becomes available. “We are fully supporting all government efforts for managing the H1N1 virus,” HealthSpring Chief Medical Officer Dirk Wales said. “That includes covering the administrative costs for the vaccine for providers who treat HealthSpring members.” Read the full article.

WellPoint's Health Plans to Provide First Dollar Coverage of H1N1 Vaccine for All Members
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, influenza causes illness, hospitalizations and deaths, and severely strains the health care delivery system. This year, seasonal flu is complicated by the emergence and rapid spread of the H1N1 virus. In an effort to ensure that individuals and their families can take the appropriate actions to help protect themselves against the H1N1 virus, WellPoint's affiliated health plans will cover the administration of the H1N1 vaccine without co-pay or deductible for all health plan members. Plans also are encouraging self-insured employers to cover the cost of the vaccination for their employees. Read the full article.

Premera Eliminates Member Costs For H1N1 Vaccine
Premera Blue Cross today announced actions to provide peace of mind to its members in fully-insured plans by waiving member cost-sharing, including applicable co-pays and deductibles, associated with the H1N1 vaccine. Read the full article.

Capital BlueCross to Cover Administration Costs of H1N1 Vaccine for Fully-Insured
HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital BlueCross announced today that it will cover an administration fee for the H1N1 Flu vaccine for fully-insured members and those with individual coverage during the upcoming 2009-2010 flu season. Self-funded groups may opt to have their coverage customized to include this benefit. Read the full article.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network Announce Interim Policy to Cover H1N1 Vaccine Administration
DETROIT, Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network today announced an interim policy to automatically cover the cost of administration of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) vaccine for members in their fully-insured customer groups and individual coverage during the 2009-2010 flu season--unless a group chooses to opt out of the coverage. Read the full article.

Blue Shield of California to Cover H1N1 Flu Vaccine Administration for All Members
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Shield of California announced today that it will cover the administrative costs of the H1N1 virus (swine flu) vaccine for all its members, regardless of which plan they have. Blue Shield will be waiving prior authorizations, copays and deductibles for office visits when members go to an in-network doctor to get H1N1 vaccinations. Read the full article. Read the full article.

Individual Health Insurance Could Provide Assistance For Swine Flu Vaccines
Some epidemiologists estimate that more than 1 million Americans have already been diagnosed with the H1N1 swine flu virus, and millions more are expected to come down with the illness this flu season. Consumers who buy individual health insurance may be able to have their vaccinations covered.

Anthem Blue Cross is one insurer which has said that the swine flu vaccinations will be covered for members on individual health insurance plans with vaccine coverage, and industry group America's Health Insurance Plans says that member plans are expected to offer similar protections, according to a recent report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Read the full article.

Independence Blue Cross Takes Steps to Prepare for H1N1 and Seasonal Flu
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help keep members healthy and flu-free this year, Independence Blue Cross (IBC) will offer coverage for the administration costs of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine when it becomes available. In addition IBC will continue to cover seasonal flu vaccine. Read the full article.

UnitedHealth Group Will Cover Administration of H1N1 Vaccine
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 20, 2009) — UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) today announced that the company will cover the administration of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine for its members whose health benefit plans cover immunizations, and also cover the administration of the vaccine for members whose plans currently do not include immunizations and do not plan to in the future. Read the full article.

WellPoint Announces Decision to Cover H1N1 Vaccine Administration
INDIANAPOLIS, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP) announced today that it will offer coverage for the administration of the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine when it becomes commercially available to the general public. The vaccine administration will be covered for members whose benefit plans provide coverage for vaccines.

WellPoint will also continue coverage of seasonal flu vaccine administration for those whose health plans offer vaccine coverage. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that the H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine. Seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines may be administered on the same day, according to the CDC. Read the full article.

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