COVID-19 News

Northwestern’s Student Insurance Office announced Wednesday that Aetna Student Health members will receive waived deductibles and co-insurance for all COVID-19 related testing, including test kits for patients who meet U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for testing.

Aetna will offer zero co-pay telemedicine visits for the next 90 days, and cost-sharing will be waived for all video visits, according to the email. The Student Insurance Office said they “highly encourage” students to utilize Northwestern University Health Service before the telemedicine service.

Members of Aetna’s Student Health plan diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive a care package with over-the-counter medications from CVS to “help relieve symptoms.” These include personal and household cleaning supplies, which can help prevent community exposure.

Aetna also plans to reach out to Student Health members most at-risk for COVID-19, so care managers can give members guidelines for what they can do to protect themselves, get accurate information about the virus and where to get tested.

All Aetna members will now also receive fully-covered access to the company’s Medicare Advantage virtual evaluation and monitoring visit benefit. This will allow members to engage with healthcare providers without physically sitting in a doctor’s office and risking exposure to COVID-19.

CVS Health has created a Crisis Response Line for Aetna members experiencing anxiety related to COVID-19 and is expanding 24/7 access to the Aetna Nurse Medical Line for all members.

Aetna suggests anyone exhibiting symptoms compatible with COVID-19 should contact their health care provider immediately. Students interested in learning more information or accessing these resources can reach out to Aetna Student Health at 877-626-2314.

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