WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- In addition to a $50,000 donation made earlier this week from the Blue Cross of California Foundation to the American Red Cross to aid in the disaster relief in Southern California, Blue Cross announced today several additional actions they are taking to assist members affected by the fires:
Blue Cross of California Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The Blue Cross EAP is offering free counseling services for the next 30 days to all Blue Cross members throughout the impacted area. Services include access to a resource rich website and telephonic consultations with professional counselors. In addition, they offer face-to-face consultations. The EAP program is available 24 hours a day by calling toll free 877-208-8240, or members can visit the website at http://www.bluecrossca.com/youreap and enter "fires".
Prescriptions: Blue Cross members may have left their homes without their prescriptions or they may have been damaged during this disaster. While many prescriptions are refillable on a 30 day cycle, Blue Cross is providing a one- time 30-day supply override on affected members' prescriptions. This will enable members to refill their prescriptions now, even if it is not due at this time.
For members in the impacted communities who participate in the Blue Cross mail order prescription program, Blue Cross is checking in advance of shipping, that the member will be able to receive their mail order. They will re-route orders as needed at no charge to the members. Members who cannot get to their homes to receive their mail prescriptions but feel the medication was sent prior to the fires occurring are encouraged to contact their local post office for details of where mail for their area is being deposited at this time.
Member Medical Claims: During this time, many clinics and other medical facilities have been closed. In addition many members are staying with relatives and friends who may be far from their homes. During emergency medical situations, Blue Cross always encourages members to seek care at the nearest medical facility. Understanding that members may also not have access to their usual provider for non-emergency care, Blue Cross will pay all claims for those in the impacted areas at the higher in-network reimbursement levels, even if the facility is not in the Blue Cross network.
Commenting on these actions Brian A. Sassi, president of Blue Cross of California said, "The health of our members is our primary concern each and every day. As we have witnessed what the victims of these horrendous fires have gone through, and continue to go through, we want to assure our members and the community we are doing all we can to provide support during this difficult time."
About Blue Cross of California:
Blue Cross of California is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP), whose mission is to improve the lives of the people it serves and the health of its communities. It is the largest publicly traded commercial health benefits company in terms of membership in the United States, and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and serves its members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as Blue Cross Blue Shield in 10 New York City metropolitan counties and as Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about Blue Cross of California is available at http://www.bluecrossca.com
SOURCE Blue Cross of California Copyright©2007 PR Newswire. All rights reserved |