PAM BEIDLE

Tomorrow night, Thursday, April 2 at 7:00 PM, I will be calling my constituents in Anne Arundel County to invite them to participate in a Telephone Town Hall meeting with myself and Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, our Anne Arundel County Health Officer, to give you the opportunity to participate in a discussion about the current COVID-19 crisis. All you need to do is to answer the phone tomorrow night at 7pm, and you will be connected, or you can call in at 410-949-1362. If you cannot participate in the Telephone Town Hall, please go to my website, to the tab, Covid-19 for helpful information. You can also email my office at or call the office 410-841-3593 and leave a message and we will return your call.

​

Please continue to practice social distancing, stay at home and stay safe please!

​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Covid-19 Update April 1st

 

Important Health Insurance Information

And

Executive Order Clarification

 

Health insurers in Maryland are responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus in a myriad of ways.  Plans are eliminating barriers to care including waiving cost-shares, providing more virtual care options, and keeping members updated through mobile apps and websites with the latest information.  For specific questions we encourage you to reach out to your plan, however the following summary may be helpful to you. 

A good first step if you suspect you or a family member may have contracted the virus is to call the nurse line and/or member services line, the majority of which are available 24/7 to answer member questions. 

 

• Aetna: 800-556-1555

• CareFirst: 800-535-9700

• Cigna: 888-726-3171 or 855-667-9722

• Kaiser Permanente: 1-800-777-7904

• UnitedHealthcare: Members should call the Member Service phone number on the back of their ID cards.

 

Health insurers are encouraging the use of telemedicine and virtual sites of care. This includes the following:

• Encouraging the use of 24/7 nurse phone lines to virtually access clinical resources at no cost to members. The nurses are trained in the latest screening and testing referral protocols.

• Paying for telephone-only consultations with clinician staff of primary care, general practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, OBGYN, and nurse practitioners with no member out-of-pocket cost.

• Utilizing mobile apps to answer member questions and conduct coronavirus assessments based on guidelines from the CDC and NIH.

• Providing emotional support for those members experiencing stress or anxiety via a 24/7 phone line and online at no cost to members.

 

During these challenging time the health insurers across Maryland and the United States have agreed to waive cost-sharing requirements for testing. 

 

They have also:

• eliminated prior authorization requirements for medically necessary diagnostic tests and covered services related to COVID-19 diagnosis.

• waived early medication refill limits on 30-day maintenance medications.

• worked with pharmacy partners to provide free delivery of medications and assist with mailing prescriptions.

• worked with lab partners to support access to testing as it becomes available.

• worked with customers to help them navigate and address questions about coverage related to employment status.​​​​​

​

Each health plan in Maryland, has released detailed information on what they doing to combat the virus.  You can see the individual company press releases below:

​

• Aetna: https://www.cvshealth.com/covid-19

• CareFirst: https://www.member.carefirst.com/members/pop-up/coronavirus-information-and-illness-prevention.page

• Cigna: https://www.cigna.com/newsroom/news-releases/2020/cigna-takes-additional-actions-to-protect-customers-and-communities-against-covid-19

• Kaiser Permanente: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/maryland-virginia-washington-dc/health-wellness/coronavirus-information

• UnitedHealthcare: https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/newsroom/2020/2020-03-18-covid19-uhc-support.html

​​​​​​

Please remember this information is for Maryland based healthcare providers.  If your plan is out of state, please call the information number on your membership card.

​

Stay at Home Directive Clarified

Governor Hogan signed an executive order mandating that all Marylanders stay at home for the foreseeable future, as of last night with the exception of essential activities.  There is likely to be confusion around exactly what that Stay at Home Order means and I hope the information below will help to provide clarity.

 

According to the Governor’s Executive Order, Essential Activities include:

• Obtaining necessary supplies like groceries and products to maintain personal safety

• Seeking medical and behavioral health care

• Caring for and transporting family, friends, and animals

• Traveling to and from schools for meals and instructional materials

• Engaging in outdoor exercise as long as it adheres to social distancing guidelines

• Travel required by law enforcement, or court order

​

Other Important Notes

1. Public transportation is still available, but only for the essential activities listed above

2. Restaurants and bars are still allowed to operate carry-out, drive-through, and delivery operations

3. Curbside pickup at all other non-essential businesses is now prohibited, though those businesses may sell products on a delivery basis if feasible

4. All campgrounds are now closed, with the exception of those living in an RV with no other viable place of residence

​​​​​​

You can read the Governor’s Executive Order Here, as well as his first and second interpretive guidance documents for more information.  These actions are necessary to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 and save the lives of countless Marylanders.

​​​

Thank you for continuing to do your part.  Please do not hesitate contact my office we can offer you any assistance at pamela.beidle@senate.state.md.us.  Please stay safe and keep washing your hands.

​​

Pamela Beidle

​

​

January 8, 2020

Opening Day