COVID-19 agent hub

Contact your account representative for any questions you have about COVID-19 and your clients' coverage.

COVID-19 diagnostic testing updates

9/9/20

You can offer your commercial clients some peace of mind regarding cost share payments related to in-network hospital care for COVID-19. Dean Health Plan will continue to waive member cost share in such instances through the end of 2020.

7/14/20

We understand that positive cases continue to rise in Wisconsin. Some areas are seeing a much higher rate than earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic, and many patients and community members are seeking testing.

It is important to continue sharing the appropriate methods of testing with your clients and their families.

Individuals who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to take a free virtual evaluation at deancare.com/virtualvisit. Symptoms of COVID-19 include:

If the evaluation determines they are at risk for having COVID-19, they will be connected with an SSM Health provider for details on testing and any appropriate treatments.

Those who are age 5 and over and are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, but would like to get tested for COVID-19 should go to a public testing facility. A list of public testing facilities is available from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. In Dane County, asymptomatic individuals should use the public testing site at the Alliant Energy Center.

Reasons for wanting to get tested when not experiencing symptoms include:

You’ve been exposed to individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.
You’ve been at an event where individuals have tested positive for COVID-19.
You have friends or relatives who have tested positive for COVID-19 or may have been exposed.
You have friends or relatives who are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 and want to make sure you don’t expose them.
You have upcoming travel, work or other life events that may require you getting tested.

Regardless of where individuals are tested, they should limit contact with others while test results are pending.

It’s also important to recognize that testing alone will not get us through this outbreak. Practicing smart preventive behavior remains the most important step we can take to reduce risk and slow spread in our community, including:

Practicing physical distancing. Stay six feet away from people who do not live in your household
Wear face coverings, especially if you will be indoors with others (e.g., grocery store)
Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
Stay home if possible, especially if you have any symptoms (e.g. fever, cough)
Follow isolation guidelines if you test positive. Follow quarantine guidelines if exposed to someone with COVID-19

Learn more at deancare.com/members/coronavirus and ssmhealth.com.

3/20/20

Cost-sharing waived
Dean Health Plan is waiving in-network cost-sharing, including copayments, coinsurance and deductibles, for COVID-19 diagnostic testing during this public health emergency. We will cover the test and doctor visit at no cost to members when the basis for the visit is related to testing for COVID-19.

This policy applies to our members in all lines of business, including commercial, Medicare, Medicaid and ASO products.

Members are also encouraged to use telehealth services and/or Dean on Call when possible for COVID-19 screening.

Agent updates

7/15/2020

Five more SSM Dean Medical Group clinics reopen

SSM Health resumed operations at the remaining five clinics that where temporarily relocated or suspended services as part of their COVID-19 pandemic response. Now, all SSM Health Dean Medical Group clinics are open and operational.

Services resumed Monday, July 13, at:

SSM Health Dean Medical Group – Deerfield.
SSM Health Dean Medical Group – Delavan.
SSM Health Dean Medical Group – Evansville.
SSM Health Dean Medical Group – Mineral Point.
SSM Health Dean Medical Group – Waterloo.

The health and safety of staff, providers, patients and community remains the number one priority. As services resume, and as the move to full operations across the Wisconsin region gets closer, all clinics will continue to follow the established safety precautions including:

Visitor restrictions to limit non-essential traffic in our facilities.
Entrance screening for all patients, visitors and staff at our facilities.
Adherence to all CDC guidelines and protocols regarding appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for providers and staff.
Requiring all patients, visitors and staff to wear masks or other face coverings when they enter our facilities.
Enhanced cleaning/disinfection processes.
Pexiglass barriers at check-in and registration to ensure appropriate distancing.
Realigned waiting room seating to ensure appropriate physical distancing.

This is among the first steps in our phase one of recovery.

6/11/2020

Four SSM Dean Medical Group Clinics to Reopen
As businesses are planning to reopen, so are SSM clinics that were temporarily closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is among the first steps in our phase one of recovery.

See the Clinics and Services Reopening news article.

Information to share

12/10/2020

We do not expect that the COVID-19 vaccine will be widely available to members or the general public until spring of 2021 or later. Frontline health care workers are the first priority for the vaccine. As we learn more about the availability schedule, we will provide updates.

Dean Health Plan will cover FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine(s) (SARS CoV-2) with no member cost-sharing, consistent with the requirements set forth by the CARES Act.

Where will I be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?
Once available, options for receiving the vaccine will include doctors' offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals and federally qualified health centers.

Who decides on the priority for receiving COVID-19 vaccinations?
The FDA and CDC make recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine distribution. For more information, your clients can visit the CDC and Wisconsin's Department of Health Services webpages.

3/20/2020

Message for Employees
We’ve created a message you can share with your employees about our coverage for COVID-19 testing.

See employee message

Dr. Alexander Garza: Staying safe

Dr. Alexander Garza, Chief Medical Officer of SSM Health and former Chief Medical Officer to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, answers questions about keeping yourself safe during this public health crisis.

See more from Dr. Garza.