COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends: Important Benefits Update

The government ended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. As a result, some District healthcare benefits for COVID-related expenses have changed.

Effective immediately, the copays and deductibles previously in place before the pandemic have been reinstated for COVID-19-related medical visits and prescriptions across all District offered health plans. Other benefit changes include:

Costs covered at the member’s regular benefit level:

  • COVID-19 Diagnostic tests
  • COVID-19 Testing-related visits

Costs NO LONGER covered through medical or pharmacy benefits:
Over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic tests (home tests)

Costs covered at the preventive benefit level at an in-network provider office or in-network pharmacy:
FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines

Please visit the BCBS website for more information about how the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency affects your benefits coverage.