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Consumer Services


  What the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Means for Your Health Insurance Coverage

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to end the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. Here’s what it could mean for your health plan.

Changes to Expect

COVID-19 Testing Coverage

If you have a private health insurance plan, you may no longer be able to get free COVID-19 tests. If your plan decides to provide COVID-19 tests after the PHE ends, you may have to pay a cost-sharing fee.

Over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests will no longer be free after the PHE ends if you are enrolled in Medicare. However, if your health-care provider orders a COVID-19 test, it will be available without cost sharing.

COVID-19 tests will be covered without cost sharing until Sept. 30, 2024, if you are enrolled in Medicaid. After that, states will determine their own coverage requirements.

If you are underinsured or uninsured, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), community partners, pharmacies, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may provide free COVID-19 tests and testing services. Several states and U.S. territories have chosen to provide Medicaid coverage through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for COVID-19 tests for uninsured individuals.

What’s Staying the Same

COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatment

If you have private health insurance, you will be able to get free COVID-19 vaccines if they are in-network. Additionally, COVID-19 treatment coverage will not change. If the COVID-19 treatment currently requires cost sharing or paying a deductible, that will continue to apply after the COVID-19 PHE ends.

If you are enrolled in Medicare, you will still be able to get COVID-19 vaccines without cost sharing even after the COVID-19 PHE ends. Additionally, oral antiviral medication, such as Paxlovid and Lagevrio, will still be available.

If you are a Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollee, you will have access to COVID-19 vaccines without cost sharing or co-pays through Sept. 30, 2024, after which states will determine vaccination and treatment coverage.

Telehealth

If you have a private insurance plan, coverage for remote services and care will continue to vary by plan. Many plans expanded access to telehealth services during the pandemic, but some services may require cost sharing, prior authorization, or other conditions. Contact your plan’s customer service to learn more about what it covers.

If you need a prescription for a controlled substance, you will still be able to get one without an in-person visit to your health-care provider after the COVID-19 PHE ends. Audio-only calls will remain available for anyone seeking buprenorphine prescriptions for opioid treatment programs (OTPs).

During the pandemic, telehealth services could be conducted at home instead of at a health-care facility and as audio-only calls to help reach Medicare enrollees who live in rural areas. These Medicare conditions will still apply until Dec. 31, 2024.

If you are a Medicaid or CHIP enrollee, many states offered telehealth services prior to the pandemic, and that will not change at the end of the COVID-19 PHE. The federal government is encouraging states to continue covering many telehealth services through Medicaid or CHIP.

  COVID-19 and Your Insurance   Shopping for and Understanding Your Insurance   Understanding Your Rights and How to File Complaint

Complaints

Issues with your insurance company?

External Review:

Your Rights

Learn about laws that protect you:

Contact Us

Insurance questions?

  • Email: Consumer Services
  • Call: 907-269-7900
            — or —
    1-800-INSURAK (in-state, outside Anchorage)

Consumer Alerts

  Insurance Cyber Crime Alerts   Scam Alert: DNA Cancer Checks

Beware of Scam in Swabbing Cheeks of Seniors for DNA Cancer Checks

The Consumer Protection Unit of the Alaska Attorney General’s Office warns Alaskans that a new health care scam is on the rise and may be coming to Alaska. The Division of Insurance has received reports of groups going to senior living communities, assisted living facilities, senior centers and RV/trailer parks offering to swab the cheeks of seniors for genetic material. The scammers are saying the swabs are to perform tests of DNA for cancer or Alzheimer’s disease.

If a non-cancer patient provides material for genetic testing under the pretense that the test would be covered by Medicare, this may be a scam or fraud. Be alert if anyone asking to swab your cheeks requests that you agree to be billed for services in the event Medicare does not pay.

Medicare has different guidelines regarding the testing of genetic material in patients depending on whether or not they have been diagnosed with cancer. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements must be met in order for such testing to be paid for by Medicare.

Disreputable, roving “testers” may be committing Medicare fraud or trying to rip you off if Medicare does not pay.

Do not give your Medicare number to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly. Theft of your Medicare number is a common form of identity theft and it may be used to commit fraud. Guard your Medicare number as you would your social security number.

If there are any questions, please contact the Consumer Protection Unit Staff at (907) 269-5208 or contact: cynthia.franklin@alaska.gov

  FEMA Risk Rating 2.0

Delayed until October 1, 2021
FEMA Defers the Implementation of Risk Rating 2.0

FEMA is focused on building a culture of preparedness by closing the insurance gap. Recognizing that purchasing flood insurance can be confusing and time-consuming, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is redesigning its risk rating system to improve the policyholder experience.

Risk Rating 2.0 aims to accomplish this by leveraging industry best practices and current technology to deliver rates that are transparent, easy to understand, and better reflect a property’s unique flood risk. Through these efforts, FEMA’s goal is to make flood insurance significantly easier for agents to price and sell policies, and in turn, help customers better understand their flood risk and the importance of flood insurance.

Demand for change has been building for a long time, and Risk Rating 2.0 will be the culmination of a multi-year effort.

  Archives
  Consumer Notice Regarding Out-Of-Pocket Costs

The Alaska Division of Insurance invites consumers to learn more about how their health insurance company pays claims, and the out of pocket costs for which consumers are responsible.

In addition to premiums, consumers may also be obligated to pay deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and amounts in excess of the allowed amount. Descriptions of the out-of-pocket costs to consumers can be found in the notice.

We encourage all consumers to review their insurance plan policy or certificate to view plan benefit levels and the cost sharing structure in order to understand what charges your insurer pays, and which charges consumers pay. Consumers should consider all of the health care costs they will have, not just the premium they pay to their insurance company every month. Please note that a health care provider who fails to bill for or collect consumer portions of the cost sharing may be committing insurance fraud under AS 21.36.360(b).

  Marketplace Special Enrollment Period for Former Makina Health Beneficiaries

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a special enrollment period (SEP) available for Alaska residents who bought health insurance plans from Makina Health. The SEP will run from September 10, 2019, until November 9, 2019. Affected employers and their employees may reference this consumer alert available at www.insurance.alaska.gov to obtain information about the availability of this SEP and the process for enrolling in coverage.

Makina Health offered health insurance plans in the state of Alaska without obtaining the appropriate Certificate of Authority by the Alaska Division of Insurance. As a result, the division issued a Cease & Desist Order on March 26, 2019. Benefits will be paid through June 30, 2019, by the Minimum Essential Coverage plans administered by Benveo or the Makina Health Cooperative. Alaska residents who qualify for this SEP may choose to have coverage start retroactive to July 1, 2019, due to Makina’s withdrawal from Alaska’s market as of June 30, 2019, with no advance notice to its beneficiaries. Alternatively, individuals eligible for the SEP may choose to have coverage start in the future.

NAIC Consumer Alerts

  Disaster Preparedness and Your Insurance

If you experience a insurance related claims-handling issue after a disaster, you are welcome to contact Consumer Services at the Alaska Division of Insurance 907-269-7900 with your concerns. Consumers can file complaint regarding their encountered issue on this website. For more information about filing a complaint, select this link.

  Earthquake Resources

  Landslide Resources

  • Is home and business insurance coverage for landslides the same as for mudflow or earthquake?
    No. A landslide is considered an “earth movement” event so, like an earthquake, it is excluded from standard homeowners and business insurance policies. However, you can buy what’s commonly known as a “Difference in Conditions” policy (which typically offers all-in-one coverage for landslides, mudflows, earthquakes, and floods). Difference in Conditions policies are sold by surplus lines insurers; your insurance professional can help you find a surplus lines insurer that will meet your needs.
  • Will an earthquake insurance policy cover my home or business for landslides as well?
    No. Like landslides, earthquakes do involve earth movement, however in general a separate earthquake policy is needed for quake-caused property damage as the causes of the movement are different. Landslides are caused by erosion or water accumulation that destabilizes the land, while earthquakes are caused by seismic activity. Earthquake insurance is available from private insurance carriers for renters, homeowners and business owners.
  • Does my auto insurance policy provide coverage for mudflow and landslides?
    Check with your insurer to determine if you purchased optional comprehensive coverage with your auto insurance policy.

Landslide Resources:

  fire/wildfire resources   flood and mudslide resources   Windstorm Resources


  Independently Procured

Statement of Independently Procured Insurance Form 08-208 is to be filed within 30 days after the date the insurance was procured.

Premium Tax Report Form 08-278 is to be postmarked on or before March 1 of each year with the tax payment made payable to: Alaska Division of Insurance to:

Rebecca Nesheim, Tax Auditor
Alaska Division of Insurance
P. O. Box 110805
Juneau, AK 99811-0805

Please make checks payable to: Alaska Division of Insurance

New! If you would like to pay by credit card and file by email, contact rebecca.nesheim@alaska.gov.