COVID-19 operational changes for providers
Customize your policy alerts
Sign up for all blue cross blue shield - louisiana policy alerts
Know when blue cross blue shield - louisiana releases new policies or updates existing guidance.
Monitor payer policy activity
Temporary administrative, billing, and coverage changes related to the COVID-19 national emergency affecting Blue Advantage providers (telehealth, testing, treatment cost-share, prior auth, out-of-network benefits, pharmacy RTS overrides, ambulance transport destinations).
Telehealth visits (new and established) may be performed via audio-video and are payable using standard visit CPT/HCPCS codes with Modifier 95 and the in-person POS.
All telehealth/virtual encounters are covered at a $0 cost share to members.
Member cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and related services is waived; antibody testing also covered with no cost share.
Member cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment is set to $0 for all provider types.
Prior authorization requirements have been lifted for claims with COVID-19 diagnosis when billed with certain respiratory diagnoses.
In-network benefits will apply when members seek care from out-of-network providers during the COVID-19 emergency.
Ambulance transports may include alternative destinations consistent with state/local EMS protocols, including various outpatient and community sites and the member's home.
COVID-19 Temporary Coverage Policies
COVID-19 temporary coverage policies
Temporary coverage and billing policies during the COVID-19 national emergency:
Telehealth, Audio-only, and Related Coding
| 99201-99215 | Office or other outpatient visits |
| G0425-G0427 | Telehealth consultations, emergency department or initial inpatient |
| G0406-G0408 | Follow up inpatient telehealth consultations furnished to beneficiaries in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities (SNF) |
| 98966-98968 | Prolonged, audio-only telehealth visits (telephone) |
| 99441-99443 | Telephone evaluation and management service codes |
Billing & Authorization Actions for Providers
Prior authorization waived for COVID-19 with selected respiratory diagnoses
Prior authorization is not required for claims that include a COVID-19 diagnosis when billed with one of the specified respiratory diagnoses. This waiver applies to claims billed with COVID-19 plus pneumonia, acute bronchitis, lower respiratory infection, or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Affected diagnoses: pneumonia; acute bronchitis; lower respiratory infection; acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Effective date: March 6, 2020 (authorization section).
- Note: This change is in addition to authorization changes communicated April 8, 2020.
Documentation & Definitions
OpenPayer is powered by Trek Health's payer performance platform. Trek continuously ingests, validates, and normalizes Transparency in Coverage data alongside payer policies and other commercial payer data to create a structured payer intelligence foundation. OpenPayer uses this foundation to deliver personalized search results, dynamically generated policy pages, and tailored policy monitoring based on each user's payers, specialties, billing codes, and areas of interest. The same intelligence powers broader payer performance workflows, including reimbursement benchmarking, contract evaluation, payer negotiations, and financial decision-making.