COVID-19 - Insurance FAQ's & Resources

This information will be updated daily until the current crisis has passed.  Check back often.

Remember that we work for you, our clients, not any insurance company.  We're still here to make sure we all get through this together.  This page will be updated as we receive additional information.

For Everyone:

• Financial Hardship:  If you are going to have difficulty paying your premiums as planned call your Yennie & Jones Agent or Account Manager as soon as you realize you will have an issue.  While we can't make your premium cost go away, most of our companies are offering some relief as to the timing of payments.  Another option is to temporarily reduce some property protection in order to save money.  We never recommend reducing liability protection as that is the least expensive part of your protection and protects you from the largest risks...the ones that would change your lifestyle.
• Bill Payment:  Want to stay isolated and need to pay a bill.  Go to our Billing page on our website and you can make payment by checking account or credit card (with many companies) using your company's link or phone number or our red Pay Online button which takes you to our secure bill payment page where you can pay with the information on your checking account.
• Send Us Documents:  Documents can be uploaded on our website after you log into our Client Area known as the Insurance Zone.  You can even reset a lost password yourself.  Don't have an Insurance Zone Account...create one here.

For Individuals:

• Health Insurance:

  • COVID-19 related health issues should be covered by your health insurance.  Costs for testing are even being waived by some companies.
  • Consider telemedicine to avoid infection by a routine visit to your doctor.  Nearly every company offering health insurance provides a telemedicine (video chat or phone call) option at a rate significantly less than a doctor's visit.  See Telemedicine info at the bottom of this page.  Regulations regarding Telemedicine appointments for Medicare patients are being suspended as well. 
  • As of this moment we can still write underwritten, short term health insurance - not Marketplace policies that cover pre-existing conditions and brand name drugs.
  • Marketplace (Affordable Care Act/Obamacare) Individual policyholders should consider updating their estimated income with the government Marketplace.  Contact your Yennie & Jones Agent for assistanc.

• Life & Disability Insurance:  As of this writing we can still write disability and life insurance and have written several policies in the last week.  There are some limitations on life insurance amounts for those over age 50.

• Home & Auto Insurance:

  • Telecommuting: 

    • If your telecommuting days will last longer than 30 days, then consider changing your usage on your automobiles from commute to personal use
    • Telecommuting may affect your homeowner's insurance needs as well depending on your industry.  Call your Yennie & Jones Agent to discuss liability and property protection issues.

• Delivering:  If your employer has switched business models and has you delivering in your personal vehicle make sure to call your Yennie & Jones Agent so he or she can make sure that your policy is properly written to cover the business use of your personal auto.  Additionally, make sure your employer has what's called 'Nonowned Auto Insurance' before using your auto for business.  This advice applies to the self employed as well.

• Individual Company Responses & Auto Insurance Premium Rebates:  The process differs a bit from company to company so look below my signature for the information that applies to you.  These two things are consistent with all the announcements we've received so far:

  • You don't need to do anything to receive the refund
  • Premium credits and refunds are subject to the approval of State government regulators, but we expect a rapid approval of these requests.
  • Just as we have a choice in what clients we chose to work with, we also have a choice in what companies we chose to work with.  I have been proud of how the companies we've selected to partner with are responding to this unprecedented health & financial challenge, and the premium rebates described below are just one facet of that response.  If you're having financial difficulties that you feel will affect any part of your insurance protection program, whether it's a policy placed with our agency or another agency, please give us a call and we'll do what we can to help.  You do your part to stay safe and we'll keep protecting you financially in the meanwhile!​
  • Acuity
    • All existing personal lines auto policyholders will receive a rate cut for the entire next 12-month policy term at their policy renewal. A typical customer with two cars will see a decrease between $50 and $100, depending on their unique situation. This amounts to a credit of 7% for most customers. The rate decrease will apply to all new and renewal policies with effective dates on and after March 11, 2020.
    • Acuity's COVID-19 Page
  • Auto-Owners Insurance
    • Crediting a 15% return of premium due for April and May.  I anticipate a premium refund check to go to those who have paid their bill in full and a premium credit will be applied to the account for those that make payments, but those details haven't been released yet.
    • Temporarily (at least 6 months) suspending downward insurance scores because they understand that many financial difficulties were COVID related.  Will still give clients the benefits from upward movement in insurance scores.
    • Auto-Owners' COVID-19 Information Page
  • The Hartford
    • Issuing a 15 percent refund on two months' worth of premium for all customers with an in force personal auto policy as of 4/1/2020.
    • Clients who pay the premium in installments will receive a credit toward their next payment or check or direct deposit if paid in full.
    • Additional information available in The Hartford's newsroom or on The Hartford's COVID‑19 Information Page
  • Nationwide (Allied, AMCO)
    • Supporting customers by sending a $50 relief per auto policy, accepting requests for hardship and putting billing on hold, and not charging late fees. 
    • Refunds will automatically be credited to your most recent method of payment (for example, automatic withdrawal, credit card, personal check)
    • Accepting requests for hardship and putting billing on hold through June 15
    • Automatically spreading out deferred premiums over a six-month period for customers who are on a billing hold or have elected to not make a payment while on a state-mandated hold, starting June 16; we will also notify these customers of this payment plan prior to their holds being lifted
    • Continuing to allow reinstatements for up to 60 days without a lapse in coverage through June 15
    • Continuing to waive late and NSF fees through June 15
    • Continuing application of delivery exclusion and extending coverage, where applicable, to some restaurant and pharmacy employees delivering food or medicine/essential needs on behalf of the restaurant or pharmacy for losses occurring through June 15.
    • ​Nationwide's COVID-19 Information Page
  • Progressive
    • If you have a Progressive personal auto policy at the end of April, you'll receive a credit for 20% of your April premium. They are offering the same 20% credit for those in force at the end of May.
    • Credit will be applied directly to your remaining balance or returned by direct deposit or check for those that have paid in full.
    • Progressive's COVID-19 Information Page
  • Travelers
    • Crediting clients with a 15% credit on their April and May premiums
    • Clients who pay by monthly installments will receive the automatic credit on future bills.
    • Clients who have already paid in full will receive a direct payment.
    • Traveler's COVID-19 Information Page
  • Safeco
    • Providing a 15% refund of two months of their annual auto premium as of April 7, 2020.
    • The refunds will begin in April and will be issued either by check or in the manner the customer made their most recent payment.
    • Safeco's COVID-19 Information Page

For Businesses:

• Government Assistance: Information courtesy of our local Chamber of Commerce

• Operational Changes:  Every business is adapting their operating model to our current health and economic environment.  Make sure that you keep your Yennie & Jones Agent informed on changes that your business is making to cope.  Below are some of the situations we foresee...but we're always amazed by the adaptability and resourcefulness of our entrepreneurial clients.  Discuss your changes with us so we can continue to help you.

• Billing & Premium Bases:

  • Apply for assistance:  The Small Business Administration is geared up to help and you can now apply online for a low interest loan.

  • Rating Base:  Do you know what your rating base is?  For your Workers' Compensation policy, it's payroll but it may be gross sales, square feet or even rounds of golf (for a golf course) for your other policies.  If your rating base has changed as in sales or payroll are down, let your Yennie & Jones Agent know as soon as possible.  No use loaning the insurance company money that you get back on audit...let's make the estimated reduction now and we can always adjust back up later.

• Health Insurance:  As of this writing we can still write group health insurance for businesses with at least two employees.

• Group Benefits:  As of this writing we can still write supplemental insurance for most businesses including short term disability policies.

• Hired & Non-Owned Auto Protection:  If your business has moved to a delivery model or other use of employee (or proprietor's) owned vehicles, make sure to call your Yennie & Jones Agent to assure that the temporary setback that our Shelter In Place orders doesn't become a permanent problem due to an uninsured claim.

• Telecommuting Employees:

  • Hackers and cyber scammers are having a heyday right now with all those workers suddenly working from home and your procedural and technical checks and balances not designed to cover the change in processes.  Our agency has already had scammers unsuccessfully try to intercept payroll via a phishing scheme by e-mail.  If you have a website, take payments electronically, store personal or payment information on your systems...and especially if you have telecommuting employees you NEED Cyber Liability Protection.  By all means, put strong procedures in place but also buy or update your Cyber Liability protection.  Call your Yennie & Jones Agent.

  • Don't overlook the property you're sending home with your employees.  If it's just a few hundred dollars' worth of equipment you many not care about insuring it but if you've sent a $10,000 CAD workstation home with one of your key employees, call us and we can help you protect it.

• ​Business Income:  Income losses from this type of event are clearly not covered in standard business income policy language because it the loss did not follow a 'direct physical loss' like a building collapse.  That said, if you elected to include business income on your business insurance protection program we may want to submit a claim in case government action or case law in your juristiction forces the hand of the insurance companies.  I'm of two minds about this possibility as I see many of our small businesses suffering what is essentially an uninsurable loss...but if the insurance companies have to pay business income claims that weren't anticipated in the rates then the rate changes in future policies will likely be extremely painful in perpetuity.  

• Worker's Compensation Protection:  We anticipate that Workers' Compensation plans will respond to COVID-19 claims where the preponderance of evidence points to a documented occupational exposure.  Evidence required will likely vary from insurance company to insurance company so document just in case.  Remember to follow your States First Report of Injury requirements.

  • ​Businesses we have insured with MEM for Work Comp have access to free virtual ergonomic assessments for your employees even in their home office.  E-mail Virtual_Ergo_Eval@mem-ins.com to inquire.

If in doubt about whether you should call us...you probably should. 

We're here to help you get through this,

Have your Insurance Card handy.  Needless to say, telehealth services are not for emergencies.

• Aetna:  COVID-19 Member Resources & access to Telemedicine via Member Login

• Ambetter:  1-800-835-2362 or Telehealth Website: AmbetterTelehealthMO.com.  Able to get medical advice, a diagnosis or a prescription by phone or video. Use Ambetter Telehealth when you need it or go ahead and schedule an appointment for a time that fits into your schedule. As part of our Health Management Program, Ambetter offers $0 copay for in-network Telehealth pro Before you can use Ambetter Telehealth, you need to have an account. Set up and activate your account online or call the Ambetter Telehealth customer number for help.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City: 

  • Telehealth:

    • Group & Individual Policies:  855-818-3627.  In many cases waiving copays for Telehealth being waived until June 30th, 2020 for in-network providers

    • Medicare Advantage & Supplement:  Regulatory Changes Pending

  • Virtual Care:  Many services available at no member cost share via Blue KC Virtual Care app available on Apple App Store, Google Play or on BlueKCVirtualCare.com. Please understand that wait times may be longer than usual

  • Will cover COVID-19 diagnostic testing and services (services after March 18th, 2020) consistent with CDC guidance at no cost share.  Contact healthcare provider to discuss criteria & availablity of testing before visit.  Reference CDC website for best practices if experiencing symptoms.

  • Early medication refill limits will be waived on 30 day prescription maintenance medication excluding opioids & controlled substances.

  • Additioal Blue Cross Blue Shild of KC COVID-19 info can be found HERE.

• Colonial

  • MD Live:  888-674-2490 or www.247MDAccess.com  When asked about your 'group' answer "Colonial Life."

  • COVID-19 Member resource page

• CIGNA:

  • Telehealth MD Live:  888-726-3171

  • Account may be required:  https://my.cigna.com

  • No copays or cost-shares for COVID-19 testing. We're waiving copays and cost-shares for COVID-19 testing. Only a health care provider or hospital can administer the test and send the sample to an approved lab for results.

  • No copays or cost-shares for COVID-19 diagnostic offices visits. We're waiving out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 testing-related visits with in-network providers, whether at a provider's office, urgent care center, emergency room or via virtual care, through May 31, 2020.

  • Making it easier for vulnerable customers to be treated virtually. Customers with immunosuppression, chronic conditions or who are experiencing transportation challenges, can be treated using virtual care by in-network physicians with those capabilities through May 31, 2020, using the standard office visit benefit.

  • Web Based Triage Tool:  To be available the first week of april at mycigna.com

  • Free standard shipping of up to 90-day supply of prescription maintenance medications.

  • 24 Hour COVID-19 Support Line is also available:  866.912.1687

  • Learn more about Cigna's response to COVID-19 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center

• Humana: 

  • Waiving cost sharing, co-pays, deductibles & co-insurance:  For COVID-19 Treatment until a date to be determined

  • Ensuring access to care for those who need it most: One of the most critical, immediate ways we can support healthcare providers during this health emergency is to maximize their time and capacity to offer care to patients most in need. Therefore, Humana will lift administrative requirements for members infected with coronavirus and for all patients in settings where capacity is stretched by the needs of those infected by coronavirus. The change allows for unencumbered movement from inpatient hospitals to safe, medically appropriate post-acute care settings, including home health, long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, etc. We will continue to evaluate additional measures needed to eliminate administrative burdens across a broader spectrum of care.

• Medica: 

  • Nurseline: 866-668-6548

  • Online Care for those 18 or older:  www.Virtuwell.com. Virtuwell online clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners. To start your visit, go to www.virtuwell.com  from your computer or mobile device. Your visit starts with a quick online interview before a nurse practitioner reviews your case. The service costs $49 or less and often takes less than 30 minutes. Plus, if virtuwell can't treat you, there's no charge.

  • Additional information available on Medica's Secure Member Site

• Medishare: 

  • Sign up for Telemedicine at: www.MyChristianCare.org/mdlive.  No cost for telehealth.

    • ​If Telemedicine physician refers member for COVID-19 care the $35 office/urgent care provider fee or $200 emergency room provider fee will be waived.  Must be referred to ER for waiver of ER fee.

  • Medishare COVID-19 Info

• Oscar:  Information Pending

• United Healthcare: 

  • Cost sharing waived for Medicare Advantage and Dual Special Needs Plan members with a telehealth benefit which includes virtual visits will be waved through June 18, 2020.

  • Self-administered COVID-19 Test UnitedHealth Group Study Clears Path for Self-Administered COVID-19 Test, Improving Testing Efficiency and Protecting Health Care Workers. Read more in this press release.

  • No-cost COVID-19 testing (no copay, no deductible requirement)

  • Find more member resources here including information on the 24/7 NurseLine telehealth services and Optum's Emotional-Support Line. 

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Details of CARES Act COVID-19 Relief Package 

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act into law. The $2 trillion package provides economic relief to individuals, health care providers, small businesses, and heavily affected sectors of the economy, and is intended to strengthen the federal government and health care system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill passed the Senate unanimously on March 25 and passed the House on March 27 with an overwhelming voice vote. 

Key economic provisions of the CARES Act include:

• Provides a one-time $1,200 refundable tax credit for individuals ($2,400 for joint taxpayers), plus $500 per child under age 17. The payment phases out for those with adjusted gross incomes of $75,000 or more ($150,000 for joint taxpayers). The rebates would not be counted as taxable income for recipients.

• Provides eight weeks of cash-flow assistance, from February 15, 2020 through June 30, 2020 for qualifying businesses (fewer than 500 employees, or the small business size standard associated with that industry, includes franchises, sole-proprietors, and self-employed), available through existing SBA-certified lenders. Details and instructions are expected to be released by the Small Business Administration in the next 15 days.

  • $500 billion in Treasury Loans to Severely Stressed Sectors of the Economy: Provides the Treasury Secretary $500 billion to make loans, loan guarantees, and other investments to support heavily affected industries, States, and municipalities for direct or indirect losses as a result of the coronavirus. Details and instructions are expected to be released by the Treasury in the next 10 days.

  • Creates a temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program through December 31, 2020 to provide payment to those not traditionally eligible for unemployment benefits. Provides up to $600/week to each recipient of unemployment insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for up to four months.

  • Provides $100 million in federal grant funding to support short-term compensation arrangements, where employers can reduce employee hours instead of laying off workers and impacted employees will receive a pro-rated unemployment benefit.

  • Health care-related provisions include:

    • $100 billion available to eligible health care providers and hospitals for health care related expenses and lost revenues directly attributable to COVID-19. Eligible entities include public entities, Medicare or Medicaid suppliers and providers, and for-profit and non-for-profit entities as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that provide diagnoses, testing, and care for individuals with possible or confirmed cases of COVID-19.

    • Requires commercial insurers to cover any qualifying coronavirus preventive service (i.e., vaccines) defined by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Requires Medicare and Medicare Advantage organizations to cover any COVID-19 vaccines with no cost-sharing.

    • Clarifies existing law requiring all COVID-19 testing to be covered by group health plans and individual market issuers without cost-sharing, including those tests without an emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    • Requires commercial insurers to pay either: (1) the rate specified in a contract between the provider and the insurer in effect before the public health emergency was declared, throughout the duration of the public health emergency; or (2) if there is no contract, a cash price posted on a public website by the provider, or the plan may negotiate a rate lower than the cash price. Imposes civil monetary penalties on providers that do not post the price on a public website.

    • Requires Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans to allow fills and refills of covered Part D drugs for up to 90-days during the public health emergency.

    • Provides $200 million to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to support the efforts of health care providers to provide telecommunication services, information services, and devices to enable telehealth services.

    • Establishes a safe harbor for HDHPs that provide benefits for telehealth and other remote care services before patients satisfy the applicable minimum deductible.

    • Allows patients to use health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) funds for over-the-counter medical products, including those needed for quarantine or social distancing, without a prescription from a physician.

    • Temporary Moratorium of Medicare Sequestration: <span new="" roman""="" "times="">Temporarily lifts the 2% Medicare sequester from May 1 through December 31, 2020.