Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

If you have questions about the COVID-19 coronavirus, you’re not alone.  We want to make sure our members have the latest updates to stay safe and informed during this time.

While the stay-home mandate for all of California issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom effective March 19, 2020 is still in effect, the governor has announced a gradual reopening of the state beginning May 8, 2020.

What reopening means for you

Gov. Newsom has proposed to gradually “reopen” the state of California in four stages. Beginning May 8, 2020, the state will move from stage one to stage two. This means that some “nonessential” businesses will be allowed to reopen and some restrictions on medical procedures will begin to loosen.

• People should continue to wear masks and practice physical distancing as the state transitions through the stages
• California hospitals will be allowed to resume nonemergency surgeries and procedures

The specific medical procedures that will be allowed will vary per health system. Please contact your primary care physician to find out which services are currently being offered.

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• How to get care
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  To minimize exposure to others who are sick, try calling your doctor first and setting up a video visit to determine whether you need to come in for an exam.

  • If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room.
  • For non-life-threatening care, please contact your primary care doctor (listed on your member ID card), contact Teladoc at 1-844-227-6955 or call our ACCESS On-Demand Concierge team at 1-833-242-2223, TTY 711, so we can help you get the care and services you need. ACCESS On-Demand Concierge services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• If you think you have COVID-19 symptoms, call first
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  The most common symptoms of patients with COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath, but occasionally symptoms are more severe. There is currently no cure or vaccine for this virus. If you are an Alignment Health Plan member and develop these or any flu-like symptoms, please call Teladoc at 1-844-227-6955 or log in to your Teladoc member account. If you have not yet set up access to a virtual doctor, call our ACCESS On-Demand Concierge team 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-242-2223, TTY 711.

• We'll make sure you get the care you need
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  Alignment Health Plan is taking action to ensure that cost does not inhibit our members’ access to medically necessary screening and testing for COVID-19. As such, Alignment Health Plan is waiving cost-sharing (including, but not limited to, copays, deductibles or coinsurance) to zero for medically necessary screening and testing for COVID-19.
   
  The Social Security Administration has also announced that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit payments will continue to be paid on time during the COVID-19 pandemic.
   
  If you live in California and are unable to access care from your doctors or other health care providers due to issues related to COVID-19, please know:

  • You may receive medically necessary services from any available Medicare-certified provider or facility. This includes providers and facilities outside the medical group that you are assigned to with Alignment Health Plan.
  • You do not need to obtain a prior authorization from your medical group or Alignment Health Plan in order to receive medically necessary services. Please be sure to use only Medicare-certified providers and facilities. You may do this by asking the provider or facility whether it participates in the Medicare program, which it must do to be Medicare-certified.
  • You will pay the same amount as you would pay for receiving the same services through your regular medical group and/or doctor when receiving care from out-of-network Medicare-certified providers and facilities.
  • We are waiving prescription refill limits so that you can receive the prescriptions you need when you need them.
  • Some restrictions on home or mail delivery of prescription drugs are being relaxed.
  • We are expanding access to certain telehealth services so you can connect with a doctor in the safety and comfort of your own home.

  Once the declared State of Emergency has ended, the temporary changes stated above will also end. Please check our website regularly for updates during this time. For more information about Alignment Health Plan's disaster policy, please click here.

• How to protect yourself and others
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  The best way to protect yourself and others during this outbreak is to slow the spread of the virus by keeping these helpful tips in mind:

  • Maintain physical distance - Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others, especially those who are coughing or sneezing, and avoid crowded areas to decrease exposure to the flu or other viral illnesses
  • Wash your hands frequently - Wash your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth to decrease the risk of infection
  • Seek medical care early - If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, stay home and call your health care provider immediately

  For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

• Access your Alignment Health Plan benefits at home
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  During this stay-home mandate, many Alignment Health Plan benefits are available from the comfort of home.

  • Have your prescriptions delivered - We can help set up mail-order delivery of your prescription drugs. To speak with a pharmacist, call 1-844-227-7616, TTY 711, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • Order over-the-counter (OTC) items by phone or online - Members who have a monthly OTC allowance can order their items for mail delivery. CalPlus (HMO) 009 members can order by calling 1-844-286-2857, TTY 711, Monday-Friday, 5 a.m.-8 p.m. Pacific Time; members of other Alignment plans with an OTC benefit can shop online at https://nationsotc.com/login using the 19-digit card number on the back of their black ACCESS On-Demand Concierge Card
  • Stay fit at home - Peerfit Move offers a variety of at-home video workouts. Log in to your Peerfit Move account and select "Videos." If you have not activated your Peerfit Move account, you can create one by clicking "Sign Up"
  • Transportation - We encourage all of our members to practice "social distancing," but curb-to-curb, door-to-door, and wheelchair-accessible vehicle services are still available through our transportation line at 1-866-327-2247, TTY 711, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Pacific Time
  • Enjoy virtual companion care at home - For Alignment members who qualify for our companion care benefit, our Grandkids-on-Demand can now call and assist with ordering groceries online, refilling prescriptions, staying connected with friends and family and more. For details, call our ACCESS On-Demand Concierge team at 1-833-242-2223, TTY 711, 24 hours a day, seven days a week

• Helpful Resources
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  Steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19

  • English
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  California Coronavirus (COVID-19) frequently asked questions
  
  ​Supermarket shopping hours for seniors

  
  How to stay safe from scammers

For more information about benefits, Alignment Health Plan members can log in to their online member account, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or by calling our ACCESS On-Demand Concierge at 1-833-242-2223, TTY 711. Our phone lines may have longer wait times than usual. For your convenience, you can also send us a secure message via your online member account.