New COVID-19 screening rules for employers: Who pays

The feds have issued new guidance on COVID-19 screening for workers as you try to return employees safely to the office.

And it’s good news for employers.

Health insurers must cover return-to-workplace testing for the duration of the pandemic, according to the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury.

Check out this breakdown of the main costs associated with screening employees for the coronavirus.

COVID-19 screening costs

Keeping on top of the following new federal guidelines will save your company time and money:

• Screening costs: All health insurers will pick up the tab for COVID-19 tests (only those FDA-approved) without cost-sharing.
• Multiple tests: If one of your employees needs a second, third, etc. COVID-19 screening (as recommended by a health professional), your insurer must cover those costs as well.
• Out-of-network tests: Out-of-network providers cannot bill patients for charges in excess of what the insurer pays for the testing and related doctors’ visits.
• Telehealth coverage: Do you have employees not eligible for any group plan? Firms with more than 50 employees can now offer them stand-alone telehealth coverage.

Impacts on health plans

You’ll recall that earlier this year, IRS announced that health plans that otherwise qualify as high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) won’t lose that status merely because they cover the cost of COVID-19 testing or treatment before plan deductibles have been met.

And employees in those HDHPs can keep contributing to a health savings account (HSA).

With no end in sight to this pandemic, now’s a good time to make sure you’re in compliance.