Help for Members Impacted by the Severe Weather Emergency in New York

We are making temporary changes to our health plan benefits to help members who live in New York and have been impacted by the flooding emergency there. The changes, outlined below, are in effect for the following areas:

Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Kings, Manhattan, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties – September 29, 2023, through October 28, 2023.

For assistance during this emergency, please call us at 833-285-4030

We are available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. We can help with finding available doctors, refilling prescription drugs, and answering health plan questions.

Accessing care

• If you can’t visit your normal healthcare facilities because of the emergency, you can visit another provider, even if they’re not in your plan’s network. We will pay the claims as if they are in your plan’s network.
• If you need help finding a doctor, call us at 833-285-4030.

Prescription refills

• If your Anthem plan covers your prescription medications, you can receive up to a 30-day emergency refill at any pharmacy. 
• If you use Anthem’s mail-order pharmacy and your address changed, call us at 833-285-4030 so we can make sure to send your medicine to the right place.
• This change also applies for emergency responders who have been activated to the impacted area by their state or local agency but who do not live in the impacted area.

Preapprovals and referrals

• You have more time to request them. There won’t be any late fees. Call 833-285-4030 if you need an extension.

Medical equipment replacements 

• We can help you replace your equipment (also called durable medical equipment or DME). Call us at 833-285-4030.

These relaxed guidelines are in effect for the New York counties listed above. 

The changes also apply to emergency responders who have been activated to the impacted area by their state or local agency, but who do not live in the impacted area.

The time period for updated support and care may change based on the conditions. Please check back here for updates.

These changes are for members with group health plans through their employers, individual and family plans, Medicare, or Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, or Medicare Supplement plans. These changes are not for Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans, which have their own guidelines.

If you need additional support, please call us at 833-285-4030.