The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) announced it will immediately begin accepting applications for a new limited-benefit Medicaid coverage group to provide reimbursement for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing for those without healthcare coverage. SCDHHS’ COVID-19 Limited Benefit Program was authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and will provide additional financial support to increase access to testing, a critical component of the state’s response to addressing the pandemic, for South Carolinians without other sources of healthcare coverage.
In order to qualify for this new SCDHHS-administered program, an individual must:
• Be uninsured;
• Be a resident of South Carolina;
• Provide a Social Security number; and,
• Have a qualifying citizenship or immigration status.
For testing to be covered by the new COVID-19 Limited Benefit Program, the test must be conducted by a healthcare provider who accepts Healthy Connections Medicaid. Coverage for this group is limited to COVID-19 testing. Testing provided by a healthcare provider who is enrolled in Healthy Connections Medicaid is covered if the test was preformed on or after March 18, 2020. A list of in-network Healthy Connections Medicaid providers is available on SCDHHS’ website.
To apply for this new limited-benefit coverage, visit scdhhs.gov/COVID19, click on “Apply for COVID-19 Limited Benefit Coverage” to download an application, then follow the instructions on the application for how to return it; or, call (888) 549-0820 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday or 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. COVID-19 testing is a covered benefit for current Healthy Connections Medicaid members, including those enrolled in Family Planning, so they do not need to apply for the new program.
SCDHHS has also made a number of temporary policy changes to ensure ongoing access to care during the COVID-19 pandemic, including creating additional ways to submit documents electronically to the agency. For more information regarding those changes, visit scdhhs.gov/COVID19.
Guidance for healthcare providers, including COVID-19 testing fee schedules and billing codes, is also available on SCDHHS’ COVID-19 website. Providers who are not enrolled in Healthy Connections Medicaid can find information on how to enroll as a Healthy Connections Medicaid provider on the provider section of SCDHHS’ website.
SCDHHS’ COVID-19 Limited Benefit Program is being offered in addition to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s (DHEC) statewide testing strategy, which includes a variety of free COVID-19 testing resources. A list of DHEC mobile and popup testing clinics and telehealth virtual providers is available on DHEC’s COVID-19 website.
About the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services provides healthcare benefits to more than one million South Carolinians. Its mission is to purchase the most health for our citizens in need at the least possible cost to the taxpayer.