Company institutes work from home policy through April 15
Philadelphia, PA — March 13, 2020 — Independence Blue Cross (Independence) announces additional steps the company is taking to help safeguard employees during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
Due to the growing impact of COVID-19 in the region, Independence will require all associates in its Philadelphia-area and New Jersey offices to work remotely from Monday, March 16, through at least Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Only workforce members with business-critical responsibilities that can only be performed onsite will be required to report to the office.
“We remain steadfast in our aim to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our workforce, our members, our customers, and our business,” said Daniel J. Hilferty, Independence CEO. “Our goal remains to minimize the number of people working in our buildings so we can reduce the risk of illness through person-to-person contact. The success of our work-from-home pilot has shown that our associates will surpass any challenge to serve our members and business clients at the highest level.”
During the week of March 2, several Independence departments began working from home to “stress-test” technology. One week later, March 10, the company offered all internal business areas the opportunity to work from home.
Independence continues to closely monitor the situation, here in the region and across the country with fellow Blue plans. Independence is also collaborating with key stakeholders, such as elected officials, public health organizations, health systems, and others.
On March 6, Independence announced its decision to cover and waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and to waive co-pays for telemedicine visits for 90 days (through June 4). More information can be found on the Independence COVID-19 (coronavirus) site. Members are encouraged to visit the site for the latest news and updates.
Media contact:
Diana Quattrone
215-241-3113 (office)
215-815-7828 (cell)
Diana.Quattrone@ibx.com