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Blue Shield of California Offers Assistance to Members Affected by Valley Fire

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (September 15, 2015) — Blue Shield of California continues to closely monitor wildfire conditions throughout the state, including the Valley Fire currently affecting Lake County. We have taken the following actions to help ensure members have continued access to care:

  • Our pharmacy team is allowing members in wildfire-affected areas to immediately refill their prescriptions, even if they are not due to be refilled.



  • We are waving the requirement for affected members to obtain authorization to see a specialist.



  • We have sent materials regarding access to behavioral health services to our account managers so they can distribute to customers in affected areas.



  • We are proactively contacting affected members who are currently working with case managers to ensure continued access to care.



  • We have extended the time period before canceling policy for non-payment.


Affected zip codes currently include 95426, 95451, 95457, 95467, 95448, 95441, 95425, 95461, 94567, 94515 and 94574. We are not aware of any significant impact on Blue Shield’s contracted provider network as a result of the current fire activity.

Members who may have lost or misplaced their identification card can print a temporary card on our website at blueshieldca.com. Alternatively, members can use their mobile device to access our member portal and obtain their membership card information.

We continue to assess the situation and may make further adjustments.

Contact: Sean Barry, 415-229-5359, media@blueshieldca.com

Background on Blue Shield of California

Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health plan with 3.5 million members, 5,800 employees and more than $13 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California provides health, dental, vision, and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company’s mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality care at an affordable price. Blue Shield has contributed more than $325 million over the past ten years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.