As the H1N1 virus continues its spread around Maine, the state's largest private insurance companies are trying to make it easier for people get the vaccine. And - if they still end up sick - to get them the medication to ease symptoms.

Insurers acknowledge this comes at a cost to them. "In this case, it's a longer-term view," says Donald Curry, President of CIGNA in Maine, which along with Anthem, Harvard Pilgrim, Aetna and United Health Care, is waiving copayments, deductibles and co-insurance for vaccines. "What we're trying to do is manage the population as best we can to prevent them from incurring the disease which would lead to future expense and a lot more expense than it would ever cost us, in our case or in anybody's case, to provide the service."

The federal government is providing the H1N1 vaccines for free. But the insurers have to pay nurses to administer the shots at flu clinics for their members.

In addition to fully paying the vaccination reimbursement -- an initiative they've also undertaken in other states where they do business -- insurers have reduced the amount that patients have to pay for the prescriptions of anti-viral medication such as Tamiflu and Relenza.

"If youR insurance doesn't help pay for it, you could be out hundreds of dollars, and I think I've seen estimatess as much as $600, $700 for Tamiflu," says Mila Kofman, the state's insurance superintendent, who praised the voluntary actions of the insurance companies. "The fact that these health plans have waived some of the cost barriers means your out-of-pocket costs as a patient are a lot lower so you can better afford to get treatment once you have a diganosis."

The vaccination effort has been focused a great deal on young people, who do not have the immunity to H1N1 that older adults do. As a result, many of the clinics have taken place at schools, 95 percent of which are offering vaccinations.

Insurance companies are more used to reimbursing vaccinations at doctor's offices and nursing homes, but say they have tried to be accommodating.

"Aetna has adjusted its internal claims processing and its payment policy and reimbursement to insure that there is timely, accurate and prompt payment," says Dr. Joseph Agostini, Medical Director at Aetna. "And that in particular is of help to non-traditional providers who are really out there enhancing access to the vaccine for our members."

The insurers say they are also trying to do their best to educate the public about H1N1 and its symptoms, which include a fever and chills. "We also have a nurse hotline that is available to our members and a Web site that's available to anyone interested," says Dr. Jeff Holstrom, Medical Director for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Maine's largest private insurer. "The nurse hotline receives updates from the CDC and has the latest and greatest as to how this epidemic is evolving and our members have access to very plain and straightforward and easy to understand information on which they can base their health care decisions."

A sixth major insurance carrier in Maine, MEGA Life and Health, is not waiving vaccine fees for customers. Members of MaineCare, Maine's public health insurance program, do not have a co-payment for vaccines.

If you're privately insured, and want more details on how your health plan is going to handle H1N1, click on the appropriate link below.

Bureau of Insurance Web site at www.maine.gov/insurance.
Aetna: www.aetna.com
Anthem: www.anthem.com
Cigna:www.cigna.com
Harvard Pilgrim: www.harvardpilgrim.org/
United Health Care: www.uhc.com