Vaccines ›
Is the vaccine covered under my benefits?
Yes. The vaccine is covered at $0 under your preventive care benefits.
Who can get the COVID-19 vaccine?
The County of San Diego is currently vaccinating individuals 5 years and older. Individuals between age 5 and 18 may receive the Pfizer vaccine only. You do not need to contact your doctor before your appointment unless you have a specific medical question. We recommend making an appointment at a County of San Diego vaccination station through MyTurn. When you visit their website, it may ask you to select an appointment type. Please select COVID-19. As a reminder, members must access flu vaccines as directed by their Plan Medical Group or they may be billed. You can learn where to get a flu shot here.
How can I get my vaccine?
You can schedule an appointment at a San Diego County vaccination site. These vaccination sites use MyTurn, an online scheduling tool, and those eligible can also call 2-1-1 for help scheduling. For the latest COVID-19 vaccine information, please visit Sharp HealthCare’s website.
CVS Pharmacy™ is now offering same-day appointment scheduling for the COVID-19 vaccine throughout San Diego County. You can schedule an appointment here.
I’m homebound and can't make it to a COVID-19 vaccine clinic. What should I do?
Sharp Health Plan and our plan medical groups are doing outreach to members who have been identified as homebound (or unable to leave their home due to illness or old age) to ensure that anyone who can't get to a COVID-19 vaccination site is still able to get vaccinated. If you are homebound and your primary care physician or plan medical group has not reached out to you to schedule your COVID-19 vaccination, please contact our Customer Care team so that we can assist you.
Is Sharp offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots?
Yes. Sharp is offering booster shots to those who are eligible. To see who is eligible for booster shots at this time, please visit Sharp HealthCare’s website. If you are eligible for a booster shot, it will be covered at $0 under your preventive care benefits.
What is the difference between an additional dose and a booster shot?
To provide the best possible protection for immunocompromised individuals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends an additional (third) dose for those who received either Pfizer or Moderna for their initial series. This third dose is not considered a booster shot. If you are immunocompromised, you are eligible for an additional dose 28 days after the second dose of your Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Research shows that the immune system of many immunocompromised individuals does not produce the same response that a two-shot course produces in healthy people. If you are immunocompromised, the third dose of the vaccine will be covered at $0 under your preventive care benefits.
The CDC and FDA approved booster shots for healthy individuals because research has shown that the vaccine effectiveness begins to wane after 6 months. For more information on booster shots please visit Sharp HealthCare’s website.
How do I replace my lost vaccination card?
Now you can show digital proof of your vaccination. If you were vaccinated in California, go to myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov and enter your info to access it. (We recommend that you use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari for the best experience.)
You can also request proof of vaccination through the San Diego Immunization Registry (SDIR) by filling out the SDIR form. For more information, please contact SDIR at 1-619-692-5656 or sdir.hhsa@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Where can I learn more about the vaccine?
Please visit the County’s website and Sharp HealthCare’s website for up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the vaccine.
About COVID-19 ›
What are the everyday preventive actions I should be taking?
The best way to prevent infection is to get vaccinated. The CDC also recommends these everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory viruses:
- Wear an approved face covering
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you're sick.
- Cover your entire mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. If a tissue is unavailable, cough or sneeze into your bent elbow.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
How can I get free N95 face masks?
The Biden administration is making N95 high-filtration face masks available for free. Three masks will be given out per person pending availability. According to White House officials, a limited number of masks are available now, with more arriving in coming days, and the program will be fully running by early February 2022. Nearly all the pharmacies and community health care centers that participated in the government’s free vaccine program have agreed to be pickup points for the free mask program. This means most major chains, such as CVS Pharmacy®, Rite Aid® and Walgreens® will have them, along with many independent locations. You may want to call in advance to ensure a location has masks available for pickup.
What is Sharp doing to protect patients, visitors and staff during this time?
Sharp HealthCare’s top priority is the safety and well-being of patients, visitors and staff. Please visit sharp.com/coronavirus for the latest information, such as the following:
- Hospital visitation guidelines
- How Sharp is screening and testing patients
- How to get care
- Infection prevention measures
- Sharp classes and events
We encourage you to check
Sharp’s COVID-19 page often for updates.
Where can I get more information?
To learn more about COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency. If you have additional questions, please call 211 San Diego.
We also encourage you to visit sharp.com/coronavirus for the latest information from Sharp.
Access to care ›
When will Sharp HealthCare resume scheduling elective and essential surgeries and procedures?
Sharp has begun the resumption of elective and essential surgeries and procedures, but not at the same levels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have questions about a procedure or surgery that was postponed, please contact your physician.
Can I still go to MinuteClinic?
Yes. You can still visit MinuteClinic®. For additional information, Please visit MinuteClinic (Basic Plan members) or MinuteClinic (Medicare members).
Benefits and coverage ›
Will my benefits cover isolation and quarantine for the diagnosis of COVID-19?
Sharp Health Plan covers medically necessary isolation and quarantine in the hospital. We do not cover home isolation or quarantine.
Contact tracing ›
What is contact tracing?
Contact tracing is a method of disease control that local, state and federal public health officials have been practicing for decades. It helps keep communities safe by identifying people who may have come into contact with an infected person. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contact tracing and self-quarantining of people with COVID-19, and close contacts, is critical to slowing transmission of COVID-19 in our communities. For more information, check out this Sharp Health News article on the importance of contact tracing.
How does contact tracing for COVID-19 work?
If you test positive for COVID-19, your doctor or another health official will let you know. A positive case must be reported to County Public Health Services so that each confirmed case can be used to help identify others who may have been exposed. When a confirmed COVID-19 case is investigated by public health staff, the investigator works with the infected person to identify all close contacts they may have exposed. Contact tracers then attempt to get in touch with these contacts so that they can be self-quarantined at home and monitored for symptoms of COVID-19. For more information, watch this short video from the County of San Diego Communications Office.
Who conducts COVID-19 contact tracing and how?
Contact tracing is conducted by local and state public health officials. If you had contact with someone infected with COVID-19, you may first get a text message from the health department telling you that you’ll get a call from a specific telephone number. When the contact tracer calls, they will identify themselves as being part of the county, and let you know that all information gathered during the contact tracing effort is kept confidential. Contact tracers will not ask you for personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account or credit card information. Anyone who does is a scammer.
How do I spot a contact tracing scam?
According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers pretending to be contact tracers are taking advantage of how the process works, and are also sending text messages. You can spot spam text messages because they’ll ask you to click a link. Unlike a legitimate text message from a health department, which only wants to let you know they’ll be calling, text messages from scammers include a link to click.
Testing and treatment ›
Where can I get tested for COVID-19?
Call your doctor first if you are concerned about possible exposure to COVID-19, or are experiencing symptoms such as a cough, fever or shortness of breath. Your doctor will assess your situation and recommend where you should be seen. In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you stay home and treat mild symptoms. Not all patients need to be tested. Testing is provided based on a risk assessment recommended by the CDC.
Is medically necessary COVID-19 testing covered by my insurance?
Yes. Sharp Health Plan covers COVID-19 testing when an authorized health care provider gives the test or has referred you to get a test for personal diagnosis or treatment. COVID-19 diagnostic testing is covered for members with or without symptoms, whether or not you have been exposed to COVID-19. Medically necessary testing and related items and services are covered at no cost to you.
Is COVID-19 testing required by my employer covered by my insurance?
No. Non-diagnostic testing required for employment or public health surveillance is generally not covered. Non-diagnostic tests are tests related to public health surveillance, general workplace health and safety, or for other purposes not primarily intended for individualized diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19 (e.g., when an employer or other entity requires repeated or mass testing for surveillance or employment purposes).
What is the Test to Treat program?
The United States government created the Test to Treat program as part of its National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan to allow all individuals to be tested for COVID-19 and treated with prescription medication, if needed. In this program, people are able to get tested and – if they are positive and treatments are appropriate for them – receive a prescription from a health care provider, and have their prescription filled all in one location at no cost. These one-stop Test to Treat sites are available at hundreds of locations nationwide, including pharmacy-based clinics, community health centers and long-term care facilities. You can view Test to Treat locations on the California Department of Public Health’s website. If you think you have COVID-19, you can go directly to a Test to Treat location site. No referral is needed from your doctor.
How can I get free at-home COVID-19 tests?
The Biden Administration is distributing a 3rd round of free at-home COVID-19 tests to every home in the U.S. You can order tests online at COVIDTests.gov. Tests will usually ship within 7-12 days of ordering.
Your Medicare Part B benefits also cover up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests each month, at no cost to you, beginning April 4, 2022. You can get your free over-the-counter at-home tests at participating pharmacies. For the best member experience, we recommend checking with your pharmacy first to see if they are participating in this program before going to the store.
Are at-home COVID-19 tests covered by my insurance?
Yes. We recommend that you use one of the free options described above, since they do not require you to make any payments. However, if you do purchase at-home COVID-19 tests, we will reimburse you for a limited number of tests purchased on or after January 15, 2022 with or without a prescription. Tests submitted for reimbursement must be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has lists of approved tests on its website.
How many at-home tests can I submit for reimbursement?
Sharp Health Plan will cover 8 individual at-home COVID-19 tests per month for each member. Tests may be packaged individually or with multiple tests in one package (for example, two tests packaged in one box).
How do I get reimbursed for at-home tests?
To request reimbursement, you’ll need to complete our at-home COVID-19 test member reimbursement form. You will need the brand name and the Universal Product Code (UPC) from the at-home test box to complete the form. An itemized sales receipt is also required. The UPC is listed underneath the barcode and is typically a 12-digit number.
How long will it take to get my reimbursement?
It will take us 30 days from the date we receive your request to process your reimbursement. If your request is approved, you’ll receive a check for your total reimbursement amount by mail. If your request is denied, you will be notified by mail. If you have questions about your reimbursement, please contact Customer Care.
What if I need more than 8 at-home tests per month?
If your provider determines that it is medically necessary for you to purchase more than 8 at-home tests in a single month, then you will need to get a physician’s order from them and submit it along with your member reimbursement form.
Does Sharp Health Plan cover antibody tests for COVID-19?
Sharp Health Plan will cover, without cost share, serological (antibody) tests that are ordered by an in-network physician or authorized provider, medically necessary, and provided by an in-network laboratory. Sharp Health Plan does not cover serological (antibody) tests for return to work or school, general health surveillance, or self-surveillance or self-diagnosis. Please refer to the CDC website for the most recent guidance on antibody testing.
Will Sharp Health Plan cover the cost of COVID-19 treatment?
Yes. Sharp Health Plan is waiving Sharp Direct Advantage members’ out-of-pocket costs for inpatient and outpatient services related to the treatment of COVID-19. This policy applies to all Sharp Direct Advantage members who are diagnosed with COVID-19, and is effective from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. Simply, this means that members will not be billed for services to treat COVID-19.