20-155 Novel Coronavirus Resources and Clinical Guidance
Date: 02/07/20
This information applies to Physicians, Participating Physician Groups (PPGs), Hospitals, and Ancillary providers.
Includes guidelines for testing and reporting
Health Net* encourages providers to be aware of guidelines for testing, reporting and treating cases of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Providers should monitor resources described below as more information becomes available.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for providers
- Limited information is available to characterize the spectrum of clinical illness associated with 2019-nCoV. No vaccine or specific treatment for 2019-nCoV infection is available; care is supportive.
- The CDC clinical criteria for a 2019-nCoV patient under investigation (PUI) have been developed based on what is known about MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV and are subject to change as additional information becomes available.
- Health care providers should obtain a detailed travel history for patients being evaluated with fever and acute respiratory illness.
- Health care providers should immediately notify both infection control personnel at their health care facility and their local or state health department in the event of a PUI for 2019-nCoV.
- Additional guidance for collection, handling and testing of clinical specimens is available at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/.
The above bullet points were adapted from emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00426.asp.
Clinical criteria for evaluating a PUI
Patients should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Interim CDC guidance can be found at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/clinical-criteria.html.
Note, per the CDC guidance, fever may not be present in some patients, such as those who are very young, elderly, immunosuppressed, or taking certain fever-lowering medications.
Action you should take when affecting the Los Angeles County area
Providers should immediately report any patients that meet the criteria for PUIs for 2019-nCoV to LAC DPH Acute Communicable Disease Control (ACDC).
- ACDC approval is required before specimens can be submitted for 2019-nCoV testing.
- The Los Angeles County Health Alert Network (LAHAN) has provided updated guidance on 2019-nCoV testing and evaluation of PUI at publichealth.lacounty.gov/lahan. Providers can subscribe to LAHAN to get more information as it becomes available.
Reporting
Los Angeles County DPH Acute Communicable Disease Control:
- Weekdays 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.: call (213) 240-7941.
- After-hours: call (213) 974-1234 and ask for the physician on call.
Long Beach Health and Human Services:
- Weekdays 8 a.m.–5 p.m.: call (562) 570-4302.
- After hours: call the duty officer at (562) 500-5537.
Pasadena Public Health Department:
- Weekdays 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (closed every other Friday): call (626) 744-6089.
- After hours: call (626) 744-6043.
More resources
CDC coronavirus main website:
- www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
CA DPH coronavirus webpage for providers:
- www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
LAC DPH coronavirus website:
- www.ph.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
LAC DPH coronavirus webpage for providers:
- http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/nCorona2019.htm
The above information related to the Los Angeles County area was adapted from information found at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/lahan/.
Additional information
Providers are encouraged to access Health Net’s provider portal online at provider.healthnet.com for real-time information, including eligibility verification, claims status, prior authorization status, plan summaries, and more.
If you have questions regarding the information contained in this update, contact the Health Net Provider Services Center by county within 60 days at:
Line of business | Telephone number | Email address |
Cal MediConnect – Los Angeles County | 1-855-464-3571 | provider_services@healthnet.com |
Cal MediConnect – San Diego County | 1-855-464-3572 |