This Plan is a health maintenance organization (HMO). OPM requires that FEHB plans be accredited to validate that plan operations and/or care management meet nationally recognized standards. HMSA holds the following accreditation: National Committee for Quality Assurance. To learn more about this plan’s accreditation, please visit the following website
www.ncqa.org. We encourage you to see specific physicians, hospitals, and other providers that contract with us. These Plan providers coordinate your healthcare services. We are solely responsible for the selection of these providers in your area. Contact us for a copy of our most recent provider directory.
HMOs emphasize preventive care such as routine office visits, physical exams, well-baby care, and immunizations, in addition to treatment for illness and injury. Our providers follow generally accepted medical practice when prescribing any course of treatment.
When you receive services from Plan providers, you will not have to submit claim forms or pay bills. You pay only the copayments and coinsurance described in this brochure. When you receive services from non-Plan providers, you may have to submit claim forms.
You should join an HMO because you prefer the plan’s benefits, not because a particular provider is available. You cannot change plans because a provider leaves our Plan. We cannot guarantee that any one physician, hospital, or other provider will be available and/or remain under contract with us.
We have Open Access benefits
Our HMO offers Open Access benefits. This means you can receive covered services from a participating provider without a required referral from your primary care provider or by another participating provider in the network.
We have Point of Service (POS) benefits
Our HMO offers Point-of-Service (POS) benefits. This means you can receive covered services from a non-participating provider. However, out-of-network benefits may have higher out-of-pocket costs than our in-network benefits.
How we pay providers
We have over 3,500 Plan doctors, dentists, and other healthcare providers in Hawaii who agree to keep their charges for covered services below our eligible charge guidelines. When you go to a Plan provider, you will only be responsible for your cost-sharing (copayments, coinsurance, and non-covered services and supplies).
You may go to a non-Plan provider, however, the Plan pays a reduced benefit for certain services from non-Plan providers. You may have to file a claim with us. We will then pay our benefits to you and you must pay the provider. In addition, because non-Plan providers are not under contract to limit their charges, you are responsible for any charges in excess of eligible charges.
Medical Care Outside of Hawaii (BlueCard® Program)
We have a variety of relationships with other Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Licensees. Generally, these relationships are called “Inter-Plan Arrangements.” These Inter-Plan Arrangements work based on rules and procedures issued by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (“Association”). Whenever you access healthcare services outside of Hawaii, the claim for those services may be processed through one of these Inter-Plan Arrangements. The Inter-Plan Arrangements are described below.
When you receive care outside of Hawaii, you will receive it from healthcare providers that have a contractual agreement (i.e., are “participating providers”) with the local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Licensee in that geographic area (“Host Blue”). Some providers (“non-participating providers”) don’t contract with the Host Blue. Our payment practices in both instances are described below.
Inter-Plan Arrangements
Eligibility - Claim Types
All claim types are eligible to be processed through Inter-Plan Arrangements, as described above, except for all dental benefits (except when paid as medical claims/benefits), and those prescription drug benefits or vision benefits that may be administered by a third party contracted by us to provide the specific service or services.
BlueCard® Participating Medical Program
Under the BlueCard® Program, when you receive covered medical services within the geographic area served by a Host Blue, HMSA will remain responsible for doing what we agreed to in the contract. However, the Host Blue is responsible for contracting with and generally handling all interactions with its participating providers.
When you receive covered medical services outside our service area and the claim is processed through the BlueCard Program, the amount you pay for covered medical services is calculated based on the lower of:
- The billed covered charges for your covered services; or
- The negotiated price that the Host Blue makes available to HMSA.
Often, this “negotiated price” will be a simple discount that reflects an actual price that the Host Blue pays to your healthcare provider. Sometimes, it is an estimated price that takes into account special arrangements with your healthcare provider or provider group that may include types of settlements, incentive payments, and/or other credits or charges. Occasionally, it may be an average price, based on a discount that results in expected average savings for similar types of healthcare providers after taking into account the same types of transactions as with an estimated price.
Estimated pricing and average pricing also take into account adjustments to correct for over – or underestimation of past pricing, as noted above. However, such adjustments will not affect the price HMSA has used for your claim because they will not be applied after a claim has already been paid.
Inter-Plan Programs: Federal/State Taxes/Surcharges/Fees
Federal or state laws or regulations may require a surcharge, tax or other fee that applies to accounts. If applicable we will include any such surcharge, tax or other fee as part of the claim charge passed on to you.
Nonparticipating Providers Outside of Hawaii
When covered healthcare services are provided outside of our service area by non-participating providers, the amount you pay for such services will normally be based on either the Host Blue’s non-participating provider local payment or the pricing arrangements required by applicable state law. In these situations, you may be responsible for the difference between the amount that the non-participating provider bills and the payment we will make for the covered healthcare services as set forth in this paragraph. Federal or state law, as applicable, will govern payments for out-of-network emergency services, air ambulance, and certain non-emergent services provided by nonparticipating providers in participating facilities.
In certain situations, we may use other payment methods, such as billed covered charges, the payment we would make if the healthcare services had been obtained within our service area, or a special negotiated payment, to determine the amount we will pay for services provided by non-participating providers. In these situations, you may be liable for the difference between the amount that the non- participating provider bills and the payment we will make for covered healthcare services as set forth in this paragraph.
Benefit payments for covered emergency services provided by nonparticipating providers are a “reasonable amount” as defined by federal law.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Global® Core
If you are outside the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (hereinafter “BlueCard service area”), you may be able to take advantage of Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core when accessing covered medical services. Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core is unlike the BlueCard Program available in the BlueCard services area in certain ways. For instance, although Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core assists you with accessing a network of inpatient, outpatient and professional providers, the network is not served by a Host Blue. As such, when you receive care from providers outside the BlueCard service area, you will typically have to pay the providers and submit the claims yourself to obtain reimbursement for these services. If you need medical assistance services (including locating a doctor or hospital) outside the BlueCard service area, you should call the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core Service Center at 1-800-810-BLUE (1-800-810-2583) or call collect at 1-804-673-1177, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An assistance coordinator, working with a medical professional, can arrange a physician appointment or hospitalization, if necessary.
In most cases, if you contact the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core Service Center for assistance, hospitals will not require you to pay for covered inpatient services, except for your deductible and copayment. In such cases, the hospital will submit your claims to the service center to begin claims processing. However, if you paid in full at the time of service, you must submit a claim to receive reimbursement for covered medical services.
Physicians, urgent care centers and other outpatient providers located outside the BlueCard service area will typically require you to pay in full at the time of service. You must submit a claim to obtain reimbursement for covered medical services.
- Submitting a Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core Claim
When you pay for covered medical services outside the BlueCard service area, you must submit a claim to obtain reimbursement. For institutional and professional claims, you should complete a Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core claim form and send the claim form with the provider’s itemized bill(s) to the service center (the address is on the form) to initiate claims processing. Following the instructions on the claim form will help ensure timely processing of your claim. The claim form is available from HMSA, the service center or online at www.bcbsglobalcore.com. If you need assistance with your claim submission, you should call the service center at (1-800-810-2583) or call collect at 1-804-673-1177, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Dental Providers Outside of Hawaii
You can receive Plan dental benefits when you see a dental provider for covered services outside of Hawaii. To find a participating dentist, please visit our website at www.hmsa.com/federalplan.
Your rights and responsibilities
OPM requires that all FEHB plans provide certain information to their FEHB members. You may get information about us, our networks, our providers, and our facilities. OPM’s FEHB website (www.opm.gov/insure) lists the specific types of information that we must make available to you. Some of the required information is listed below.
- We are currently in compliance with state licensing requirements
- We are in our 85th year of continuous service to the people of Hawaii
- We were founded in 1938 as a non-profit mutual benefit society
You are also entitled to a wide range of consumer protections and have specific responsibilities as a member of this Plan. You can view the complete list of these rights and responsibilities by visiting our website at www.hmsa.com/federalplan. You can also contact us to request that we mail a copy to you.
If you want more information about us, call 808-948-6499, or write to P.O. Box 860, Honolulu, HI 96808. You may also visit our website at www.hmsa.com/federalplan.
By law, you have the right to access your protected health information (PHI). For more information regarding access to PHI, visit our website, HMSA Plan at www.hmsa.com/federalplan to obtain our Notice of Privacy Practices. You can also contact us to request that we mail you a copy of that Notice.
Your medical and claims records are confidential
We will keep your medical and claims records confidential. Please note that we may disclose your medical and claims information (including your prescription drug utilization) to any of your treating physicians or dispensing pharmacies or to administer this Plan.
Service Area
To enroll in this Plan, you must live in our service area. This is where our providers practice. Our service area is the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai and Lanai.
If you or a covered family member permanently move outside of our service area, you must enroll in another health plan. If you or your dependents live out of the area temporarily (for example, if your child goes to college in another state), you may remain in the Plan or you can consider enrolling in a fee-for-service plan or an HMO that has agreements with affiliates in other areas. If you or a family member move, you do not have to wait until Open Season to change plans. Contact your employing or retirement office.