• No pre-existing condition limitation

• Minimum essential coverage (MEC)

Coverage under this plan qualifies as minimum essential coverage. Please visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website at www.irs.gov/uac/Questions-and-Answers-on-the-Individual-Shared-Responsibility-Provision for more information on the individual requirement for MEC.

• Minimum value standard

Our health coverage meets the minimum value standard of 60% established by the ACA. This means that we provide benefits to cover at least 60% of the total allowed costs of essential health benefits. The 60% standard is an actuarial value; your specific out-of-pocket costs are determined as explained in this brochure.

• Where you can get information about enrolling in the FEHB Program

See www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance for enrollment information as well as:

• Information on the FEHB Program and plans available to you
• A health plan comparison tool
• A list of agencies that participate in Employee Express
• A link to Employee Express
• Information on and links to other electronic enrollment systems

Also, your employing or retirement office can answer your questions, and give you brochures for other plans and other materials you need to make an informed decision about your FEHB coverage. These materials tell you:

• When you may change your enrollment
• How you can cover your family members
• What happens when you transfer to another Federal agency, go on leave without pay, enter military service, or retire
• What happen when your enrollment ends
• When the next Open Season for enrollment begins

We don’t determine who is eligible for coverage and, in most cases, cannot change your enrollment status without information from your employing or retirement office. For information on your premium deductions, you must also contact your employing or retirement office.

• Types of coverage available for you and your family

Self Only coverage is for you alone. Self Plus One coverage is for you and one eligible family member. Self and Family coverage is for you, and one eligible family member, or your spouse, and your dependent children under age 26, including any foster children authorized for coverage by your employing agency or retirement office. Under certain circumstances, you may also continue coverage for a disabled child 26 years of age or older who is incapable of self-support.

If you have a Self Only enrollment, you may change to a Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment if you marry, give birth, or add a child to your family. You may change your enrollment 31 days before to 60 days after that event. The Self and Family and Self Plus One enrollment begins on the first day of the pay period in which the child is born or becomes an eligible family member. When you change to Self and Family because you marry, the change is effective on the first day of the pay period that begins after your employing office receives your enrollment form. Benefits will not be available to your spouse until you are married. A carrier may request that an enrollee verify the eligibility of any or all family members listed as covered under the enrollee's FEHB enrollment.

Your employing or retirement office will not notify you when a family member is no longer eligible to receive benefits, nor will we. Please tell us immediately of changes in family member status including your marriage, divorce, annulment, or when your child reaches age 26.

If you or one of your family members is enrolled in one FEHB plan, you or they cannot be not be enrolled in or covered as a family member by another enrollee in another FEHB plan.

If you have a qualifying life event (QLE) - such as marriage, divorce, or the birth of a child - outside of the Federal Benefits Open Season, you may be eligible to enroll in the FEHB Program, change your enrollment, or cancel coverage.  For a complete list of QLEs, visit the FEHB website at www.opm.gov/heathcare-insurance/life-events.  If you need assistance, please contact your employing agency, Tribal Benefits Officer, personnel/payroll office, or retirement office.

• Family member coverage

Family members covered under your Self and Family enrollment are your spouse (including your spouse by valid common-law marriage if you reside in a state that recognizes common-law marriages) and children as described in the chart below. A Self Plus One enrollment covers you and your spouse, or one other eligible family member as described in the chart below.

Natural children, adopted children, and stepchildren
Coverage: Natural children, adopted children, and stepchildren are covered until their 26th birthday.

Foster children
Coverage: Foster children are eligible for coverage until their 26th birthday if you provide documentation of your regular and substantial support of the child and sign a certification stating that your foster child meets all the requirements. Contact your human resources office or retirement system for additional information.

Children incapable of self-support
Coverage: Children who are incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability that began before age 26 are eligible to continue coverage. Contact your human resources office or retirement system for additional information.

Married children
Coverage: Married children (but NOT their spouse or their own children) are covered until their 26th birthday.

Children with or eligible for employer-provided health insurance
Coverage: Children who are eligible for or have their own employer-provided health insurance are covered until their 26th birthday.

Newborns of covered children are insured only for routine nursery care during the covered portion of the mother's maternity stay.

You can find additional information at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance.

• Children’s Equity Act

OPM has implemented the Federal Employees Health Benefits Children’s Equity Act of 2000. This law mandates that you be enrolled for Self Plus One or Self and Family coverage in the FEHB Program, if you are an employee subject to a court or administrative order requiring you to provide health benefits for your child(ren).

If this law applies to you, you must enroll in Self Plus One or Self and Family coverage in a health plan that provides full benefits in the area where your children live or provide documentation to your employing office that you have obtained other health benefits coverage for your children. If you do not do so, your employing office will enroll you involuntarily as follows:

• If you have no FEHB coverage, your employing office will enroll you for Self Plus One or Self and Family coverage, as appropriate, in the lowest-cost nationwide plan option as determined by OPM.
• If you have a Self Only enrollment in a fee-for-service plan or in an HMO that serves the area where your children live, your employing office will change your enrollment to Self Plus One or Self and Family, as appropriate, in the same option of the same plan; or
• If you are enrolled in an HMO that does not serve the area where the children live, your employing office will change your enrollment to Self Plus One or Self and Family, as appropriate, in the lowest-cost nationwide plan option as determined by OPM.

As long as the court/administrative order is in effect, and you have at least one child identified in the order who is still eligible under the FEHB Program, you cannot cancel your enrollment, change to Self Only, or change to a plan that does not serve the area in which your children live, unless you provide documentation that you have other coverage for the children.

If the court/administrative order is still in effect when you retire, and you have at least one child still eligible for FEHB coverage, you must continue your FEHB coverage into retirement (if eligible) and cannot cancel your coverage, change to Self Only, or change to a plan that does not serve the area in which your children live as long as the court/administrative order is in effect. Similarly, you cannot change to Self Plus One if the court/administrative order identifies more than one child. Contact your employing office for further information.

• When benefits and premiums start

The benefits in this brochure are effective January 1. If you joined this Plan during Open Season, your coverage begins on the first day of your first pay period that starts on or after January 1. If you changed plans or plan options during Open Season and you receive care between January 1 and the effective date of coverage under your new plan or option, your claims will be processed according to the 2021 benefits of your prior plan or option. If you have met (or pay cost-sharing that results in your meeting) the out-of-pocket maximum under the prior plan or option, you will not pay cost-sharing for services covered between January 1 and the effective date of coverage with your new plan or option. However, if your prior plan left the FEHB Program at the end of the year, you are covered under that plan’s 2020 benefits until the effective date of your coverage with your new plan.  Annuitants’ coverage and premiums begin on January 1. If you joined at any other time during the year, your employing office will tell you the effective date of coverage.

If your enrollment continues after you are no longer eligible for coverage, (i.e. you have separated from Federal service) and premiums are not paid, you will be responsible for all benefits paid during the period in which premiums were not paid. You may be billed for services received directly from the provider. You may be billed for services received directly from your provider. You may be prosecuted for fraud for knowingly using health insurance benefits for which you have not paid premiums. It is your responsibility to know when you or a family member are no longer eligible to use your health insurance coverage.

• When you retire

• When FEHB coverage ends

You will receive an additional 31 days of coverage, for no additional premium, when:

• Your enrollment ends, unless you cancel your enrollment; or
• You are a family member no longer eligible for coverage.

Any person covered under the 31 day extension of coverage who is confined in a hospital or other institution for care or treatment on the 31^st day of the temporary extension is entitled to continuation of the benefits of the Plan during the continuance of the confinement but not beyond the 60^th day after the end of the 31 day temporary extension.

• Upon divorce

If you are divorced from a Federal employee, or annuitant, you may not continue to get benefits under your former spouse’s enrollment. This is the case even when the court has ordered your former spouse to provide health coverage for you. However, you may be eligible for your own FEHB coverage under either the spouse equity law or Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC). If you are recently divorced or are anticipating a divorce, contact your ex-spouse’s employing or retirement office to get information about your coverage choices. You can also visit OPM’s Web site, www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/guides. A carrier may request that an enrollee verify the eligibility of any or all family members listed as covered under the enrollee's FEHB enrollment.

• Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC)

If you leave Federal service, Tribal employment, or if you lose coverage because you no longer qualify as a family member, you may be eligible for Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC). The Affordable Care Act (ACA) did not eliminate TCC or change the TCC rules. For example, you can receive TCC if you are not able to continue your FEHB enrollment after you retire, if you lose your Federal or Tribal job, if you are a covered dependent child and you turn 26, etc.

You may not elect TCC if you are fired from your Federal or Tribal job due to gross misconduct.

Enrolling in TCC. Get the RI 79-27, which describes TCC, from your employing or retirement office or from www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance . It explains what you have to do to enroll.

Alternatively, you can buy coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace where, depending on your income, you could be eligible for a new kind of tax credit that lowers your monthly premiums. Visit www.HealthCare.gov to compare plans and see what your premium, deductible, and out-of-pocket costs would be before you make a decision to enroll. Finally, if you qualify for coverage under another group health plan (such as your spouse's plan), you may be able to enroll in that plan, as long as you apply within 30 days of losing FEHB Program coverage.

We also want to inform you that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) did not eliminate TCC or change TCC rules.

• Converting to individual coverage

You may convert to a non-FEHB individual policy if:

• Your coverage under TCC or the spouse equity law ends (If you canceled your coverage or did not pay your premium, you cannot convert);
• You decided not to receive coverage under TCC or the spouse equity law; or
• You are not eligible for coverage under TCC or the spouse equity law.

If you leave Federal or Tribal service, your employing office will notify you of your right to convert. You must contact us in writing within 31 days after you receive this notice. However, if you are a family member who is losing coverage, the employing or retirement office will not notify you. You must contact us in writing within 31 days after you are no longer eligible for coverage.

Your benefits and rates will differ from those under the FEHB Program; however, you will not have to answer questions about your health, waiting period will not be imposed, and your coverage will not be limited due to pre-existing conditions. 

When you contact us, we will assist you in obtaining information about health benefits coverage inside or outside the ACA's Health Insurance Marketplace in your state. For assistance in finding coverage, please contact us at (800) 880-8086 or visit our website at http://www.blueshieldca.com/federal.

• Health Insurance Marketplace

If you would like to purchase health insurance through the ACA’s Health Insurance Marketplace, please visit www.HealthCare.gov.This is a website provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides up-to-date information on the Marketplace.

We will send you an identification (ID) card when you enroll. You should carry your ID card with you at all times. You must show it whenever you receive services from a Plan provider, or fill a prescription at a Plan pharmacy. Until you receive your ID card, use your copy of the Health Benefits Election Form, SF-2809, your health benefits enrollment confirmation (for annuitants), or your electronic enrollment system (such as Employee Express) confirmation letter.

If you do not receive your ID card within 30 days after the effective date of your enrollment, or if you need replacement cards, call us at (800) 880-8086. You may also request cards through our website www.blueshieldca.com

Plan providers are physicians and other health care professionals in our service area that we contract with to provide covered services to our members. All Plan providers are credentialed, according to national standards.

We list Plan providers in the provider directory, which we update periodically. The list is also on our website, www.blueshieldca.com/federal.

Your primary care physician can be a general practitioner, family practitioner, internist, pediatrician, or an OB/GYN. Your primary care physician will provide most of your health care, or give you a referral to see a specialist.

If you want to change primary care physicians or if your primary care physician or IPA/Medical Group leaves the Plan, call us at (800) 880-8086. We will help you select a new one.

Specialty care

Your primary care physician will refer you to a specialist for needed care. When you receive a referral from your primary care physician, you must return to the primary care physician after the consultation, unless your primary care physician authorized a certain number of visits without additional referrals. The primary care physician must provide or authorize all follow-up care. Do not go to the specialist for return visits unless your primary care physician gives you a referral.

The exceptions to this are:

1. for true medical emergencies;
2. when another physician is on call for your physician;
3. when you self-refer to an Access+ HMO participating specialist (not applicable to infertility, emergency and urgent care and allergy services; mental health and substance use Access+ HMO specialist care must be provided by a provider in Blue Shield's Mental Health Services Administrator (MHSA) network. (see page 57 for details.); 
4. OB/GYN services provided by an obstetrician/gynecologist or family practitioner within the same IPA/Medical Group as your primary care physician.

In all other instances, referral to a specialist is done at the primary care physician’s direction; if non-Plan specialists or consultants are required, the primary care physician will arrange appropriate referrals.

Here are other things you should know about specialty care:

• If you need to see a specialist frequently because of a chronic, complex or serious medical condition, your primary care physician will develop a treatment plan with you that allows an adequate number of direct access visits with that specialist. Your primary care physician will use our criteria when creating your treatment plan.
• Your primary care physician will create your treatment plan. The physician may have to get an authorization or approval from us beforehand. If you are seeing a specialist when you enroll in our Plan, talk to your primary care physician. If he or she decides to refer you to a specialist, ask if you can see your current specialist. If your current specialist does not participate with us, you must receive treatment from a specialist who does. We will not pay for you to see a specialist who does not participate with our Plan, unless your primary care physician refers you to a non-Plan specialist for a second opinion.
• If you are seeing a specialist and your specialist leaves the Plan, call your primary care physician, who will arrange for you to see another specialist. You may receive services from your current specialist until we can make arrangements for you to see someone else.
• If you have a chronic or disabling condition and lose access to your specialist because we:
  • terminate our contract with your specialist for other than cause;
  • drop out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and you enroll in another FEHB plan; or
  • reduce our service area and you enroll in another FEHB plan;

You may be able to continue seeing your specialist for up to 90 days or when clinically appropriate after you receive notice of the change. Contact us or, if we drop out of the program, contact your new Plan.

If you are in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and you lose access to your specialist based on the above circumstances, you can continue to see your specialist until the end of your postpartum care, even if it is beyond the 90 days. Contact us to coordinate care for these types of cases.

If you are a new Blue Shield of California Access+ HMO member and are currently receiving treatment for a qualifying medical condition from a provider who is not in our network, you may be eligible to complete treatment of your condition with the provider. Or, if you are an existing member and are currently receiving treatment for a qualifying medical condition from a provider who is leaving our network, you may be eligible to complete treatment of your condition with the provider. In order to receive more information about continuity of care and qualifying medical conditions and situations, please contact us at (800) 880-8086 and we will assist you.    

Continuity of care is also available if you are currently receiving services for a serious mental health condition. To obtain further information, please contact our Mental Health Services Administrator (MHSA) directly by calling their Member Services at (877) 263-9952.

We have made arrangements for an added benefit for you and your family for your urgent care needs when you or your family are temporarily traveling outside of your primary care physician’s service area.

When you are traveling outside of California, you can get urgent care services across the country and around the world through the BlueCard® Program. While traveling within the United States, you can locate a BlueCard provider any time by calling 1-800-810-BLUE (2583) or by going to www.blueshieldca.com/federal. If you are traveling outside of the United States you can call (804) 673-1177 collect 24 hours a day to locate BlueCard Worldwide® Network Provider.

If you need urgent care while in your primary care physician's service area, you must first call your primary care physician. If your primary care physician (or your assigned medical group) has provided instructions to seek in-area urgent care at a local urgent care clinic you may do so without calling your primary care physician first.

We pay for covered services from the effective date of your enrollment.  However, if you are in the hospital when your enrollment in our plan begins, call our member service department immediately at (800) 880-8086. If you are new to the FEHB Program, we will arrange for you to receive care and provide benefits for your covered services while you are in the hospital beginning on the effective date of your coverage.

If you changed from another FEHB Plan to us, your former Plan will pay for the hospital stay until:

• you are discharged, not merely moved to an alternative care center;
• the day your benefits from your former Plan run out; or
• the 92^nd day after you become a member of this Plan, whichever happens first.

• Gender dysphoria

The Plan provides coverage for Medically Necessary services for the treatment of gender dysphoria. This includes medical and mental health benefits, as well as benefits for surgical procedures related to gender reassignment with prior authorization. Travel and lodging expenses may also be covered when necessary to obtain Covered Services and authorized in advance by Blue Shield of California.

Since your primary care physician arranges most referrals to specialists and inpatient hospitalization, the pre-service claim approval process only applies to care shown under Other services.

Other services

Your primary care physician has authority to refer you for most services.  For certain services, however, your physician must obtain prior approval from us.  Before giving approval, we consider if the service is covered, medically necessary, and follows generally accepted medical practice. 

Your primary care physician must obtain a preauthorization from us for: (1) selected drugs and drug dosages which require prior authorization for medical necessity, including most specialty drugs, (2) growth hormone therapy (GHT) (3) organ transplants (4) bone marrow transplants (5) cancer clinical trials (6) skilled nursing facility care and hospice care and (7) mental health and substance misuse services.

Refer to Section 5(b) for the preauthorization process for organ and bone marrow transplants.

Refer to Section 5(c) for preauthorization process for extended care/skilled nursing care facility and hospice care benefits.

Refer to Section 5(e) for preauthorization process for mental health and substance misuse benefits.

Refer to Section 5(f) for preauthorization process for drugs and drug dosages including home self-administered injectable drugs.

First, your physician, your hospital, you, or your representative, must call us at (800) 880-8086 before admission or services requiring prior authorization are rendered.

Next, provide the following information:

• enrollee’s name and Plan identification number;
• patient’s name, birth date, identification number and phone number;
• reason for hospitalization, proposed treatment, or surgery;
• name and phone number of admitting physician;
• name of hospital or facility; and
• number of days requested for hospital stay

Non-urgent care claims

For non-urgent care claims, we will tell the physician and/or hospital the number of approved inpatient days, or the care that we approve for other services that must have prior authorization.  We will make our decision within 15 days of receipt of the pre-service claim.  If matters beyond our control require an extension of time, we may take up to an additional 15 days for review and we will notify you of the need for an extension of time before the end of the original 15-day period.  Our notice will include the circumstances underlying the request for the extension and the date when a decision is expected.

If we need an extension because we have not received necessary information from you, our notice will describe the specific information required and we will allow you up to 60 days from the receipt of the notice to provide the information.

Urgent care claims

If you have an urgent care claim (i.e., when waiting for the regular time limit for your medical care or treatment could seriously jeopardize your life, health, or ability to regain maximum function, or in the opinion of a physician with knowledge of your medical condition, would subject you to severe pain that cannot be adequately managed without this care or treatment), we will expedite our review and notify you of our decision within 72 hours.  If you request that we review your claim as an urgent care claim, we will review the documentation you provide and decide whether or not it is an urgent care claim by applying the judgment of a prudent layperson that possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine.

If you fail to provide sufficient information, we will contact you within 24 hours after we receive the claim to let you know what information we need to complete our review of the claim.  You will then have up to 48 hours to provide the required information.  We will make our decision on the claim within 48 hours of (1) the time we received the additional information or (2) the end of time frame, whichever is earlier.

We may provide our decision orally within these time frames, but we will follow up with written or electronic notification within three days of oral notification.

You may request that your urgent care claim on appeal be reviewed simultaneously by us and OPM.  Please let us know that you would like a simultaneous review of your urgent care claim by OPM either in writing at the time you appeal our initial decision, or by calling us at (800) 880-8086.  You may also call OPM's FEHB 2 at (202) 606-3818 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time to ask for the simultaneous review.  We will cooperate with OPM so they can quickly review your claim on appeal.  In addition, if you did not indicate that your claim was a claim for urgent care, call us at (800) 880-8086. If it is determined that your claim is an urgent care claim, we will expedite our review (if we have not yet responded to your claim).

Concurrent care claims

A concurrent care claim involves care provided over a period of time or over a number of treatments. We will treat any reduction or termination of our pre-approved course of treatment before the end of the approved period of time or number of treatments as an appealable decision. This does not include reduction or termination due to benefit changes or if your enrollment ends. If we believe a reduction or termination is warranted, we will allow you sufficient time to appeal and obtain a decision from us before the reduction or termination takes effect.

 If you request an extension of an ongoing course of treatment at least 24 hours prior to the expiration of the approved time period and this is also an urgent care claim, then we will make a decision within 24 hours after we receive the claim.

The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program - FSAFEDS

• Health Care FSA (HCFSA) – Reimburses you for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses (such as copayments, deductibles, physician prescribed over-the-counter drugs and medications, vision and dental expenses, and much more) for you and your tax dependents, including adult children (through the end of the calendar year in which they turn 26).
• FSAFEDS offers paperless reimbursement for your HCFSA through a number of FEHB and FEDVIP plans. This means that when you or your provider files claims with your FEHB or FEDVIP plan, FSAFEDS will automatically reimburse your eligible out-of-pocket expenses based on the claim information it receives from your plan.

If your treatment needs to be extended

If you request an extension of an ongoing course of treatment at least 24 hours prior to the expiration of the approved time period and this is also an urgent care claim, we will make a decision within 24 hours after we receive the claim.

If you have a pre-service claim and you do not agree with our decision regarding precertification of an inpatient admission or prior approval of other services, you may request a review in accord with the procedures detailed below.

To reconsider a non-urgent care claim

Within 6 months of our initial decision, you may ask us in writing to reconsider our initial decision.  Follow Step 1 of the disputed claims process detailed in Section 8 of this brochure. 

In the case of a pre-service claim and subject to a request for additional information, we have 30 days from the date we receive your written request for reconsideration to

1. Pre-certify your hospital stay or, if applicable, arrange for the health care provider to give you the care or grant your request for prior approval for a service, drug, or supply; or

2. Ask you or your provider for more information.

You or your provider must send the information so that we receive it within 60 days of our request.  We will then decide within 30 more days.

If we do not receive the information within 60 days, we will decide within 30 days of the date the information was due.  We will base our decision on the information we already have.  We will write to you with our decision.

3. Write to you and maintain our denial.

In the case of an appeal of a pre-service urgent care claim, within 6 months of our initial decision, you may ask us in writing to reconsider our initial decision.  Follow Step 1 of the disputed claims process detailed in Section 8 of this brochure. 

Copayments

A copayment is a fixed amount of money you pay to the provider, facility, pharmacy, etc., when you receive certain services.

Example: When you see your primary care physician, you pay a copayment of $30 per office visit.

Coinsurance is the percentage of our allowable fee that you must pay for your care.

Deductible

We do not have a calendar year deductible.

Your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum

After your (co-payments and your coinsurance) total $3,000 for Self Only or $3,000 per person for Self Plus One or $6,000 per Self and Family enrollment in any calendar year, you do not have to pay any more for covered services. However, the following services do not count toward your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum, and you must continue to pay co-payments and/or coinsurance for these services:

1. infertility services 

Be sure to keep accurate records of your co-payments and coinsurance since you are responsible for informing us when you reach the maximum. You must notify Blue Shield Member Services in writing when you feel that your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum has been reached. At that time, you must submit complete and accurate records to us substantiating your copay and/or coinsurance expenditures. Receipts and/or statements must include: name of patient, date of service and amount paid.

Send information to:

Blue Shield of California
Member Services
P.O. Box 272550
Chico, CA 95927

or

Fax: to 916-650-8780

For assistance call us at (800) 880-8086.

Carryover

If you changed to this Plan during open season from a Plan with a catastrophic protection benefit and the effective date of the change was after January 1, any expenses that would have applied to that Plan’s catastrophic protection benefit during the prior year will be covered by your prior Plan if they are for care you received in January before your effective date of coverage in this Plan. If you have already met your prior Plan’s catastrophic protection benefit level in full, it will continue to apply until the effective date of your coverage in this Plan. If you have not met this expense level in full, your prior Plan will first apply your covered out-of-pocket expenses until the prior year’s catastrophic level is reached and then apply the catastrophic protection benefit to covered out-of-pocket expenses incurred from that point until the effective date of your coverage in this Plan. Your prior Plan will pay these covered expenses according to this year’s benefits; benefit changes are effective January 1.

Note: If you change options in this Plan during the year, we will credit the amount of covered expenses already accumulated towards the catastrophic out-of-pocket limit of your old option to the catastrophic protection limit of your new option.

Preauthorization

Prior authorization is required for all non-emergency mental health and substance misuse hospital admissions including acute inpatient care and residental care.

Non-routine outpatient mental health services, including, but not limited to, Behavioral Health Treatment, Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Psychological Testing and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) must also be prior authorized by the MHSA.

To be eligible to receive these benefits you must follow your approved treatment plan and all the following authorization processes:

To obtain an authorization, call Blue Shield’s Mental Health Services Administrator (MHSA) at 877-263-9952. You should continue to identify yourself as a Blue Shield member and use your Blue Shield identification card and identification numbers when contacting the MHSA or its participating providers.

Your health care provider should contact Blue Shield’s Mental Health Services Administrator (MHSA) at 877-263-9952 to obtain information about joining the MHSA network, obtaining an authorization for your treatment, or to speak with a member of MHSA’s clinical staff about issues related to this benefit or your care.

If you would like a copy of a provider directory, you can contact the Blue Shield Member Services Department at (800) 880-8086.

OPM will base its review of disputes about treatment plans on the treatment plan's clinical appropriateness. OPM will generally not order us to pay or provide one clinically appropriate treatment plan in favor of another.

Medical and hospital benefits

In most cases, providers and facilities file claims for you. Providers must file on the form CMS-1500, Health Insurance Claim Form. Facilities will file on the UB-04 form. For claims questions and assistance, contact us at (800) 880-8086 or see our website at www.blueshieldca.com/federal.

When you must file a claim -- such as for out-of-area care -- submit it on the CMS-1500 or a claim form that includes the information shown below. Bills and receipts should be itemized and show:

• Covered member’s name date of birth, address, phone number and ID number
• Name and address of the provider or facility that provided the service or supply
• Dates you received the services or supplies
• Diagnosis
• Type of each service or supply
• The charge for each service or supply
• A copy of the explanation of benefits, payments, or denial from any primary payer --such as the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN)
• Receipts, if you paid for your services

Note: Canceled checks, cash register receipts, or balance due statements are not acceptable substitutes for itemized bills. 

Submit your claims to:

Blue Shield of California
Member Services
P.O. Box 272550
Chico, CA  95927

We will notify you of our decision within 30 days after we receive the claim. If matters beyond our control require an extension of time, we may take up to an additional 15 days for review as long as we notify you before the expiration of the original 30-day period. Our notice will include the circumstances underlying the request for the extension and the date when a decision is expected.

If we need an extension because we have not received necessary information from you, our notice will describe the specific information required and we will allow you up to 60 days from the receipt of the notice to provide the information.

If you do not agree with our initial decision, you may ask us to review it by following the disputed claims process detailed in Section 8 of this brochure.

If you live in a county where at least 10 percent of the population is literate only in a non-English language (as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services), we will provide language assistance in that non-English language.  You can request a copy of your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statement, related correspondence, oral language services (such as telephone customer assistance), and help with filing claims and appeals (including external reviews) in the applicable non-English language.  The English versions of your EOBs and related correspondence will include information in the non-English language about how to access language services in that non-English language.

Ask us in writing to reconsider our initial decision.  You must:

a) Write to us within 6 months from the date of our decision; and

b) Send your request to us at: Blue Shield of California, Member Services Department, P.O. Box 272550, Chico, Ca 95927. You may call our member service department at (800) 880-8086; and

c) Include a statement about why you believe our initial decision was wrong, based on specific benefit provisions in this brochure; and

d) Include copies of documents that support your claim, such as physicians' letters, operative reports, bills, medical records, and explanation of benefits (EOB) forms.

e) Include your email address (optional for member), if you would like to receive our decision via email.  Please note that by giving us your email, we may be able to provide our decision more quickly.

We will provide you, free of charge and in a timely manner, with any new or additional evidence considered, relied upon, or generated by us or at our direction in connection with your claim and any new rationale for our claim decision.  We will provide you with this information sufficiently in advance of the date that we are required to provide you with our reconsideration decision to allow you a reasonable opportunity to respond to us before that date.  However, our failure to provide you with new evidence or rationale in sufficient time to allow you to timely respond shall not invalidate our decision on reconsideration.  You may respond to that new evidence or rationale at the OPM review stage described in step 4.

In the case of a post-service claim, we have 30 days from the date we receive your request to:

a) Pay the claim or  

b) Write to you and maintain our denial or.

c) Ask you or your provider for more information

You or your provider must send the information so that we receive it within 60 days of our request.  We will then decide within 30 more days.

If we do not receive the information within 60 days we will decide within 30 days of the date the information was due.  We will base our decision on the information we already have.  We will write to you with our decision

3

 If you do not agree with our decision, you may ask OPM to review it.

You must write to OPM within:

• 90 days after the date of our letter upholding our initial decision; or
• 120 days after you first wrote to us -- if we did not answer that request in some way within 30 days; or
• 120 days after we asked for additional information.

Write to OPM at: United States Office of Personnel Management, Healthcare and Insurance, Federal Employee Insurance Operations, FEHB 2, 1900 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20415-3620. 

Send OPM the following information:

• A statement about why you believe our decision was wrong, based on specific benefit provisions in this brochure;
• Copies of documents that support your claim, such as physicians' letters, operative reports, bills, medical records, and explanation of benefits (EOB) forms;
• Copies of all letters you sent to us about the claim;
• Copies of all letters we sent to you about the claim; and
• Your daytime phone number and the best time to call.
• Your email address, if you would like to receive OPM’s decision via email.  Please note that by providing your email address, you may receive OPM’s decision more quickly.

Note:  If you want OPM to review more than one claim, you must clearly identify which documents apply to which claim.

Note:  You are the only person who has a right to file a disputed claim with OPM.  Parties acting as your representative, such as medical providers, must include a copy of your specific written consent with the review request.  However, for urgent care claims, a health care professional with knowledge of your medical condition may act as your authorized representative without your express consent.

Note:  The above deadlines may be extended if you show that you were unable to meet the deadline because of reasons beyond your control.

OPM will review your disputed claim request and will use the information it collects from you and us to decide whether our decision is correct.  OPM will send you a final decision within 60 days.  There are no other administrative appeals.

If you do not agree with OPM’s decision, your only recourse is to sue.  If you decide to file a lawsuit, you must file the suit against OPM in Federal court by December 31 of the third year after the year in which you received the disputed services, drugs, or supplies or from the year in which you were denied precertification or prior approval.  This is the only deadline that may not be extended.

OPM may disclose the information it collects during the review process to support their disputed claim decision.  This information will become part of the court record.

You may not file a lawsuit until you have completed the disputed claims process.  Further, Federal law governs your lawsuit, benefits, and payment of benefits.  The Federal court will base its review on the record that was before OPM when OPM decided to uphold or overturn our decision.  You may recover only the amount of benefits in dispute.

You must tell us if you or a covered family member has coverage under any other health plan or has automobile insurance that pays health care expenses without regard to fault. This is called “double coverage.”

When you have double coverage, one plan normally pays its benefits in full as the primary payer and the other plan pays a reduced benefit as the secondary payer.  We, like other insurers, determine which coverage is primary according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) guidelines.  For more information on NAIC rules regarding the coordinating of benefits, visit our web site at www.blueshieldca.com/federal

When we are the primary payer, we will pay the benefits described in this brochure.

Medicaid

When you have this Plan and Medicaid, we pay first.

Suspended FEHB coverage to enroll in Medicaid or a similar state-sponsored program of medical assistance: If you are an annuitant or former spouse, you can suspend your FEHB coverage to enroll in one of these state programs, eliminating your FEHB premium.  For information on suspending your FEHB enrollment, contact your retirement office.  If you later want to re-enroll in the FEHB Program, generally you may do so only at the next Open Season unless you involuntarily lose coverage under the state program.

Workers’ Compensation

We do not cover services that:

• You (or a covered family member) need because of a workplace-related illness or injury that the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) or a similar federal or state agency determines they must provide; or
• OWCP or a similar agency pays for through a third-party injury settlement or other similar proceeding that is based on a claim you filed under OWCP or similar laws.

Once OWCP or similar agency pays its maximum benefits for your treatment, we will cover your care.

TRICARE is the health care program for eligible dependents of military persons, and retirees of the military.  TRICARE includes the CHAMPUS program.  CHAMPVA provides health coverage to disabled Veterans and their eligible dependents.  IF TRICARE or CHAMPVA and this Plan cover you, we pay first.  See your TRICARE or CHAMPVA Health Benefits Advisor if you have questions about these programs.

When other Government agencies are responsible for your care

We do not cover services and supplies when a local, state, or federal government agency directly or indirectly pays for them.

Our right to pursue and receive subrogation and reimbursement recoveries is a condition of, and a limitation on, the nature of the benefits under our coverage.

If you have received benefits or benefit payments as a result of injury or illness and you or your representatives, heirs, administrators, successors, or assignees receive payment from any party that may be liable, a third party's insurance policies, your own insurance policies, or a workers' compensation program or policy, you must reimburse us out of that payment. Our right to reimbursement extends to any payment received by settlement, judgment, or otherwise.

We are entitled to reimbursement to the extent of the benefits we have paid or provided in connection with your injury or illness. However, we will cover the cost of treatment that exceeds the amount of the payment you received.

Reimbursement to us out of the payment shall take first priority (before any of the rights of any other party are honored) and is not impacted by how the judgment, settlement, or other recovery is characterized, designated, or apportioned. Our right of reimbursement is not subject to attorney fee or costs under the "common fund" doctrine and is fully enforceable regardless of whether you are "made whole"  or fully compensated for the full amount of damages claimed.

We may, at our option, chose to exercise our right of subrogation and pursue a recovery from any liable party as a successor to your rights.

If you do pursue a claim or case related to your injury or illness, you must promptly notify us and cooperate with our reimbursement or subrogation efforts.

Clinical trials

An approved clinical trial includes a phase I, phase II, phase III, or phase IV clinical trial that is conducted in relation to the prevention, detection, or treatment of cancer or other life-threatening disease or condition and is either Federally funded; conducted under an investigational new drug application reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration; or is a drug trial that is exempt from the requirement of an investigational new drug application. 

If you are a participant in a clinical trial, this health plan will provide related care as follows, if it is not provided by the clinical trial:

• Routine care costs – costs for routine services such as doctor visits, lab tests, X-rays and scans, and hospitalizations related to treating the patient’s condition, whether the patient is in a clinical trial or is receiving standard therapy.
• Extra care costs – costs related to taking part in a clinical trial such as additional tests that a patient may need as part of the trial, but not as part of the patient’s routine care.
• Research costs – costs related to conducting the clinical trial such as research physician and nurse time, analysis of results, and clinical tests performed only for research purposes.  These costs are generally covered by the clinical trials. This plan does not cover these costs.

When you have Medicare

For more information on "What is Medicare?" and "Should I Enroll in Medicare?" please contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), (TTY 1-877-486-2048) or at www.medicare.gov.

• The Original Medicare Plan (Part A or Part B)

The Original Medicare Plan (Original Medicare) is available everywhere in the United States. It is the way everyone used to get Medicare benefits and is the way most people get their Medicare Part A and Part B benefits now. You may go to any doctor, specialist, or hospital that accepts Medicare. The Original Medicare Plan pays its share and you pay your share.

All physicians and other providers are required by law to file claims directly to Medicare for members with Medicare Part B, when Medicare is primary. This is true whether or not they accept Medicare.

When you are enrolled in Original Medicare along with this Plan, you still need to follow the rules in this brochure for us to cover your care. Your care must continue to be authorized by your Plan primary care physician.

Claims process when you have the Original Medicare Plan – You will probably not need to file a claim form when you have both our Plan and the Original Medicare Plan.

When we are the primary payer, we process the claim first.

When Original Medicare is the primary payer, Medicare processes your claim first. In most cases, your claim will be coordinated automatically and we will then provide secondary benefits for covered charges. You will not need to do anything. To find out if you need to do something to file your claim, call us at (800) 880-8066.

We do not waive any costs if the Original Medicare Plan is your primary payer.

Please review the following table. The table illustrates your cost share if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B.  Medicare will be primary for all Medicare eligible services.  Members must use providers who accept Medicare's assignment.

Benefit Description: Deductible
You pay (without Medicare Part B): No Deductible
You pay (with Medicare Part B): No Deductible

Benefit Description: Out of Pocket Maximum
You pay (without Medicare Part B): Nothing after $3,000/Self Only or $6,000/Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment per year
You pay (with Medicare Part B): Nothing after $3,000/Self Only or $6,000/Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment per year

Benefit Description: Primary Care Physician
You pay (without Medicare Part B): $30 for Office Visit
You pay (with Medicare Part B): $30 for Office Visit

Benefit Description: Specialist
You pay (without Medicare Part B): $40 copay, $40 Access+ HMO Self-Referral
You pay (with Medicare Part B): $40 copay, $40 Access+ HMO Self-Referral

Benefit Description: Inpatient Hospital
You pay (without Medicare Part B): $250 per day up to 3 days
You pay (with Medicare Part B): $250 per day up to 3 days

Benefit Description: Outpatient Surgery -Hospital
You pay (without Medicare Part B): $250 per treatment or surgery
You pay (with Medicare Part B): $250 per treatment or surgery

Benefit Description: Incentives Offered
You pay (without Medicare Part B): N/A
You pay (with Medicare Part B): N/A

Benefit Description: Part B Premium Reimbursement Offered
You pay (without Medicare Part B): N/A
You pay (with Medicare Part B): N/A

You can find more information about how our plan coordinates benefits with Medicare in "Understanding Your Federal Options" at www.blueshieldca.com/federal.

• Medicare Advantage (Part C)

If you are eligible for Medicare, you may choose to enroll in and get your Medicare benefits from a Medicare Advantage plan. These are private health care choices (like HMOs and regional PPOs) in some areas of the country. To learn more about Medicare Advantage plans, contact Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227), (TTY: 800-486-2048) or at www.medicare.gov.

If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, the following options are available to you:

This Plan and our Medicare Advantage plan: You may enroll in our Medicare Advantage plan and also remain enrolled in our FEHB Plan. In this case, we do not waive cost-sharing for your FEHB coverage.

This Plan and another plan’s Medicare Advantage plan: You may enroll in another plan’s Medicare Advantage plan and also remain enrolled in our FEHB Plan. We will still provide benefits when your Medicare Advantage plan is primary, even out of the Medicare Advantage plan’s network and/or service area (if you use our Plan providers). However we will not waive any of our copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, tell us. We will need to know whether you are in the Original Medicare Plan or in a Medicare Advantage plan so we can correctly coordinate benefits with Medicare.

Suspended FEHB coverage to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan: If you are an annuitant or former spouse, you can suspend your FEHB coverage to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, eliminating your FEHB premium. (OPM does not contribute to your Medicare Advantage plan premium.) For information on suspending your FEHB enrollment, contact your retirement office. If you later want to re-enroll in the FEHB Program, generally you may do so only at the next Open Season unless you involuntarily lose coverage or move out of the Medicare Advantage plan’s service area.

• Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D)

 An approved clinical trial includes a phase I, phase II, phase III, or phase IV clinical trial that is conducted in relation to the prevention, detection, or treatment of cancer or other life-threatening disease or condition and is either Federally funded; conducted under an investigational new drug application reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration; or is a drug trial that is exempt from the requirement of an investigational new drug application.

• Routine Care Costs - costs for routine services such as doctor visits, lab tests, x-rays and scans, and hospitalizations related to treating the patient's cancer, whether the patient is in a clinical trial or is receiving standard therapy
• Extra Care Costs - costs related to taking part in a clinical trial such as additional tests that a patient may need as part of the trial, but not as part of the patient's routine care
• Research Costs - costs related to conducting the clinical trial such as research physician and nurse time, analysis of results, and clinical tests performed only for research purposes. These costs are generally covered by the clinical trials. This plan does not cover these costs.

Coinsurance

See Section 4, page 22

Copayment

See Section 4, page 22

Cost-sharing

See Section 4, page 22

Experimental or investigational service

Access+ HMO covers drugs, devices that are medically indicated and biological products no longer considered to be investigational by the Food and Drug Administration. Coverage for other procedures are reviewed by and decided by the Blue Shield of California Medical Policy Committee. The primary criteria are that the proposed new procedures are safe and effective.

For the purpose of this benefit, Infertility means the Member must actively be trying to conceive and has, with respect to a Subscriber or spouse covered here under:

1. the presence of a demonstrated bodily malfunction recognized by a licensed Doctor of Medicine as a cause of not being able to conceive or

2. for women age 35 and less, failure to achieve a successful pregnancy (live birth) after 12 months or more of regular unprotected vaginal intercourse; or

3. for women over age 35, failure to achieve a successful pregnancy (live birth) after 6 months or more of regular unprotected vaginal intercourse; or

4. failure to achieve a successful pregnancy (live birth) after six cycles of artificial insemination supervised by the Physician; or

5. three or more pregnancy losses.

Services, drugs, supplies or equipment which are medically necessary include only those which have been established as safe and effective, are furnished under generally accepted professional standards to treat illness, injury or medical condition, and which, as determined by us, are:

a. consistent with standards of good medical practices in the U.S.;

b. consistent with the symptoms or diagnosis;

c. not furnished primarily for the convenience of the patient, the attending physician or other provider; and

d. furnished at the most appropriate level, which can be provided safely and effectively to the patient. As an inpatient, this means that your medical symptoms or conditions require that the diagnosis, treatment or service cannot be safely provided to you as an outpatient.

Hospital Inpatient Services which are medically necessary include only those services which satisfy the above requirements, require the acute bed-patient (overnight) setting, and which could not have been provided in the physician's office, the outpatient department of a hospital, or in another lesser facility without adversely affecting the patient's condition or the quality of medical care rendered.

Plan allowance is the amount we use to determine our payment and your coinsurance for covered services. These are negotiated lower provider rates and savings are passed on to you.  The plan allowance is the total dollar amount allowed by the Plan for Covered Services, including the amounts payable by the Plan and payable by you.

With respect to Plan Provider and Facilities, the plan allowance is the amount that the Provider and Blue Shield have agreed by contract will be accepted as payment in full for the Services rendered.

Us/We

Us and we refer to Blue Shield of California Access+ HMO, or Blue Shield's Mental Health Services Administrator (MHSA) for mental health and substance misuse coverage.

Urgent care claims

A claim for medical care or treatment is an urgent care claim if waiting for the regular time limit for non-urgent care claims could have one of the following impacts:

• Waiting could seriously jeopardize your life or health;
• Waiting could seriously jeopardize your ability to regain maximum function; or
• In the opinion of a physician with knowledge of your medical condition, waiting would subject you to severe pain that cannot be adequately managed without the care or treatment that is the subject of the claim.

Urgent care claims usually involve Pre-service claims and not Post-service claims. We will determine whether or not a claim is an urgent care claim by applying the judgment of a prudent layperson who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine.

If you believe your claim qualifies as an urgent care claim, please contact our Customer Service Department at (800) 880-8086. You may also prove that your claim is an urgent care claim by providing evidence that a physician with knowledge of your medical condition has determined that your claim involves urgent care.

Medical services provided by physicians: Diagnostic and treatment services provided in the office

Office visit copayment: $30 primary care; $40 specialist self-referral

Services provided by a hospital: Inpatient

$250 per day up to 3 days

Services provided by a hospital: Outpatient

$250 per treatment or surgery

Emergency benefits: In-area or out-of-area

$150 copayment per visit

Mental health and substance misuse treatment: Out-of-Network

No Benefit

Mental health and substance misuse treatment: In-network

Regular cost-sharing

Prescription drugs: Retail pharmacy (30-day supply)

$10 per Tier 1 prescription

$50 per Tier 2 prescription

50% per Tier 3 prescription. $50 minimum / $200 maximum

30% per Tier 4 prescription, up to $150 maximum (excluding specialty drugs)

Network Specialty Pharmacy - 30% per Tier 4 prescription, up to $150 maximum (includes home self-injectable and specialty drugs)

Prescription drugs: Mail service (90 day supply)

$20 per Tier 1 prescription

$100 per Tier 2 prescription

50% per Tier 3 prescription. $100 minimum / $400 maximum

30% per Tier 4 prescription, up to $300 maximum (excluding specialty drugs)

Dental care: Optional Non-FEHB Dental Plan

You pay total premiums plus various copayments

Dental care: Accidental injury benefit

$30 per office visit; $50 one time copay for initial stabilization

Vision care:

$30 per office visit

Special features: Flexible benefits option, High risk pregnancy program, Access+ HMO self-referral, NurseHelp 24/7, Health support programs

Nothing

Protection against catastrophic costs (your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum): Mental health and substance misuse

Nothing after $3,000/Self Only or $6,000/Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment per year

Some costs do not count toward this protection.

Protection against catastrophic costs (your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum): Surgical and medical

Nothing after $3,000/Self Only or $6,000/Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment per year

Some costs do not count toward this protection.