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.

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 happens when your enrollment ends
• When the next Open Season for enrollment begins

We do not 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, disability leave, pensions, etc. you must also contact your employing or retirement office.

Once enrolled in your FEHB Program Plan, you should contact your carrier directly for the following address updates and questions about your benefit coverage.

Self Only coverage is only for the enrollee. Self Plus One coverage for the enrollee and one eligible family member. Self and Family coverage is for the enrollee, and one or more eligible family members. Family members include 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 Plus One or Self and Family 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 Plus One or 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.

Contact your carrier to obtain a Certificate of Creditable Coverage (COCC) or to add a dependent when there is already family Coverage.

Contact your employing or retirement office if you are changing from Self to Self Plus One or Self and Family or to add a newborn if you currently have a Self Only plan.

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 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/healthcare-insurance/life-events. If you need assistance, please contact your employing agency, Tribal Benefits Officer, personnel/payroll office, or retirement office.

Family members covered under your Self and Family enrollment are your spouse (including your spouse by a valid common-law marriage from 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.

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.

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 paid according to the 2022 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 under 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 2021 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 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.

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 the continuation of 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.

You may be eligible for spouse equity coverage or assistance enrolling in a conversion policy (a non-FEHB individual policy).

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 additional information about your coverage choices. You can also visit OPM's website at: www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/. 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.

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.

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, a 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 Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace in your state. For assistance in finding coverage, please contact us at 800-537-9384 or visit our website at www.aetnafeds.com.

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.

Precertification is the process of collecting information prior to inpatient admissions and performance of selected ambulatory procedures and services. The process permits advance eligibility verification, determination of coverage, and communication with the physician and/or you. It also allows Aetna to coordinate your transition from the inpatient setting to the next level of care (discharge planning), or to register you for specialized programs like disease management, case management, or our prenatal program. In some instances, precertification is used to inform physicians, members and other health care providers about cost-effective programs and alternative therapies and treatments.

This Open Access Plan is available to our members in those FEHBP service areas identified in Section 1.  You can go directly to any network specialist for covered services without a referral from your primary care physician. Whether your covered services are provided by your selected primary care physician (for your PCP copay) or by any other participating provider in the network (for the specialist copay), you will be responsible for payment which may be in the form of a copay (flat dollar amount) or coinsurance (a percentage of covered expenses). While not required, it is highly recommended that you still select a PCP and notify Member Services of your selection (800-537-9384). If you go directly to a specialist, you are responsible for verifying that the specialist is participating in our Plan. If your participating specialist refers you to another provider, you are responsible for verifying that the other specialist is participating in our Plan.

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 letter (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 800-537-9384 or write to us at Aetna, P.O. Box 14079, Lexington, KY 40512-4079. You may also request replacement cards through our Aetna member website at www.aetnafeds.com.

You get care from “Plan providers” and “Plan facilities.” You will only pay copayments, deductibles, and/or coinsurance. You will not have to file claims. If you use our Open Access program you can receive covered services from a participating network provider without a required referral from your primary care physician or by another participating provider in the network.

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

We list Plan providers in the provider directory, which we update periodically. The most current information on our Plan providers is also on our website at www.aetnafeds.com under our online Provider Directory.

This plan recognizes that transsexual, transgender, and gender-nonconforming members require health care delivered by healthcare providers experienced in transgender health. While gender reassignment surgeons (benefit details found in Section 5(b)) and hormone therapy providers (benefit details found in Section 5(f)) play important roles in preventive care, you should see a primary care provider familiar with your overall health care needs. Benefits described in this brochure are available to all members meeting medical necessity guidelines.

Plan facilities are hospitals and other facilities in our service area that we contract with to provide covered services to our members. We list these in the provider directory, which we update periodically. The most current information on our Plan facilities is also on our website at www.aetnafeds.com under our online Provider Directory.

FEHB Carriers must have clauses in their in-network (participating) providers agreements. These clauses provide that, for a service that is a covered benefit in the plan brochure or for services determined not medically necessary, the in-network provider agrees to hold the covered individual harmless (and may not bill) for the difference between the billed charge and the in network contracted amount. If an in-network provider bills you for covered services over your normal cost share (deductible, copay, co-insurance) contact your Carrier to enforce the terms of its provider contract.

Your primary care physician can be a general practitioner, family practitioner, internist or pediatrician. Your primary care physician will provide or coordinate most of your health care.

If you want to change primary care physicians or if your primary care physician leaves the Plan, call us or visit our website. We will help you select a new one.

Your primary care physician may refer you to a specialist for needed care or you may go directly to a specialist without a referral. However, if you need laboratory, radiological and physical therapy services, your primary care physician must refer you to certain plan providers.

Here are some other things you should know about specialty care:

• If you are seeing a specialist when you enroll in our Plan, talk to your primary care physician. If your current specialist does not participate with us, you must receive treatment from a specialist who does. Generally, we will not pay for you to see a specialist who does not participate with our Plan.
• 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 and 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 Program 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 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.

Your Plan primary care physician or specialist will make necessary hospital arrangements and supervise your care. This includes admission to a skilled nursing or other type of facility.

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 Services department immediately at 800-537-9384.  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.

These provisions apply only to the benefits of the hospitalized person. If your plan terminates participation in the FEHB Program in whole or in part, or if OPM orders an enrollment change, this continuation of coverage provision does not apply. In such case, the hospitalized family member’s benefits under the new plan begin on the effective date of enrollment.

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.

You must get prior approval for certain services. Failure to do so will result in services not being covered.

Precertification is the process by which – prior to your inpatient hospital admission – we evaluate the medical necessity of your proposed stay and the number of days required to treat your condition. 

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. You must obtain prior authorization for:

• Inpatient confinements (except hospice) - For example, surgical and nonsurgical stays; stays in a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation facility; and maternity and newborn stays that exceed the standard length of stay (LOS)
• Ambulance - Precertification required for transportation by fixed-wing aircraft (plane)
• Autologous chondrocyte implantation
• Cataract surgery
• Certain mental health services, inpatient admissions, Residential treatment center (RTC) admissions, Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA);
• Chiari malformation decompression surgery
• Cochlear device and/or implantation
• Coverage at an in-network benefit level for out-of-network provider or facility unless services are emergent. Some plans have limited or no out-of-network benefits.
• Covered transplant surgery
• Dialysis visits - When request is initiated by a participating provider, and dialysis to be performed at a nonparticipating facility
• Dorsal column (lumbar) neurostimulators: trial or implantation
• Endoscopic nasal balloon dilation procedures
• Electric or motorized wheelchairs and scooters
• Gender affirming surgery
• Functional endoscopic sinus surgery
• Hip surgery to repair impingement syndrome
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• In-network infertility services (Iatrogenic infertility)
• Lower limb prosthetics, such as: Microprocessor controlled lower limb prosthetics
• Nonparticipating freestanding ambulatory surgical facility services, when referred by a participating provider
• Orthognathic surgery procedures, bone grafts, osteotomies and surgical management of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
• Osseointegrated implant
• Osteochondral allograft/knee
• Private duty nursing (see Home Health services)
• Proton beam radiotherapy
• Reconstructive or other procedures that maybe considered cosmetic, such as:
  • Blepharoplasty/canthoplasty
  • Breast reconstruction/breast enlargement
  • Breast reduction/mammoplasty
  • Excision of excessive skin due to weight loss
  • Gastroplasty/gastric bypass
  • Lipectomy or excess fat removal
  • Surgery for varicose veins, except stab phlebectomy
• Shoulder arthroplasty
• Spinal procedures, such as:
  • Artificial intervertebral disc surgery (cervical spine)
  • Arthrodesis for spine deformity
  • Cervical, lumbar and thoracic laminectomy/laminotomy procedures
  • Kyphectomy
  • Laminectomy with rhizotomy
  • Sacroiliac joint fusions
  • Spinal fusion surgery
  • Vertebral corpectomy
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, including laser-assisted procedures
• Ventricular assist devices
• Video Electroencephalographic (EEG)
• Whole exome sequencing
• Drugs and medical injectables (including but not limited to blood clotting factors, botulinum toxin, alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor, palivizumab (Synagis), erythropoietin therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, growth hormone and interferons when used for hepatitis C)*
• Special Programs (including but not limited to BRCA genetic testing, Chiropractic precertification, Diagnostic Cardiology (Cardiac rhythm implantable devices, cardiac catheterization), Hip and knee arthroplasties, National Medical Excellence Program®, Outpatient physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) precertification, Pain management, Polysomnography (attended sleep studies), Radiation oncology, Radiology imaging (such as CT scans, MRIs, MRAs, nuclear stress tests), Sleep Studies, Transthoracic Echocardiogram*

*For complete list refer to:
www.aetna.com/health-care-professionals/precertification/precertification-lists.html or the Behavioral Health Precertification list. The specialty medication precertification list can be found at: www.aetnafeds.com/pharmacy.php

Members must call 800-537-9384 for authorization.

First, your physician, your hospital, you, or your representative, must call us at 800-537-9384 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.

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 45 days from the receipt of the notice to provide the information.

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 verbally 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 (1) of the time we received the additional information or (2) the end of the 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 800-537-9384. You may also call OPM's FEHB 3 at 202-606-0737 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 800-537-9384.  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).

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, we will make a decision within 24 hours after we receive the claim.

If you have an emergency admission due to a condition that you reasonably believe puts your life in danger or could cause serious damage to bodily function, you, your representative, the physician, or the hospital must phone us within one (1) business days following the day of the emergency admission, even if you have been discharged from the hospital. 

You do not need to precertify a maternity admission for a routine delivery. However, if your medical condition requires you to stay more than a total of three (3) days or less for a vaginal delivery or a total of five (5) days or less for a cesarean section, then your physician or the hospital must contact us for precertification of additional days. Further, if your baby stays after you are discharged, then your physician or the hospital must contact us for precertification of additional days for your baby.

Note: When a newborn requires definitive treatment during or after the mother’s confinement, the newborn is considered a patient in their own right. If the newborn is eligible for coverage, regular medical or surgical benefits apply rather than maternity benefits.

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.

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. Precertify 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 six (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. 

Unless we request additional information, we will notify you of our decision within 72 hours after receipt of your reconsideration request.  We will expedite the review process, which allows oral or written requests for appeals and the exchange of information by phone, electronic mail, facsimile, or other expeditious methods.

After we reconsider your pre-service claim, if you do not agree with our decision, you may ask OPM to review it by following Step 3 of the disputed claims process detailed in Section 8 of this brochure.

• 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.

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 $20 per office visit, or a copayment of $35 per office visit when you see a participating specialist under High Option and a copayment of $15 per office visit to your primary care physician, or a copayment of $35 per office visit when you see a participating specialist under Basic Option.

A deductible is a fixed expense you must incur for certain covered services and supplies before we start paying benefits for them. Copayments do not count toward any deductible.

• We have a separate deductible of $20 per member per year if you elect our PPO dental option.

Note: If you change plans during Open Season, you do not have to start a new deductible under your prior plan between January 1 and the effective date of your new plan. If you change plans at another time during the year, you must begin a new deductible under your new plan.

If you change options in this Plan during the year, we will credit the amount of covered expenses already applied toward the deductible of your prior option to the deductible of your new option.

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

Example: In our Plan, you pay 30% of our allowance for durable medical equipment.

• Network Providers agree to accept our Plan allowance so if you use a network provider, you never have to worry about paying the difference between our Plan allowance and the billed amount for covered services.
• Non-Network Providers (for Dental PPO Option only): If you use a non-network provider for preventive dental care, you will have to pay 50% of our negotiated rate and the difference between our Plan allowance and the billed amount.
• You should also see section Important Notice About Surprise Billing – Know Your Rights below that describes your protections against surprise billing under the No Surprises Act.

After your (copayments and coinsurance) total $5,000 for Self Only or $10,000 for Self Plus One, or $10,000 for Self and Family enrollment for the High Option and $7,000 for Self Only or $12,000 for Self Plus One, or $12,000 for Self and Family enrollment for the Basic Option in any calendar year, you do not have to pay any more for covered services. Once an individual meets the Self Only out-of-pocket maximum under the Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment, the Plan will begin to cover eligible medical expenses at 100%. The remaining balance of the Self Plus One or Self and Family out-of-pocket maximum can be satisfied by one or more family members. However, copayments and coinsurance for the following services do not count toward your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum, and you must continue to pay copayments and coinsurance for these services:

• Dental services (Note: $5 copayments for DMO preventive care and $20 deductible for PPO preventive care count towards your out-of-pocket maximum.  All other dental service expenses do not count toward your out-of-pocket maximum). 

Be sure to keep accurate records and receipts of your copayments and coinsurance to ensure the Plan's calculation of your out-of-pocket maximum is reflected accurately.

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 to this Plan during the year, we will credit the amount of covered expenses already accumulated toward the catastrophic out-of-pocket limit of your prior option to the catastrophic protection limit of your new option.

The No Surprises Act (NSA) is a federal law that provides you with protections against “surprise billing” and “balance billing” under certain circumstances. A surprise bill is an unexpected bill you receive from a nonparticipating health care provider, facility, or air ambulance service for healthcare. Surprise bills can happen when you receive emergency care – when you have little or no say in the facility or provider from whom you receive care. They can also happen when you receive non-emergency services at participating facilities, but you receive some care from nonparticipating providers.

Balance billing happens when you receive a bill from the nonparticipating provider, facility, or air ambulance service for the difference between the nonparticipating provider's charge and the amount payable by your health plan.

Your health plan must comply with the NSA protections that hold you harmless from unexpected bills.

Please note: There are certain circumstances under the law where a provider can give you notice that they are out of network and you can consent to receiving a balance bill.  For specific information on surprise billing, the rights and protections you have, and your responsibilities go to www.aetnafeds.com or contact the health plan at 800-537-9384.

Under the flexible benefits option, we determine the most effective way to provide services.

• We may identify medically appropriate alternatives to regular contract benefits as a less costly alternative.  If we identify a less costly alternative, we will ask you to sign an alternative benefits agreement that will include all of the following terms in addition to other terms as necessary.  Until you sign and return the agreement, regular contract benefits will continue.
• Alternative benefits will be made available for a limited time period and are subject to our ongoing review.  You must cooperate with the review process.
• By approving an alternative benefit, we do not guarantee you will get it in the future.
• The decision to offer an alternative benefit is solely ours, and except as expressly provided in the agreement, we may withdraw it at any time and resume regular contract benefits.
• If you sign the agreement, we will provide the agreed-upon alternative benefits for the stated time period (unless circumstances change).  You may request an extension of the time period, but regular contract benefits will resume if we do not approve your request.
• Our decision to offer or withdraw alternative benefits is not subject to OPM review under the disputed claims process.  However, if at the time we make a decision regarding alternative benefits, we also decide that regular contract benefits are not payable, then you may dispute our regular contract benefits decision under the OPM disputed claim process (see Section 8).

Aetna Member website, our secure member self-service website, provides you with the tools and personalized information to help you manage your health. Click on your Aetna Member website from www.aetnafeds.com to register and access a secure, personalized view of your Aetna benefits.

You can:

• Review PCP selections
• Print temporary ID cards
• Download details about a claim such as the amount paid and the member’s responsibility
• Contact member services at your convenience through secure messages
• Access cost and quality information through Aetna’s transparency tools
• View and update your Personal Health Record
• Find information about the member extras that come with your plan
• Access health information through Healthwise® Knowledgebase

Registration assistance is available toll free, Monday through Friday, from 7am to 9pm Eastern Time at 800-225-3375.  Register today at www.aetnafeds.com.

800-628-3323

Provides eligible members with phone access to registered nurses experienced in providing information on a variety of health topics.  24 Hour Nurse Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may call 24 Hour Nurse Line at 800-556-1555 . We provide TDD service for the hearing and speech-impaired. We also offer foreign language translation for non-English speaking members. 24 Hour Nurse Line nurses cannot diagnose, prescribe medication or give medical advice.

Provides services, information and resources to help improve high risk pregnancy outcomes. Features of the program include a pregnancy risk survey, personalized nurse support, comprehensive educational information on prenatal care, labor and delivery, newborn and baby care, a smoking-cessation program, and more. To enroll in the program, call toll-free 800-272-3531. 

National Medical Excellence Program helps eligible members access appropriate, covered treatment for solid organ and tissue transplants using our Institutes of Excellence™ network. We coordinate specialized treatment needed by members with certain rare or complicated conditions and assist members who are admitted to a hospital for emergency medical care when they are traveling temporarily outside of the United States. Services under this program must be preauthorized.  Contact Member Services at 800-537-9384 for more information.

If you need to visit a participating primary care physician for a covered service, and you are 50 miles or more away from home you may visit a primary care physician from our plan’s approved network.

• Call  800-537-9384 for provider information and location
• Select a doctor from 3 primary care doctors in that area
• The Plan will authorize you for one visit and any tests or X-rays ordered by that primary care physician
• You must coordinate all subsequent visits through your own participating primary care physician.

In most cases, providers and facilities file claims for you. Providers must file on the form CMS-1500, Health Insurance Claim Form. Your facility will file on the UB-04 form. For claims questions and assistance, contact us at 800-537-9384 or at our website at www.aetnafeds.com.

When you must file a claim – such as for services you received outside the Plan’s service area – 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 payor – 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 medical, hospital and vision claims to: Aetna, P.O. Box 14079, Lexington, KY 40512-4079.

Submit your dental claims to: Aetna, P.O. Box 14094, Lexington, KY 40512-4094.

Submit your pharmacy claims to: Aetna, Pharmacy Management, P.O. Box 52444, Phoenix, AZ  85072-2444.

Send us all of the documents for your claim as soon as possible. You must submit the claim by December 31 of the year after the year you received the service, unless timely filing was prevented by administrative operations of Government or legal incapacity, provided the claim was submitted as soon as reasonably possible. Once we pay benefits, there is a three-year limitation on the reissuance of uncashed checks.

We will notify you of our decision within 30 days after we receive your post-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 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 without 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 phone 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.

Any notice of an adverse benefit determination or correspondence from us confirming an adverse benefit determination will include information sufficient to identify the claim involved (including the date of service, the health care provider, and the claim amount, if applicable), and a statement describing the availability, upon request, of the diagnosis and procedure codes.

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: Aetna, Attention: National Accounts, P.O. Box 14463, Lexington, KY 40512; 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, if you would like to receive our decision via email.  Please note that by providing your email address, you may receive 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. 

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 3, 1900 E Street, NW, Washington, DC 20415-3630. 

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 payor and the other plan pays a reduced benefit as the secondary payor. 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 website at https://www.aetnafeds.com/NAIC.php.  When we are the primary payor, we pay the benefits described in this brochure.

When we are the secondary payor, the primary Plan will pay for the expenses first, up to its plan limit. If the expense is covered in full by the primary plan, we will not pay anything. If the expense is not covered in full by the primary plan, we determine our allowance. If the primary Plan uses a preferred provider arrangement, we use the lesser of the primary plan’s negotiated fee, Aetna’s Reasonable and Customary (R&C) and billed charges. If the primary plan does not use a preferred provider arrangement, we use the lesser of Aetna's R&C and billed charges. If the primary plan uses a preferred provider arrangement and Aetna does not, the allowable amount is the lesser of the primary plan's negotiated rate, Aetna's R&C and billed charges. If both plans do not use a preferred provider arrangement, we use the lesser of Aetna's R&C and billed charges.

When Medicare is the primary payor and the provider accepts Medicare assignment, our allowance is the difference between Medicare's allowance and the amount paid by Medicare. We do not pay more than our allowance. You are still responsible for your copayment, deductible or coinsurance based on the amount left after Medicare payment.

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.

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.

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.

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 benefits or benefit payments and on the provision of benefits under our coverage.

If you have received benefit or benefit payments as a result of an 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 of 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 parties 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 reduction based on attorney fees 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, choose 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.

This plan always pays secondary to:

• Any medical payment, PIP or No-Fault coverage under any automobile policy available to you.
• Any plan or program which is required by law. You should review your automobile insurance policy to ensure that uncoordinated medical benefits have been chosen so that the automobile insurance policy is the primary payer.

Note: For Motor Vehicle Accidents, charges incurred due to injuries received in an accident involving any motor vehicle for which no-fault insurance is available are excluded from coverage, regardless of whether any such no-fault policy is designated as secondary to health coverage.

For a complete explanation on how the Plan is authorized to operate when others are responsible for your injuries please go to: www.aetnafeds.com.

Some FEHB plans already cover some dental and vision services. When you are covered by more than one vision/dental plan, coverage provided under your FEHB plan remains as your primary coverage. FEDVIP coverage pays secondary to that coverage. When you enroll in a dental and/or vision plan on BENEFEDS.com or by phone at 877-888-3337, (TTY 877-889-5680), you will be asked to provide information on your FEHB plan so that your plans can coordinate benefits. Providing your FEHB information may reduce your out-of-pocket cost.

If benefits are provided by Aetna for illness or injuries to a member and we determine the member received Workers’ Compensation benefits through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP), a workers’ compensation insurance carrier or employer, for the same incident that resulted in the illness or injuries, we have the right to recover those benefits as further described below. “Workers’ Compensation benefits” includes benefits paid in connection with a Workers’ Compensation claim, whether paid by an employer directly, the OWCP or any other workers’ compensation insurance carrier, or any fund designed to provide compensation for workers’ compensation claims. Aetna may exercise its recovery rights against the member if the member has received any payment to compensate them in connection with their claim. The recovery rights against the member will be applied even though:

a) The Workers’ Compensation benefits are in dispute or are paid by means of settlement or compromise;

b) No final determination is made that bodily injury or sickness was sustained in the course of or resulted from the member’s employment;

c) The amount of Workers’ Compensation benefits due to medical or health care is not agreed upon or defined by the member or the OWCP or other Workers’ Compensation carrier; or

d) The medical or health care benefits are specifically excluded from the Workers’ Compensation settlement or compromise.

By accepting benefits under this Plan, the member or the member’s representatives agree to notify Aetna of any Workers’ Compensation claim made, and to reimburse us as described above.

Aetna may exercise its recovery rights against the provider in the event:

a) the employer or carrier is found liable or responsible according to a final adjudication of the claim by the OWCP or other party responsible for adjudicating such claims; or

b) an order approving a settlement agreement is entered; or

c) the provider has previously been paid by the carrier directly, resulting in a duplicate payment.

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.  These costs are covered by this Plan.  See Section 5(b). 
• 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.  We do not cover these costs.  See Section 5(b).
• 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.  See Section 5(b). 

For more detailed 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 (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.

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 payor, we process the claim first.

When Original Medicare is the primary payor, Medicare processes your claim first. In most cases, your claim will be coordinated automatically and we will then provide secondary benefits for covered charges. To find out if you need to do something to file your claim, call us at 800-537-9384 or see our website at www.aetnafeds.com. 

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

Please review the following table. It illustrates your cost share if you are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. 

Basic Option: EXAMPLE

Benefit Description: Deductible
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: $0
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): $0

Benefit Description: Part B Premium
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: NA
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): No Reimbursement Offered

Benefit Description: Primary Care Physician
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: $15
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): $15

Benefit Description: Specialist
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: $35 per visit
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): $35 per visit

Benefit Description: Inpatient Hospital
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: 20% of our Plan allowance per admission
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): 20% of our Plan allowance per admission

Benefit Description: Outpatient Hospital
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: $750 per visit
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): $750 per visit

Benefit Description: Incentives offered
Basic Option You pay without Medicare: NA
Basic Option You pay with Medicare Parts A and B (primary): We offer no additional incentives when a member has Medicare Part B.

You can find more information about how our plan coordinates benefits with Medicare by
calling 800-537-9384.

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: 877-486-2048) 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. If you are an annuitant or former spouse with FEHBP coverage and are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, you may enroll in our Medicare Advantage Plan if one is available in your area. For more information, please call us at 888-788-0390. 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 or coinsurance. 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.

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 (FDA); 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.  These costs are covered by this Plan.  See Section 5(b). 
• 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.  We do not cover these costs.  See Section 5(b).
• 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.  See Section 5(b). 

See Section 4. 

See Section 4.

See Section 4. 

See Section 4. 

The process whereby an alcohol or drug intoxicated or alcohol or drug dependent person is assisted, in a facility licensed by the appropriate regulatory authority, through the period of time necessary to eliminate, by metabolic or other means, the intoxicating alcohol or drug, alcohol or drug dependent factors or alcohol in combination with drugs as determined by a licensed Physician, while keeping the physiological risk to the patient at a minimum.

Services or supplies that are, as determined by us, experimental. A drug, device, procedure or treatment will be determined to be experimental if:

• There is not sufficient outcome data available from controlled clinical trials published in the peer reviewed literature to substantiate its safety and effectiveness for the disease or injury involved; or
• Required FDA approval has not been granted for marketing; or
• A recognized national medical or dental society or regulatory agency has determined, in writing, that it is experimental or for research purposes; or
• The written protocol or protocol(s) used by the treating facility or the protocol or protocol(s) of any other facility studying substantially the same drug, device, procedure or treatment or the written informed consent used by the treating facility or by another facility studying the same drug, device, procedure or treatment states that it is experimental or for research purposes; or
• It is not of proven benefit for the specific diagnosis or treatment of your particular condition; or
• It is not generally recognized by the Medical Community as effective or appropriate for the specific diagnosis or treatment of your particular condition; or
• It is provided or performed in special settings for research purposes.

Note: When a medical necessity determination is made utilizing the Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs), you may obtain a copy of the CPB through the Internet at: www.aetna.com/health-care-professionals/clinical-policy-bulletins/medical-clinical-policy-bulletins.html.

Also known as medically necessary or medically necessary services. “Medically necessary" means that the service or supply is provided by a physician or other health care provider exercising prudent clinical judgment for the purpose of preventing, evaluating, diagnosing or treating an illness, injury or disease or its symptoms, and that provision of the service or supply is:

• In accordance with generally accepted standards of medical practice; and,
• Clinically appropriate in accordance with generally accepted standards of medical practice in terms of type, frequency, extent, site and duration, and considered effective for the illness, injury or disease; and,
• Not primarily for the convenience of you, or for the physician or other health care provider; and,
• Not more costly than an alternative service or sequence of services at least as likely to produce equivalent therapeutic or diagnostic results as to the diagnosis or treatment of the illness, injury or disease.

For these purposes, “generally accepted standards of medical practice,” means standards that are based on credible scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed medical literature generally recognized by the relevant medical community, or otherwise consistent with physician specialty society recommendations and the views of physicians practicing in relevant clinical areas and any other relevant factors.

Note: When a medical necessity determination is made utilizing the Aetna Clinical Policy Bulletins (CPBs), you may obtain a copy of the CPB through the Internet at: www.aetna.com/health-care-professionals/clinical-policy-bulletins/medical-clinical-policy-bulletins.html.

Plan allowance is the amount we use to determine our payment and your coinsurance for the service or supply in the geographic area where it is furnished. Plans determine their allowances in different ways. We determine our allowance as follows: We may take into account factors such as the complexity, degree of skill needed, type or specialty of the provider, range of services provided by a facility, and the prevailing charge in other areas in determining the Plan allowance for a service or supply that is unusual or is not often provided in the area or is provided by only a small number of providers in the area.

You should also see Important Notice About Surprise Billing – Know Your Rights in Section 4 that describes your protections against surprise billing under the No Surprises Act. 

Precertification is the process of collecting information prior to inpatient admissions and performance of selected ambulatory procedures and services. The process permits advance eligibility verification, determination of coverage, and communication with the physician and/or you. It also allows Aetna to coordinate your transition from the inpatient setting to the next level of care (discharge planning), or to register you for specialized programs like disease management, case management, or our prenatal program. In some instances, precertification is used to inform physicians, members and other health care providers about cost-effective programs and alternative therapies and treatments.

Certain health care services, such as hospitalization or outpatient surgery, require precertification with Aetna to ensure coverage for those services.

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 Member Services Department at 800-537-9384.  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.

Office visit copay: $20 primary care; $35 specialist

30

$250 per day up to a maximum of $1,000 per admission

56

$175 per visit

57

$125 per visit

61

$125 per visit

61

Regular cost-sharing

63

$10 per Preferred Generic (PG) formulary drug;

$35 per Preferred Brand (PB) name formulary drug; and

$100 per Non-Preferred (NP) drug (generic or brand name).

68

$20 per Preferred Generic (PG) formulary drug;

$70 per Preferred Brand (PB) name formulary drug; and

$200 per Non-Preferred (NP) drug (generic or brand name).

68

Preferred Specialty (PSP): 50% up to a $350 maximum per prescription

Non-preferred Specialty (NPSP): 50% up to $700 maximum per prescription

70

Various copays, coinsurance, reduced fees or deductibles

73

$35 copay per visit. All charges over $100 for eyeglasses or contacts per 24-month period

40

Contact Plan at 800-537-9384

76

Nothing after $5,000/Self Only enrollment or $10,000/Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment per year.

Some costs do not count toward this protection

25

Office visit copay: $15 primary care; $35 specialist

30

20% of our Plan allowance per admission

56

$750 per visit

57

$250 per visit

61

$250 per visit

61

Regular cost-sharing

63

$5 per Preferred Generic (PG) formulary drug;

$35 per Preferred Brand (PB) name formulary drug; and

$100 per Non-Preferred (NP) drug (generic or brand name).

68

$10 per Preferred Generic (PG) formulary drug;

$70 per Preferred Brand (PB) name formulary drug; and

$200 per Non-Preferred (NP) drug (generic or brand name).

68

Preferred Specialty (PSP): 50% up to a $350 maximum per prescription

Non-preferred Specialty (NPSP): 50% up to a $700 maximum per prescription

70

Various copays, coinsurance, reduced fees or deductibles

73

$35 copay per visit. All charges over $200 for eyeglasses or contacts per 24-month period

40

Contact Plan at 800-537-9384

76

Nothing after $7,000/Self Only enrollment or $12,000/Self Plus One or Self and Family enrollment per year.

Some costs do not count toward this protection

25