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 address updates and questions about your benefit coverage

Self Only coverage is only for the enrollee. Self Plus One coverage is 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 valid common-law marriage from a state that recognizes common-law marriages) and children as described below. A Self Plus One enrollment covers you and your spouse, or one other eligible family member as described 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 processed 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.

When you retire, you can usually stay in the FEHB Program. Generally, you must have been enrolled in the FEHB Program for the last five years of your Federal service. If you do not meet this requirement, you may be eligible for other forms of coverage, such as Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC).

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.

You may be eligible for spouse equity coverage or Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) or 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 FEHBP 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, 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 844-423-9988 or visit our website at www.anthem.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.

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 844-423-9988 or write to us at Blue Open Access POS, Mail Location: GA082E-0007, 6087 Technology Pkwy, Midland, GA 31820. You may also request replacement cards through our website at www.anthem.com/.

When you get care from “Plan providers” and “Plan facilities”.  You will only pay your cost-sharing (copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and non-covered services and supplies), if you use our point-of-service program, you can also get care from non-Plan providers but it will cost you more.  Under the Blue Open Access POS you can receive covered services from a participating provider without a referral. 

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.

How to Find a Provider in the Network

There are three ways you can find out if a Provider or Facility is in the network for this Plan. You can also find out where they are located and details about their license or training.

• See your Plan’s directory of In-Network Providers at www.anthem.com/, which lists the Doctors, Providers, and Facilities that participate in this Plan’s network.
• Call Customer Service to ask for a list of Doctors and Providers that participate in this Plan’s network, based on specialty and geographic area.
• Check with your Doctor or Provider.

If you need help choosing a Doctor who is right for you, call the Customer Service number on the back of your Member Identification Card. TTY/TDD services also are available by dialing 711.  A special operator will get in touch with us to help with your needs.

Plan providers are primary care physicians, specialists and other healthcare 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 annually. The list is also on our website.

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 annually. The list is also on our website.

This health plan covers care provided by primary care physicians and specialty care providers. To see a primary care physician, simply visit any network physician who is a general or family practitioner, internist or pediatrician. This health plan also covers care provided by any network specialty care provider you choose.  Referrals are not needed to visit any network specialty care provider, including behavioral health.  However, there are certain services that may require prior approval by us; see page 17 Section 3.  Please note that Emergency and Urgent care services do not require prior approval from us.

To make an appointment call your physician’s office:

• Tell them you are a Blue Open Access POS member.
• Have your Member ID card handy. They may ask you for your group number, member I.D. number, or office visit copay.
• Tell them the reason for your visit

When you go for your appointment, bring your Member ID card.

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

You do not need a referral from your primary care physician. You may self-refer within the network for medically necessary care.

Here are some things you should know about specialty care:

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 customer service department immediately at 844-423-9988. 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 cases, the hospitalized family member’s benefits under the new Plan begin on the effective date of enrollment.

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.

Since your network 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.

If you choose an out-of-network provider, be sure to call us to see if you need pre-authorization. Providers who are not in the network may not do that for you. If you ever have a question about whether you need pre-authorization, just call the pre-authorization or precertification phone number on your member ID card.

Gender Reassignment Surgery require prior Plan approval to be covered. For the Plan to consider benefit coverage, you must have met each of the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age

• Have the capacity to make fully informed decisions and consent for treatment

• Have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria

• Have reasonably controlled medical or mental health issues

• Have two qualified mental health referrals

Along with the requirements above, some surgeries have additional criteria and specifications that include, but are not restricted to the list below:

• Undergone 12 months of continuous hormonal therapy

• Completed at least 12 months of documented successful real-life experience in their new gender

• Participated in psychotherapy during the real-life experience when recommended by treating medical or behavioral practitioner

Gender reassignment surgery is considered not medically necessary when one or more of the criteria has not been met. For details on the medical necessity criteria contact us at 844-423-9988.

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 network 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.

If you need services and a network provider is not available, we will provide authorization to seek care from a non-network provider.  In this case, the services that are authorized will be treated as in-network services and paid accordingly.

If you seek covered care from non-network providers under Blue Open Access POS, you are ultimately responsible for contacting us to obtain our prior approval before proceeding with the service(s). We call this review and approval process precertification. The following list includes, but is not limited to, services that require precertification:

• All inpatient admissions (except for a normal delivery)
• Newborn stays that go beyond the discharge of the mother
• Office and outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy
• Transplants (Human Organ and Bone Marrow/Stem Cell)
• Diagnostic Imaging such as, but not limited to: Computed Tomography (CT), Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA), Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Cardiology and Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
• Certain Cardiovascular services such as, but not limited to: Cardiac Catheterization with Coronary Angiography, Echocardiograms, Arterial Ultrasound and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
• Certain Radiation Therapy services such as, but not limited to: Intensity Modulated Radiation therapy (IMRT), Proton Beam radiation Therapy, Brachytherapy, Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) in association with External Beam Radiation Therapy
• Outpatient Sleep Testing and Therapy services
• Bariatric Surgery and other treatments for Clinically Severe Obesity
• Behavioral Health and Substance Use Services for Intensive Outpatient programs (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depression, and Residential Treatment
• Prosthetic Devices
• Powered Devices such as, but not limited to: mobility devices or robotic lower body exoskeleton devices
• Reconstructive surgery
• Transgender services
• Treatment of temporomandibular (TMJ) disease
• Genetic testing when medically necessary

First, your physician, your hospital, you, or your representative, must call us at 800-992-5498 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 60 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 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 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 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 844-423-9988. 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 844-423-9988. 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 two business days following the day of the emergency admission, even if you have been discharged from the hospital.

For childbirth admissions, precertification is not required.  If there is a complication and/or the mother and baby are not discharged at the same time, precertification for an extended stay or for additional services is required.

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

If you need 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.

• HealthCare FSA (HCFSA)–Reimburses you for eligible out-of-pocket healthcare 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 you use a non-network facility without prior approval or precertification, you may be financially responsible for the charges. You should always make sure that we have been contacted to perform precertification for non-network services.

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 healthcare 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. 

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.

Cost-sharing is the general term used to refer to your out-of-pocket costs (i.e., deductible, coinsurance, and copayments) for the covered care you receive.

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

Example:

• When you see a Blue Open Acccess POS network primary care physician you pay a copayment of $20 per office visit.

A deductible is a fixed expense you must incur for covered services and supplies under the Blue Open Access POS benefits before we start paying for covered services from out of network providers.

Under the Blue Open Access POS Self Only enrollment, the deductible is considered satisfied and benefits are payable for you when your covered expenses applied to the calendar year deductible for your enrollment reach $2,000. Under a Self Plus One enrollment, the deductible is considered satisfied and benefits are payable for you and one other eligible family member when the combined covered expenses applied to the calendar year deductible for your enrollment reach $4,000. Under a Self and Family enrollment, the deductible is considered satisfied and benefits are payable for all family members when the combined covered expenses applied to the calendar year deductible for family members reach $6,000.

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 old option to the deductible of your new option. 

Coinsurance is the percentage of our allowance that you must pay for your care.  Coinsurance does not begin until you have met your calendar year deductible.

Example: 

• Under the Blue Open Access POS benefits, you pay 30% of our allowance for covered non-network services.

When you receive covered services from non-network providers, you are responsible for the difference between the actual charge and the Plan's maximum allowable amount.  See Section 5(i) Point of Service Benefits for more details.

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.

For covered network services - after your network copayments and coinsurance totals $6,000 for Self Only or $10,000 for Self Plus One, or $10,000 for Self and Family enrollment for medical services in any calendar year, you do not have to pay any more for covered medical services.

For covered non-network services - after your deductible and coinsurance totals $12,000 for Self Only or $20,000 for Self Plus One, or $20,000 for Self and Family enrollment, you do not have to pay any further deductible and/or coinsurance for covered medical services. However, you may be responsible for the difference between the actual charge and the Plan's maximum allowable amount.

Be sure to keep accurate records of your copayments and coinsurance since you are responsible for informing us when you reach the maximum.

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.

Facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense and the Indian Health Services are entitled to seek reimbursement from us for certain services and supplies they provide to you or a family member. They may not seek more than their governing laws allow. You may be responsible to pay for certain services and charges. Contact the government facility directly for more information.

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. 

In addition, your health plan adopts and complies with the surprise billing laws of the State of Georgia.

For specific information on surprise billing, the rights and protections you have, and your responsibilities go to www.anthem.com or contact the health plan at 844-423-9988.

Plans: Per section 2799A-5(c) of the PHS Act, section 9820(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, section 720(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act -

Provide a link to plan website with information in plain language on:

(1) the restrictions on balance billing in certain circumstances,

(2) any applicable state law protections against balance billing,

(3) the requirements described under Code section 9816, ERISA section 716, and PHS Act section 2799A-1, and

(4) information on contacting appropriate state and federal agencies in the case that an individual believes that a provider or facility has violated the restrictions against balance billing.

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 844-423-9988.

How to file a claim:

• You can obtain claim forms by calling Client Services at 844-423-9988. The back of the claim form has complete filing instructions.
• You can use the same claim form to file a claim for all your health care benefits, except for prescription drugs.
• You may submit claims for more than one person in the same envelope. However, you must submit a separate claim form for each person. Attach each person’s bill to the correct form.
• Complete the claim form fully and accurately. You must check “yes” or “no” for each question. If you do not answer a question, we may have to return your claim to you. This is also true if you do not provide additional information required.
• When you write in your identification number on the claim form, be sure to include the first three digits.
• We can only accept itemized bills. Each bill must show: the name of the patient, the name and address of the provider of care, a description of each service and the date provided, a diagnosis and the charge for each service.
• Canceled checks and nonitemized bills that show only “balance due” or “for professional services rendered” are not sufficient.
• Include all bills for covered services not previously submitted.
• If you have paid the provider, mark each bill “paid.”
• In some cases, we will pay you directly for covered services. In other cases, we will pay the provider.
• Please keep copies of the completed claim form and itemized bills.

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

Send your claims to the address shown below:

Blue Open Access POS
P. O. Box 105370
Atlanta, GA  30348-5370

Major chains and independent pharmacies belong to your pharmacy network. At these pharmacies, if you show your Blue Open Access POS ID card, you should only be responsible for paying your share of the cost. The pharmacy should file your claim, and we will pay the pharmacy directly.

Non-Network Pharmacy: If you go to a non-network pharmacy in an urgent or emergency situation outside the Blue Open Access POS service area, you are responsible for paying for your prescription at the time of service and then filing a claim. Your program will not provide benefits if you use a non-network pharmacy within the Blue Open Access POS service area.

You can obtain a Prescription Drug Claim Form by calling Client Services at 844-423-9988.

You can file up to three prescriptions on each form. Please do not use a regular health benefits claim form to file your prescription drug claim. If you do, your claim may be denied.

• Please fill out a separate claim form for each person and pharmacy.
• Be sure to provide all the information requested for each prescription. You may need to have the pharmacy complete the form or get the information from the pharmacy.
• Then you or the pharmacist should fill out the pharmacy’s name, address and National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP) number.
• On the completed form, tape your original itemized prescription drug receipt(s). Please do not send cash register receipts, canceled checks, bottle labels, copies of the original prescription drug receipts, or your own itemization of charges.
• The receipt(s) must show: the prescription number, the patient’s name, the name of the drug, the quantity and unit dose, and the strength of the drug.

Sign the claim form and mail it along with your receipt(s) to the address shown below:

Claims Department
P.O. Box 52065
Phoenix, AZ 85072-2065

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 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 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 healthcare 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: Blue Open Access POS, Attention:  Appeals, Mail No. OH3402-B014, 3075 Vandercar Way, Cincinnati, OH  45209; 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.

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 healthcare 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 healthcare 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 www.anthem.com/.

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

When we are the secondary payor, we will determine our allowance. After the primary Plan pays, we will pay what is left of our allowance, up to our regular benefit. All programs together will not pay more than 100% of allowable expenses. The allowable expense is the maximum amount that a Plan will pay for covered services. We will not pay more than our allowance.

Please see Section 4, Your Cost for Covered Services, for more information about how we pay claims.

TRICARE is the healthcare 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.

Suspended FEHB coverage to enroll in TRICARE or CHAMPVA: If you are an annuitant or former spouse, you can suspend your FEHB coverage to enroll in one of these programs, eliminating your FEHB premium. (OPM does not contribute to any applicable Plan premiums.) 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 TRICARE or CHAMPVA.

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.

If another person or entity, through an act or omission, causes you to suffer an injury or illness, and if we pay benefits for that injury or illness, you must agree to the provisions listed below. In addition, if you are injured and no other person or entity is responsible but you receive (or are entitled to) a recovery from another source, and if we provide benefits for that injury, you must agree to the following provisions:

• All recoveries you obtain (whether by lawsuit, settlement, or otherwise), no matter how described or designated, must be used to reimburse us in full for benefits we paid. Our share of any recovery extends only to the amount of benefits we have paid or will pay to you or, if applicable, to your heirs, administrators, successors, or assignees.
• Reimbursement to us out of your recoveries shall take first priority (before any of the rights of any other parties are honored).  Our right of reimbursement is not subject to reduction based on attorney fees or costs under the “common fund” doctrine.  Our right of reimbursement is fully enforceable regardless of whether you are “made whole” (you are fully compensated for the full amount of damages claimed).  We will not reduce our share of any recovery unless we agree in writing to a reduction, because (1) you do not receive the full amount of damages that you claimed, or (2) you had to pay attorneys’ fees.  This is our right of recovery. 
• If you do not seek damages for your illness or injury, you must permit us to initiate recovery on your behalf (including the right to bring suit in your name). This is called subrogation.
• If we pursue a recovery of the benefits we have paid, you must cooperate in doing what is reasonably necessary to assist us. You must not take any action that may prejudice our rights to recover.

You must tell us promptly if you have a claim against another party for a condition that we have paid or may pay benefits for, and you must tell us about any recoveries you obtain, whether in or out of court. We may seek a lien on the proceeds of your claim in order to reimburse ourselves to the full amount of benefits we have paid or will pay.

We may request that you assign to us (1) your right to bring an action or (2) your right to the proceeds of a claim for your illness or injury. We may delay processing of your claims until you provide the assignment.

Note:  We will pay the costs of any covered services you receive that are in excess of any recoveries made.

The following are examples of circumstances in which we may subrogate or assert a right of recovery:

• When you or your dependent are injured on premises owned by a third party; or
• When you or your dependent are injured and benefits are available to you or your dependent, under any law or under any type of insurance, including, but not limited to:
  • Personal injury protection benefits
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (does not include no-fault automobile insurance)
  • Workers’ compensation benefits
  • Medical reimbursement coverage

Contact us if you need more information about subrogation.

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 www.BENEFEDS.com, or by phone 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.

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.
• 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.  This plan does not cover these costs.
• 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.

For more detailed information on “What is Medicare?” and “Should I Enroll in Medicare?” Please contact Medicare at 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227), (TTY 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 844-423-9988 or see our website at www.anthem.com.

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

Please review the following list of benefits, it illustrates your cost share if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B.

Blue Open Access POS

Benefit Description: Deductible for Out-of-Network services
You Pay without Medicare: $2,000 Self only/$2,000 per person for Self Plus One/$6,000 Self and Family
You Pay with Medicare Part B: $2,000 Self only/$2,000 per person for Self Plus One/$6,000 Self and Family

Benefit Description: Out of Pocket Maximum for In-Network Services
You Pay without Medicare: $6,000 Self Only/$10,000 for Self Plus One and $10,000 Self and Family In Network
You Pay with Medicare Part B: $6,000 Self Only/$10,000 for Self Plus One/$10,000 Self and Family In Network

Benefit Description: Part B Premium Reimbursement Offered
You Pay without Medicare: NA
You Pay with Medicare Part B: NA

Benefit Description: Primary Care Physician
You Pay without Medicare: $20
You Pay with Medicare Part B: $20

Benefit Description: Specialist
You Pay without Medicare: $40
You Pay with Medicare Part B: $40

Benefit Description: Inpatient Hospital
You Pay without Medicare: $500 per day x 3 days
You Pay with Medicare Part B: $500 per day x 3 days

Benefit Description: Outpatient Hospital
You Pay without Medicare: $350 per surgical admission or 20% of our allowance per non-surgical admission
You Pay with Medicare Part B: $350 per surgical admission or 20% of our allowance per non-surgical admission

Benefit Description: Incentives Offered
You Pay without Medicare: NA
You Pay with Medicare Part B: NA

You can find more information about how our plan coordinates benefits with Medicare at www.anthem.com.

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 healthcare 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 an Anthem Medicare Advantage Plan and also remain enrolled in our FEHB plan. In this case, we do not waive any of our copayments or coinsurance for your FEHB coverage.

In the Anthem Medicare Advantage Plan we offer benefits, such as wellness programs like SilverSneakers®.

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. 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.

When we are the primary payor, we process the claim first. If you enroll in Medicare        Part D, and we are the secondary payor, we will review claims for your prescription drug costs that are not covered by Medicare Part D and consider them for payment under the FEHB Plan.

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
• 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 are generally covered by the clinical trials.  This plan does not cover these costs.

See Section 4, page 22.

See Section 4, page 22.

See Section 4, page 22.

Services that do not seek to cure, but are provided primarily for the convenience of the patient or his or her family, the maintenance of the patient, or to assist the patient in meeting his or her activities of daily living, rather than primarily for therapeutic value in the treatment of a condition. Custodial care includes, but is not limited to, help in walking, bathing, dressing, eating, preparation of special diets, supervision over self-administration of medications not requiring constant attention of trained medical personnel, or acting as a companion or sitter. Custodial care that lasts 90 days or more is sometimes known as Long term care.

See Section 4, page 22.

A drug, device or biological product is experimental or investigational if the drug, device, or biological product cannot be lawfully marketed without approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approval for marketing has not been given at the time it is furnished. Approval means all forms of acceptance by the FDA.

An FDA-approved drug, device or biological product (for use other than its intended purpose and labeled indications), or medical treatment or procedure is experimental or investigational if

1) Reliable evidence shows that it is the subject of ongoing phase I, II or III clinical trials or under study to determine its maximum tolerated dose, its toxicity, its safety, or

2) Reliable evidence shows that the consensus of opinion among experts regarding the drug, device, or biological product or medical treatment or procedure is that further studies or clinical trials are necessary to determine its maximum tolerated dose, its toxicity, its safety, its efficacy, or its efficacy as compared with the standard means of treatment or diagnosis.

Reliable evidence shall mean only published reports and articles in the authorized medical and scientific literature; the written protocol or protocols used by the treating facility or the protocol(s) of another facility studying substantially the same drug, device or medical treatment or procedure; or the written informed consent used by the treating facility or by another facility studying substantially the same drug, device or medical treatment or procedure.

FDA-approved drugs, devices, or biological products used for their intended purpose and labeled indication and those that have received FDA approval subject to postmarketing approval clinical trials, and devices classified by the FDA as “Category B Non-experimental/Investigational Devices” are not considered experimental or investigational.

New Treatments and Procedures – Helping our members get care that is safe and effective

When it comes to the latest information about medical care, we want you to know that we strive to review it quickly. We have teams of healthcare professionals that review our medical, behavioral (mental) health and drug policies on a regular basis. The resources we look to when making our decisions include:

• Professional medical publications and journals
• Policies and procedures from government agencies
• Study results showing the impact of new technology on long-term health
• Doctors, specialists and other health care consultants

We update our health policies and even create new ones to address many new treatments.  Because helping you get and stay healthy is our number one goal. 

A physician or other health care professional licensed, accredited, or certified to perform specified health services consistent with state law.

The amount that we determine is the maximum payable for covered services you receive. Generally, to determine the maximum allowable amount for a covered service, we use, in addition to other information, internally developed criteria and industry accepted methodologies and fee schedules which are based on estimates of resources and costs required to provide a drug, biologic, device, diagnostic, product, equipment, procedure, treatment, service or supply.

For a network provider, the maximum allowable amount is equal to the amount that constitutes payment in full under the network provider’s participation agreement for this Plan. If a network provider accepts as full payment an amount less than the negotiated rate under the participation agreement for this Plan, the lesser amount will be the maximum allowable amount.

For a non-network provider who is a physician or other non-facility provider, even if the provider has a participation agreement with us for another plan, the maximum allowable amount is the lesser of the actual charge or the standard rate under the participation agreement used with network providers for this Plan.

For a non-network provider that is a facility, the maximum allowable amount is equal to an amount negotiated with that non-network provider facility for covered services under this Plan or any other plan. In the absence of a negotiated amount, we shall have discretionary authority to establish, as we deem appropriate, the maximum allowable amount. The maximum allowable amount is the lesser of the non-network provider facility’s charge, or an amount determined by us, after consideration of one or more of the following: industry cost, peer reimbursement, utilization data, previously negotiated rates, outstanding offers that we may have made, or other factors we deem appropriate. It is your obligation to pay any deductibles, coinsurance and/or copayments. (Refer to Reciprocity for other out of area services, Section 5(h).)

We only cover care that is medically necessary. But we do not cover all medically necessary care. Even if the type of care is covered in general, the care is not covered if we determine it was not medically necessary in a specific case. Blue Open Access POS must agree that care was medically necessary.

However, in some cases, you will not have to pay for care that was not medically necessary. In these cases, the provider is responsible. You do not need to pay if all of the following are true:

Blue Open Access POS did not notify you in advance that the care was not medically necessary.

The services would have been covered if they were medically necessary.

To be medically necessary, care must be provided to diagnose or treat a condition. Also, the type and level of care must be necessary and appropriate. We use current standards of medical practice to decide necessity and appropriateness. The type and level of care must not be more than what is necessary.

For example, surgery may not be medically necessary for your condition if your provider has not tried more conservative treatment. Also, inpatient care is not medically necessary if appropriate care is available on an outpatient basis.

A provider who has entered into a contractual agreement or is being used by us, or another organization, which has an agreement with us, to provide covered services and certain administrative functions for the Blue Open Access POS network. 

A provider who has not entered into a contractual agreement with us for Blue Open Access POS.  Providers who have not contracted or affiliated with our designated subcontractor(s) for the services they perform are also considered non-network providers. 

Plan allowance is the amount we use to determine our payment and your coinsurance for covered services.  Plans determine their allowances in different ways. 

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.

A physician or other health care professional licensed, accredited, or certified to perform specified health services consistent with state law.

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 844-423-9988.  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.

Us and We refer to Blue Open Access POS.

Network: $20 per office visit to your primary care physician or $40 per office visit to a specialist

POS Non-network: After satisfying the annual deductible, 30% coinsurance

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Network: Nothing

POS Non-network: After satisfying the annual deductible, 30% coinsurance

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Network: 20% of our allowance per test

POS Non-network: After satisfying the annual deductible, 30% coinsurance 

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Network:  $500 copay per day for a maximum of 3 days

POS Non-network: After satisfying the annual deductible, 30% coinsurance

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Network:  $350 per visit (Facility copay only applies when surgical procedure is performed.)  20% of our allowance for non-surgical visits

POS Non-network: After satisfying the annual deductible, 30% coinsurance

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$200 per emergency room visit

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Regular cost-sharing

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Tier 1: Level 1 - $5, Level 2 - $20
Tier 2: Level 1 - $70, Level 2 - $80
Tier 3: Level 1 - $110, Level 2 - $120
Tier 4: 35% of our allowance up to a maximum of $350

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Tier 1: $10
Tier 2: $175
Tier 3: $275

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Copay or coinsurance is based on place of service

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Network: $20 per visit to your PCP or $40 per visit to a Specialist

POS Non-network: After satisfying the annual deductible, 30% coinsurance

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Flexible benefits option; Reciprocity; Centers of Excellence; Disease Management

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Network:  $6,000 Self Only or $10,00 for Self Plus One or $10,000 Self and Family per year.

POS Non-network:  $12,000 Self only or $20,000 for Self Plus One or $20,000 Self and Family per year.   

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