For changes in benefits,
see page 8.
Serving: State of West Virginia
Enrollment in this Plan
is limited; see page 5 for requirements.
Enrollment codes for this Plan:
4C1 Self Only 4C2 Self and Family
Special Notice: Health Assurance and Carelink have merged. Health
Assurance enrollees will automatically be transferred to Carelink unless they
make a change to a different plan during open season. Please read this
brochure carefully for benefit changes.
RI 73-676 1
1 Page
2 3
2001 Carelink Health Plans Table of
Contents 2
Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………….
............................................................... 4
Plain
Language………………………………………………………………...............................................................
4
Section 1. Facts about this HMO plan
..........................................................................................................................
5
How we pay providers
.................................................................................................................................
5
Who provides my health
care?.....................................................................................................................
5
Patients' Bill of Rights
.................................................................................................................................
6
Service
Area.................................................................................................................................................
7
Section 2. How we change for
2001………………………………………..................................................................
8
Program-wide
changes.................................................................................................................................
8
Changes to this
Plan.....................................................................................................................................
8
Section 3. How you get care …………...
.....................................................................................................................
9
Identification
cards.......................................................................................................................................
9
Where you get covered
care.........................................................................................................................
9
Plan
providers........................................................................................................................................
9
Plan facilities
.........................................................................................................................................
9
What you must do to get covered care
.........................................................................................................
9
Primary
care...........................................................................................................................................
9
Specialty
care.........................................................................................................................................
9
Hospital care
........................................................................................................................................
10
Circumstances beyond our
control.............................................................................................................
11
Services requiring our prior approval
........................................................................................................
11
Section 4. Your costs for covered services
.................................................................................................................
12
Copayments
.........................................................................................................................................
12
Coinsurance
.........................................................................................................................................
12
Your out-of-pocket
maximum....................................................................................................................
12
Section 5.
Benefits…………………………………………………………...............................................................
13
Overview....................................................................................................................................................
13
(a) Medical services and supplies provided by physicians and other health
care professionals ........... 13
(b) Surgical and anesthesia services
provided by physicians and other health care professionals........ 24
(c)
Services provided by a hospital or other facility, and ambulance
services...................................... 29
(d) Emergency services/
accidents
.........................................................................................................
32
(e) Mental health and substance abuse benefits
....................................................................................
34
(f) Prescription drug
benefits................................................................................................................
36
(g) Special features
...............................................................................................................................
40
(h) Dental
benefits.................................................................................................................................
41
(i) Non-FEHB benefits available to Plan
members..............................................................................
42 2
2 Page 3 4
2001 Carelink Health Plans Table of Contents 3
Section 6. General exclusions --things we don't
cover.............................................................................................
43
Section 7. Filing a claim for covered
services............................................................................................................
44
Section 8. The disputed claims
process......................................................................................................................
45
Section 9. Coordinating benefits with other
coverage................................................................................................
47
When you have…
Other health coverage
......................................................................................................................
47
Original Medicare
............................................................................................................................
47
Medicare managed care
plan............................................................................................................
49
TRICARE/ Workers' Compensation/ Medicaid
.......................................................................................
49
Other Government agencies
...................................................................................................................
51
When others are responsible for injuries
................................................................................................
51
Section 10. Definitions of terms we use in this
brochure...........................................................................................
52
Section 11. FEHB
facts..............................................................................................................................................
53
Coverage
information................................................................................................................................
No pre-existing condition limitation
.............................................................................................
53
Where you get information about enrolling in the FEHB
Program............................................... 53
Types of coverage
available for you and your
family................................................................... 53
When benefits and premiums start
................................................................................................
54
Your medical and claims records are confidential
........................................................................ 54
When you
retire............................................................................................................................
54
When you lose benefits
.......................................................................................................................
54
When FEHB coverage ends
..........................................................................................................
54
Spouse equity
coverage................................................................................................................
54
Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC)
..............................................................................
54
Enrolling in
TCC...........................................................................................................................
54
Converting to individual coverage
...............................................................................................
55
Getting a Certificate of Group Health Plan
Coverage.................................................................. 55
Inspector General Advisory
.........................................................................................................
55
Index
...............................................................................................................................................................
56
Summary of benefits
...................................................................................................................................................
58
Rates…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Back cover 3
3 Page
4 5
2001 Carelink Health Plans 4
Introduction/ Plain Language
Introduction
Carelink Health
Plans 141 Summers Square
Charleston, WV 25326
This brochure describes
the benefits of Carelink Health Plans under our contract (CS2734) with the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM), as authorized by the Federal Employees
Health Benefits law. This brochure is the
official statement of benefits. No
oral statement can modify or otherwise affect the benefits, limitations, and
exclusions of this brochure.
If you are enrolled in this Plan, you are entitled to the benefits described
in this brochure. If you are enrolled for Self and Family coverage, each
eligible family member is also entitled to these benefits. You do not have a
right to
benefits that were available before January 1, 2001, unless those
benefits are also shown in this brochure.
OPM negotiates benefits and rates
with each plan annually. Benefit changes are effective January 1, 2001, and are
summarized on page 8. Rates are shown at the end of this brochure.
Plain Language
The President and Vice President are making the
Government's communication more responsive, accessible, and understandable to
the public by requiring agencies to use plain language. In response, a team of
health plan
representatives and OPM staff worked cooperatively to make this
brochure clearer. Except for necessary technical terms, we use common words.
"You" means the enrollee or family member; "we" means
Carelink Health Plans.
The plain language team reorganized the brochure and the way we describe our
benefits. When you compare this Plan with other FEHB plans, you will find that
the brochures have the same format and similar information to make
comparisons easier.
If you have comments or suggestions about how to
improve this brochure, let us know. Visit OPM's "Rate Us" feedback
area at www. opm. gov/ insure or e-mail us at fehbwebcomments@ opm. gov or write
to OPM at Insurance
Planning and Evaluation Division, P. O. Box 436,
Washington, DC 20044-0436. 4
4 Page 5 6
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 5 Section 1
Section 1. Facts about this HMO plan
This Plan is a health maintenance organization (HMO). We require you to
see specific physicians, hospitals, and other providers that contract with us.
These Plan providers coordinate your health care services.
HMOs emphasize preventive care such as routine office visits, physical exams,
well-baby care, and immunizations, in addition to treatment for illness and
injury. Our providers follow generally accepted medical practice when
prescribing any course of treatment.
When you receive services from Plan
providers, you will not have to submit claim forms or pay bills. You only pay
the copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles described in this brochure. When
you receive emergency services from
non-Plan providers, you may have to
submit claim forms.
You should join an HMO because you prefer the plan's
benefits, not because a particular provider is available. You cannot change
plans because a provider leaves our Plan. We cannot guarantee that any one
physician,
hospital, or other provider will be available and/ or remain
under contract with us.
How we pay providers
We contract with
individual physicians, medical groups, and hospitals to provide the benefits in
this brochure. These Plan providers accept a negotiated payment from us, and you
will only be responsible for your copayments or
coinsurance.
Who provides my health care?
Carelink Health Plans of Charleston,
West Virginia is an individual practice prepayment plan that allows you to
choose a personal family doctor, otherwise known as a primary care physician,
from a list of over 1380 physicians. If
specialty services are necessary,
the primary care physician will refer you to an appropriate Plan doctor.
When you join Carelink Health Plans, you and each family member individually
choose a primary care physician from among internists, obstetrician/
gynecologists, pediatricians, general practitioners, and family practice
physicians,
and in some areas, urgent care centers.
The first and most
important decision each member must make is the selection of a primary care
doctor. The decision is important since it is through this doctor that all other
health services, particularly those of specialists, are obtained.
It is the
responsibility of your primary care doctor to obtain any necessary
authorizations from the Plan before referring you to a specialist or making
arrangements for hospitalization. Services of other providers are covered only
when you have been referred by your primary care doctor with the following
exceptions: a woman may see her plan gynecologist for her annual routine
examination or for maternity care without a referral.
The Plan's provider directory lists primary care doctors (family
practitioners, general practitioners, pediatricians, and internists) with their
locations and phone numbers, and notes whether or not the doctor is accepting
new patients.
Directories are updated on a regular basis and are available
at the time of enrollment or upon request by calling the Member Services
Department at 1-800-348-2922; you can also find out if your doctor participates
with this Plan by
calling this number. If you are interested in receiving
care from a specific provider who is listed in this directory, call the provider
to verify that he or she still participates with the Plan and is accepting new
patients. Important note:
When you enroll in this Plan, services (except
for emergency benefits) are provided through the Plan's delivery system; the
continued availability and/ or participation of any one doctor, hospital, or
other provider, cannot be
guaranteed.
If you enroll, you will be
asked to let the Plan know which primary care doctor( s) you've selected for you
and each member of your family by sending a selection form to the Plan or
calling Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922. If you
need help choosing a
doctor, call the Plan. Members may change their doctor selection anytime by
notifying the Plan 30 days in advance. 5
5 Page 6 7
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 6 Section 1
If you are receiving services from a
doctor who leaves the Plan, the Plan will pay for covered services until the
Plan can arrange with you for you to be seen by another participating doctor.
Patients' Bill of Rights
OPM requires that all FEHB Plans comply
with the Patients' Bill of Rights recommended by the President's Advisory
Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry. You
may get information about us, our
networks, providers, and facilities. OPM's
FEHB website (www. opm. gov/ insure) lists the specific types of information
that we must make available to you. Some of the required information is listed
below.
Carelink Health Plans complies with all State of West Virginia licensing
requirements Disenrollment rates
Years in existence Carelink Health Plans
meets State, Federal and accreditation requirements for fiscal solvency,
confidentiality and
transfer of medical records
If you want more
information about us, call 1-800-348-2922, or write to Carelink Health Plans,
141 Summers Square, Charleston, WV 25326. You may also contact us by fax at 724/
778-4299 or visit our website at www. cvty. com. 6
6
Page 7 8
2001
Carelink Health Plans 7 Section 1
Service Area
To
enroll with Carelink, you must live or work in our service area. This is where
our providers practice. Carelink's service area includes all 55 counties in the
State of West Virginia.
Ordinarily, you must get your care from providers who contract with us. If
you receive care outside our service area, we will pay only for emergency care.
We will not pay for any other health care services rendered outside of the plan
unless it is an emergency or the services have been authorized by our
medical director.
If you or a covered family member move outside of our
service area, you can enroll in another plan. If your dependents live out of the
area (for example, if your child goes to college in another state), he/ she has
coverage for
emergency services only from non-plan providers. If you or a
family member move, you do not have to wait until Open Season to change plans.
Contact your employing or retirement office. 7
7
Page 8 9
2001
Carelink Health Plans 8 Section 3
Section 2. How we change for
2001
Program-wide changes
The plain language team reorganized the
brochure and the way we describe our benefits. We hope this will make it easier
for you to compare plans.
This year, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is implementing
network mental health and substance abuse parity. This means that your coverage
for mental health, substance abuse, medical, surgical, and hospital
services
from providers in our plan network will be the same with regard to coinsurance,
copays, and day and visit limitations when you follow a treatment plan that we
approve. Previously, we placed higher patient cost
sharing and visit
limitations on mental health and substance abuse services than we did on
services to treat physical illness, injury, or disease.
Many healthcare organizations have turned their attention this past year to
improving healthcare quality and patient safety. OPM asked all FEHB plans to
join them in this effort. You can find specific information on our
patient
safety activities by calling Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922, or checking our
website at www. carelink. cvty. com. You can find out more about patient safety
on the OPM website, www. opm. gov/ insure.
To improve your healthcare, take
these five steps:
Speak up if you have questions or concerns.
Keep a
list of all the medicines you take.
Make sure you get the results of any
test or procedure.
Talk with your doctor and health care team about your
options if you need hospital care.
Make sure you understand what will happen
if you need surgery.
We clarified the language to show that anyone who needs
a mastectomy may choose to have the procedure performed on an inpatient basis
and remain in the hospital up to 48 hours after the procedure. Previously, the
language referenced only women.
Changes to this Plan
Your share of the non-Postal premium will
increase by 32. 2% for Self Only or 89. 0% for Self and Family.
Carelink
Health Plans' service area for January 2000 included 26 counties in the State of
West Virginia. Our service area has now been expanded to all 55 West Virginia
counties.
Health Assurance and Carelink have merged. Health Assurance enrollees will
automatically be transferred to Carelink unless they make a change to a
different plan during open season. Please read this brochure carefully for
benefit changes. Specialist Physician Office Visits are now covered with a
$20 member copayment.
Outpatient Surgery performed at a surgical center or
hospital is now covered with a $100 member copayment.
Allergy Testing and
Care visit (including serum) is now covered with a $20 member copayment. Annual
Copayment Maximums are now $1500 for single family members or $3000 per family.
Durable Medical Equipment is now covered with a 40% member copayment.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility is now covered with a 40% member
copayment.
Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital stays are now covered with a
$100 member copayment per admission. Urgent Care Visits are covered with a $30
member copayment. 8
8 Page
9 10
2001 Carelink Health Plans 9
Section 3
Section 3. How you get care
Identification cards
We will send you an identification (ID) card when you enroll. You should
carry your ID card with you at all times. You must show it
whenever you
receive services from a Plan provider, or fill a prescription at a Plan
pharmacy. Until you receive your ID card, use your copy of the
Health
Benefits Election Form, SF-2809, your health benefits enrollment confirmation
(for annuitants), or your 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 1-800-
348-2922.
Where you get covered care You get care from "Plan
providers" and "Plan facilities." You will only pay copayments
and/ or coinsurance, and you will not have to file claims.
Plan providers 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. You can also verify that a provider participates with us by
calling 1-800-348-2922.
Plan facilities 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. You can also verify that a facility
participates with us by calling 1-800-348-2922.
What you must do to get It depends on the type of care you need.
First, you and each family covered care member must choose a primary care
physician. This decision is
important since your primary care physician
provides or arranges for most of your health care. Please notify us of your
choice of your primary
care physician by calling Customer Service at
1-800-348-2922.
Primary care Your primary care physician can be among internists,
obstetrician/ gynecologists, pediatricians, general practitioners, and
family practice physicians, and in some areas, urgent care centers. .
Your primary care physician will provide most of your health care, or give
you a referral to see a specialist.
If you want to change primary care physicians or if your primary care
physician leaves the Plan, call us. We will help you select a new one.
Specialty care Your primary care physician will refer you to a
specialist for needed care. However, female members can see their participating
gynecologist one
time per year for their annual gynecological exam without a
referral.
Here are other things you should know about specialty care:
If
you need to see a specialist frequently because of a chronic, complex, or
serious medical condition, your primary care physician
will develop a
treatment plan that allows you to see your specialist for 9
9 Page 10 11
2001 Carelink Health Plans 10 Section 3
a certain number of visits without additional referrals. Your primary
care physician will use our criteria when creating your treatment plan
(the
physician may have to get an authorization or approval beforehand).
If you are seeing a specialist when you enroll in our Plan, talk to your
primary care physician. Your primary care physician will decide
what
treatment you need. If he or she decides to refer you to a specialist, ask if
you can see your current specialist. If your current
specialist does not
participate with us, you must receive treatment from a specialist who does.
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 or disabling condition and lose access to your
specialist because we:
terminate our contract with your specialist for other
than cause; or
drop out of the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
Program and you enroll in another FEHB Plan; or
reduce our service area and you enroll in another FEHB Plan,
you may be
able to continue seeing your specialist for up to 90 days 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.
Hospital care 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.
If you are in the
hospital when your enrollment in our Plan begins, call our customer service
department immediately at 1-800-348-2922. If you
are new to the FEHB
Program, we will arrange for you to receive care.
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; or
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. 10
10 Page 11 12
2001 Carelink Health Plans 11 Section 3
Circumstances beyond our control Under certain extraordinary
circumstances, such as natural disasters, we may have to delay your services or
we may be unable to provide them.
In that case, we will make all reasonable
efforts to provide you with the necessary care.
Services requiring our prior approval Your primary care physician has
authority to refer you for most services.
For certain services, however,
your physician must obtain approval from us. Before giving approval, we consider
if the service is covered,
medically necessary, and follows generally
accepted medical practice.
We call this review and approval process
precertification. Your plan physician is responsible for obtaining all necessary
precertifications
including, but not limited to:
Inpatient Admissions
Outpatient Surgeries
Transplants Orthotics
Durable Medical Equipment
Out-of-Network Services
MRI/ CAT Scans 11
11
Page 12 13
2001
Carelink Health Plans 12 Section 4
Section 4. Your
costs for covered services
You must share the cost of some services. You
are responsible for:
Copayments A copayment is a fixed amount of
money you pay to the provider when you receive services.
Example: When you see your primary care physician you pay a copayment of $10
per office visit and when you go in the hospital, you
pay $100 per
admission.
Coinsurance Coinsurance is the percentage of our
negotiated fee that you must pay for your care.
Example: In our Plan, you pay 40% of our allowance for infertility services
and durable medical equipment.
Your out-of-pocket maximum After your copayments and coinsurance total
$1500 per person or $3000 per family enrollment in any calendar year, you do not
have to pay any
more for covered services. However, copayments and
coinsurance for the following services do not count toward your out-of-pocket
maximum,
and you must continue to pay copayments and coinsurance for these
services:
Infertility Services Prescription Drugs
Family Planning Procedure
Be
sure to keep accurate records of your copayments and coinsurance since you are
responsible for informing us when you reach the maximum. 12
12 Page 13 14
2001 Carelink Health Plans 13 Section 5
Section 5. Benefits --OVERVIEW (See page 8 for how our
benefits changed this year and page 58 for a benefits summary.)
NOTE: This benefits section is divided into subsections.
Please read the important things you should keep in mind at the beginning of
each subsection. Also read the General Exclusions in Section 6; they apply to
the benefits in the
following subsections. To obtain claims forms, claims
filing advice, or more information about our benefits, contact us at
1-800-348-2922 or at our website at www. carelink. cvty. com.
(a) Medical services and supplies provided by physicians and other
health care professionals...................................... 14-23
Diagnostic and treatment services Lab, X-ray, and other diagnostic tests
Preventive care, adult Preventive care, children
Maternity care Family
planning
Infertility services Allergy care
Treatment therapies
Rehabilitative therapies
Hearing services (testing, treatment, and supplies)
Foot care Orthopedic
and prosthetic devices
Durable medical equipment (DME) Home health services
Alternative treatments Educational classes and programs
(b) Surgical and anesthesia services provided by physicians and other health
care professionals ....................... 24-28
Surgical procedures
Reconstructive surgery Oral and maxillofacial surgery Organ/ tissue transplants
Anesthesia
(c) Services provided by a hospital or other facility, and
ambulance services ..................................................... 29-31
Inpatient hospital Outpatient hospital or ambulatory surgical
center
Extended care benefits/ skilled nursing care facility benefits
Hospice
care Ambulance
(d) Emergency services/ accidents
.................................................................................................................
32-33 Medical emergency Ambulance
(e) Mental health and substance abuse
benefits
............................................................................................
34-35
(f) Prescription drug benefits
...............................................................................................................................
36-39
(g) Special features
....................................................................................................................................................
40
(h) Dental benefits
.....................................................................................................................................................
41
(i) Non-FEHB benefits available to Plan members
..................................................................................................
42
Summary of benefits
...................................................................................................................................................
58 13
13 Page 14
15
2001 Carelink Health Plans 14 Section 5(
a)
Section 5 (a) Medical services and supplies provided by physicians
and other health care professionals
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Here are some important things to keep in mind about these benefits:
Please remember that all benefits are subject to the definitions,
limitations, and exclusions in this brochure and are payable only when we
determine they are medically necessary.
Plan physicians must provide or arrange your care.
Be sure to read
Section 4, Your costs for covered services for valuable information about
how cost sharing works. Also read Section 9 about coordinating benefits with
other
coverage, including with Medicare.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Benefit Description You pay
Diagnostic and treatment services
Professional services of physicians
In physician's office
$10per office visittoyourprimary carephysician
$20peroffice visittoaspecialist
Professional services of physicians
In an urgent care center
$30 per office visit
Professional services of physicians
During a hospital stay
Nothing
Professional services of physicians
In a skilled nursing facility
20%
copayment
Professional services of physicians
Initial examination of a newborn
child covered under a family enrollment
Nothing during initial hospital stay
Professional services of physicians
Office medical consultations
$10perofficevisit toyourprimarycare physician
$20peroffice visittoaspecialist
Professional services of physicians
Second surgical opinion
$20 per office visit
Professional services of physicians
At home
$10perofficevisit toyourprimarycare physician
$20peroffice visittoaspecialist
Diagnostic and treatment services --Continued on next page 14
14 Page 15 16
2001 Carelink Health Plans 15 Section 5( a)
Diagnostic and treatment services (Continued) You pay
Lab, X-ray and other diagnostic tests
Tests, such as:
Blood tests
Urinalysis
Non-routine pap tests
Pathology
X-rays
Non-routine Mammograms
Ultrasound
Electrocardiogram and EEG
CAT Scans
MRI
Nothing
Preventive care, adult
Routine screenings, such as:
Blood lead
level – One annually
Total Blood Cholesterol – once every three
years, ages 19 through 64
Colorectal Cancer Screening, including
Fecal
occult blood test
$10 per office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit
to a specialist
Sigmoidoscopy, screening – every five years starting at age 50 $10 per
office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit to a
specialist
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA test) – one annually for men
age 40 and older $10 per office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit to a specialist
Routine pap test
Note: The
office visit is covered if pap test is received on the same day; see
Diagnosis and Treatment, above.
$10 per office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit to a specialist 15
15
Page 16 17
2001
Carelink Health Plans 16 Section 5( a)
Preventive care, adult
(Continued) You pay
Routine mammogram –covered for
women age 35 and older, as follows:
From age 35 through 39, one during this five year period
From age 40
through 64, one every calendar year
At age 65 and older, one every two
consecutive calendar years
$10 per office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit
to a specialist
Not covered: Physical exams required for obtaining or continuing
employment or insurance, attending schools or camp, or travel. All charges.
Routine Immunizations, limited to:
Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) booster
– once every 10 years, ages19 and over (except as provided for under
Childhood immunizations)
Influenza/ Pneumococcal vaccines, annually, age 65 and over
$10 per office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit
to a specialist
Preventive care, children You pay
Childhood immunizations
recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics $10 per office visit to your
primary care physician
$20 per office visit to a specialist
Examinations, such as:
Eye exams
through age 17 to determine the need for vision correction.
Ear exams through age 17 to determine the need for hearing correction
Examinations done on the day of immunizations ( through age 22)
Well-child care charges for routine examinations, immunizations and care
(through age 22)
$10 per office visit to your primary care physician
$20 per office visit
to a specialist 16
16 Page
17 18
2001 Carelink Health Plans
17 Section 5( a)
Maternity care You pay
Complete
maternity (obstetrical) care, such as:
Prenatal care
Delivery
Postnatal care
Note: Here are some things to keep in mind:
You do
not need to precertify your normal delivery; see page 29 for other
circumstances, such as extended stays for you or your baby.
You may remain in the hospital up to 48 hours after a regular delivery and 96
hours after a cesarean delivery. We will extend
your inpatient stay if
medically necessary.
We cover routine nursery care of the newborn child
during the covered portion of the mother's maternity stay. We will cover other
care of an infant who requires non-routine treatment only if we cover the
infant under a Self and Family enrollment.
We pay hospitalization and surgeon services (delivery) the same as for
illness and injury. See Hospital benefits (Section 5c) and
Surgery benefits
(Section 5b).
$20 for the initial office visit to diagnose the pregnancy;
copayments
for all prenatal and postnatal care office visits are
waived after the
initial visit.
$100 copay for the hospital admission for the delivery
Not covered: Routine sonograms to determine fetal age, size or sex All
charges
Family planning
Voluntary sterilization including
vasectomy and tubal ligation Nothing
Not covered: reversal of voluntary surgical sterilization, genetic
counseling, surgically implanted contraceptives, injectable
contraceptive
drugs, intrauterine devices (IUDs)
All charges.
Infertility services You pay
Diagnosis and treatment of
infertility, such as:
Artificial insemination:
intravaginal
insemination (IVI)
intracervical insemination (ICI)
intrauterine insemination (IUI)
40% member copayment 17
17 Page 18 19
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 18 Section 5( a)
Not covered:
Assisted
reproductive technology (ART) procedures, such as:
in vitro
fertilization
embryo transfer and GIFT
Services and
supplies related to excluded ART procedures
Cost of donor sperm
Fertility Drugs
All charges.
Allergy care
Testing and treatment
Allergy injection
$20
per office visit
Allergy serum Nothing
Not covered: provocative food testing and
sublingual allergy desensitization All charges. 18
18 Page 19 20
2001 Carelink Health Plans 19 Section 5( a)
Treatment therapies You pay
Chemotherapy and radiation
therapy
Note: High dose chemotherapy in association with autologous bone
marrow transplants are limited to those transplants listed under
Organ/ Tissue Transplants on page 27.
Respiratory and inhalation therapy
Dialysis – Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis
Intravenous (IV)/
Infusion Therapy – Home IV and antibiotic therapy
Growth hormone therapy (GHT)
Note: Plan physicians are responsible for
obtaining all applicable precertifications.
$20 per office visit 19
19 Page 20 21
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 20 Section 5( a)
Rehabilitative therapies You pay
Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy --
60
visits per course of treatment for the services of each of the following:
qualified physical therapists;
speech therapists; and
occupational
therapists.
Note: We only cover therapy to restore bodily function or speech
when there has been a total or partial loss of bodily function or
functional speech due to illness or injury.
Cardiac rehabilitation
following a heart transplant, bypass
surgery or a myocardial infarction, is
provided for up to 36 sessions
$20 per office visit
Not covered:
Long-term rehabilitative therapy
exercise programs
All charges.
Hearing services (testing, treatment, and supplies) You pay
Hearing testing for children through age 17 (see Preventive care,
children) $10 per office visit
Not covered: all other hearing testing
hearing aids,
testing and examinations for them
All charges. 20
20 Page 21 22
2001 Carelink Health Plans 21 Section 5( a)
Foot care
Routine foot care when you are under active
treatment for a metabolic or peripheral vascular disease, such as diabetes.
See orthopedic and prosthetic devices for information on podiatric shoe
inserts.
$20 per office visit
Not covered:
Cutting, trimming or removal of corns, calluses,
or the free edge of toenails, and similar routine treatment of conditions of the
foot,
except as stated above
Treatment of weak, strained or flat feet
or bunions or spurs; and of any instability, imbalance or subluxation of the
foot (unless the
treatment is by open cutting surgery)
All charges. 21
21 Page 22 23
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 22 Section 5( a)
Orthopedic and prosthetic
devices You pay
Artificial limbs and eyes; stump hose
Externally
worn breast prostheses and surgical bras, including necessary replacements,
following a mastectomy
Internal prosthetic devices, such as artificial joints, pacemakers, cochlear
implants, and surgically implanted breast implant
following mastectomy.
Note: See 5( b) for coverage of the surgery to insert the device.
Nothing
Not covered:
orthopedic and corrective shoes
arch
supports
foot orthotics
heel pads and heel cups
lumbosacral supports
corsets, trusses, elastic stockings,
support hose, and other supportive devices
prosthetic replacements provided less than 3 years after the last one we
covered
All charges.
Durable medical equipment (DME) You pay
Rental or purchase, at our
option, including repair and adjustment, of durable medical equipment prescribed
by your Plan physician, such as
oxygen and dialysis equipment. Under this benefit, we also cover:
hospital beds;
wheelchairs;
crutches;
walkers;
blood glucose
monitors; and
insulin pumps.
Note: Plan physicians are responsible for obtaining all applicable
precertifications.
40% member copayment
Home health services
Home health care ordered by a Plan physician
and provided by a registered nurse (R. N.), licensed practical nurse (L. P. N.),
licensed
vocational nurse (L. V. N.), or home health aide.
Services include oxygen
therapy, intravenous therapy and medications.
Nothing 22
22 Page
23 24
2001 Carelink Health Plans
23 Section 5( a)
Home health services (Continued)
You pay
Not covered: nursing care requested by, or for
the convenience of, the patient or
the patient's family; nursing care primarily for hygiene, feeding,
exercising, moving the
patient, homemaking, companionship or giving oral
medication.
All charges.
Alternative treatments
Chiropractic Services $20 per office visit
Not covered: Acupuncture
Acupressure
Naturopathic services Hypnotherapy
Biofeedback
All charges.
Educational classes and programs
Coverage is limited to:
High-Risk Pregnancy
Disease Management
Diabetes self-management
Nothing 23
23 Page
24 25
2001 Carelink Health Plans
24 Section 5( b)
Section 5 (b). Surgical and anesthesia
services provided by physicians and other health care professionals
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Here are some important things to keep in mind about these benefits:
Please remember that all benefits are subject to the definitions,
limitations, and exclusions in this brochure and are payable only when we
determine they are medically necessary.
Plan physicians must provide or arrange your care.
Be sure to read
Section 4, Your costs for covered services for valuable information about
how cost sharing works. Also read Section 9 about coordinating benefits with
other coverage, including with
Medicare.
The amounts listed below are for the charges billed by a
physician or other health care professional for your surgical care. Look in
Section 5 (c) for charges associated with the facility (i. e. hospital, surgical
center, etc.).
Plan physicians are responsible for obtaining all
applicable precertifications.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Benefit Description You pay
Surgical procedures
Treatment of
fractures, including casting Normal pre-and post-operative care by the surgeon
Correction of amblyopia and strabismus Endoscopy procedure
Biopsy
procedure Removal of tumors and cysts
Correction of congenital anomalies
(see reconstructive surgery) Surgical treatment of morbid obesity --a condition
in which an
individual weighs 100 pounds or 100% over his or her normal
weight according to current underwriting standards; eligible
members must be
age 18 or over Treatment of burns
Insertion of internal prosthetic devices. See 5( a) – Orthopedic braces
and prosthetic devices for device coverage information.
Nothing if performed in a hospital;
$10 if performed in your primary care
physician office;
$20 if performed in a specialist physician office
Surgical procedures continued on next page. 24
24 Page 25 26
2001 Carelink Health Plans 25 Section 5( b)
Surgical procedures (Continued) You pay
Voluntary sterilization Nothing
Not covered: Reversal of voluntary sterilization
Routine
treatment of conditions of the foot; see Foot care.
All charges.
Reconstructive surgery Surgery to correct a functional defect
Surgery to correct a condition caused by injury or illness if:
the
condition produced a major effect on the member's appearance and
the condition can reasonably be expected to be corrected by such surgery
Surgery to correct a condition that existed at or from birth and is a
significant deviation from the common form or norm. Examples of
congenital
anomalies are: protruding ear deformities; cleft lip; cleft palate; birth marks;
webbed fingers; and webbed toes.
Nothing if performed in a hospital;
$10 if performed in your primary care
physician office;
$20 if performed in a specialist physician office
All stages of breast reconstruction surgery following a mastectomy, such as:
surgery to produce a symmetrical appearance on the other breast;
treatment of any physical complications, such as lymphedemas;
breast
prostheses and surgical bras and replacements (see Prosthetic devices)
Note: If you need a mastectomy, you may choose to have the procedure
performed on an inpatient basis and remain in the hospital up to 48
hours
after the procedure.
Nothing if performed in a hospital;
$10 if performed in PCP office;
$20 if performed in a specialist physician office
Not covered: Cosmetic surgery – any surgical procedure (or
any portion of a
procedure) performed primarily to improve physical
appearance through change in bodily form, except repair of accidental injury
Surgeries related to sex transformation
All charges 25
25 Page 26 27
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 26 Section 5( b)
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Oral surgical procedures, limited to: Reduction of fractures of the jaws
or facial bones;
Surgical correction of cleft lip, cleft palate or severe functional
malocclusion;
Removal of stones from salivary ducts; Excision of leukoplakia
or malignancies;
Excision of cysts and incision of abscesses when done as
independent procedures; and
Other surgical procedures that do not involve
the teeth or their supporting structures.
Nothing if performed in a hospital;
$10 if performed in your primary care
physician office;
$20 if performed in a specialist physician office
Not covered: Oral implants and transplants
Procedures
that involve the teeth or their supporting structures (such as the periodontal
membrane, gingiva, and alveolar bone)
All charges. 26
26 Page 27 28
2001 Carelink Health Plans 27 Section 5( b)
Organ/ tissue transplants You pay
Limited to:
Cornea
Heart
Heart/ lung
Kidney
Kidney/ Pancreas
Liver
Lung:
Single –Double
Pancreas
Allogenic (donor) bone marrow transplants
Autologous bone marrow transplants (autologous stem cell and peripheral stem
cell support) for the following conditions: acute
lymphocytic or non-lymphocytic leukemia; advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma;
advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; advanced
neuroblastoma; breast cancer;
multiple myeloma; epithelial ovarian cancer; and testicular, mediastinal,
retroperitoneal and ovarian germ
cell tumors
Note: We use United
Resource Network (URN) for all transplants. Limited Benefits -Treatment for
breast cancer, multiple myeloma, and
epithelial ovarian cancer may be provided in an NCI-or NIH-approved clinical
trial at a Plan-designated center of excellence and if approved
by the
Plan's medical director in accordance with the Plan's protocols.
Note: We
cover related medical and hospital expenses of the donor when we cover the
recipient.
Nothing
Not covered: Donor screening tests and donor search expenses,
except those
performed for the actual donor Implants of artificial
organs
Transplants not listed as covered
All charges 27
27 Page 28 29
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 28 Section 5( b)
Anesthesia You pay
Professional services provided in –
Hospital (inpatient)
Nothing
Professional services provided in –
Hospital outpatient department
Skilled nursing facility
Ambulatory surgical center Office
Nothing 28
28 Page
29 30
2001 Carelink Health Plans
29 Section 5( c)
Section 5 (c). Services provided by a
hospital or other facility, and ambulance services
I M
P O
R T
A
N
T
Here are some important things to remember about these benefits:
Please remember that all benefits are subject to the definitions,
limitations, and exclusions in this brochure and are payable only when we
determine they are
medically necessary.
Plan physicians must provide or arrange your care
and you must be hospitalized in a Plan facility.
Be sure to read Section 4, Your costs for covered services for
valuable information about how cost sharing works. Also read Section 9 about
coordinating benefits with other coverage, including with Medicare.
The
amounts listed below are for the charges billed by the facility (i. e., hospital
or surgical center) or ambulance service for your surgery or care. Any costs
associated with the professional charge (i. e., physicians, etc.) are covered
in Section 5( a) or (b).
Plan providers are responsible for obtaining all applicable
precertifications.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Benefit Description You pay
Inpatient hospital
Room and board,
such as ward, semiprivate, or intensive care accommodations;
general nursing care; and meals and special diets.
NOTE: If you want a private room when it is not medically necessary, you pay
the additional charge above the semiprivate room rate.
$100 per admission 29
29 Page 30 31
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 30 Section 5( c)
Inpatient hospital
(Continued) You pay
Other hospital services and supplies,
such as: Operating, recovery, maternity, and other treatment rooms
Prescribed drugs and medicines Diagnostic laboratory tests and X-rays
Administration of blood and blood products Blood or blood plasma, if not
donated or replaced
Dressings, splints, casts, and sterile tray services
Medical supplies and equipment, including oxygen
Anesthetics, including
nurse anesthetist services Take-home items
Medical supplies, appliances,
medical equipment, and any covered items billed by a hospital for use at home
(Note: calendar year
deductible applies.)
Nothing
Not covered: Custodial care
Non-covered facilities, such
as nursing homes, extended care facilities, schools
Personal comfort
items, such as telephone, television, barber services, guest meals and beds
Private nursing care
All charges.
Outpatient hospital or ambulatory surgical center
Operating,
recovery, and other treatment rooms Prescribed drugs and medicines
Diagnostic laboratory tests, X-rays, and pathology services Administration of
blood, blood plasma, and other biologicals
Blood and blood plasma, if not
donated or replaced Pre-surgical testing
Dressings, casts, and sterile tray
services Medical supplies, including oxygen
Anesthetics and anesthesia
service
NOTE: – We cover hospital services and supplies related to
dental procedures when necessitated by a non-dental physical impairment. We
do not cover the dental procedures.
$100 per admission
Not covered: blood and blood derivatives not replaced by the member All
charges
Extended care benefits/ skilled nursing care facility
benefits You pay
Skilled nursing facility (SNF) 20% member copayment
Not covered: custodial care All charges 30
30 Page 31 32
2001 Carelink Health Plans 31 Section 5( c)
Hospice care You pay
Hospice care Nothing
Not covered: Independent nursing, homemaker services All charges
Ambulance
Local professional ambulance service when medically
appropriate Nothing 31
31 Page
32 33
2001 Carelink Health Plans
32 Section 5( d)
Section 5 (d). Emergency services/ accidents
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Here are some important things to keep in mind about these benefits:
Please remember that all benefits are subject to the definitions,
limitations, and exclusions in this brochure.
Be sure to read Section 4, Your costs for covered services for
valuable information about how cost sharing works. Also read Section 9 about
coordinating benefits with other
coverage, including with Medicare.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
What is a medical emergency?
A medical emergency is the sudden and unexpected onset of a condition or
an injury that you believe endangers your life or could result in serious injury
or disability, and requires immediate medical or
surgical care. Some problems are emergencies because, if not treated
promptly, they might become more serious; examples include deep cuts and broken
bones. Others are emergencies because they are
potentially life-threatening,
such as heart attacks, strokes, poisonings, gunshot wounds, or sudden inability
to breathe. There are many other acute conditions that we may determine are
medical emergencies – what
they all have in common is the need for
quick action.
What to do in case of emergency:
Emergencies within our service area:
If you are in an emergency situation, please call your primary care doctor.
In extreme emergencies, if you are unable to contact your doctor, contact the
local
emergency system (e. g., the 911 telephone system) or go to the
nearest hospital emergency room. Be sure to tell the emergency room personnel
that you are a Plan member so they can notify the Plan. You or a
family
member should notify the Plan within 48 hours. This is your responsibility to
ensure that the Plan has been timely notified.
If you need to be hospitalized, the Plan must be notified within 48 hours or
on the first working day following your admission, unless it was not reasonably
possible to notify the Plan within that time.
If you are hospitalized in
non-Plan facilities and Plan doctors believe care can be better provided in a
Plan hospital, you will be transferred when medically feasible with any
ambulance charges covered in full. If
you cannot reach your primary care
provider, call Member Services at 1-800-348-2922; we will help you contact your
doctor or direct you to the appropriate care.
Benefits are available for care from non-Plan providers in a medical
emergency only if delay in reaching a Plan provider would result in death,
disability or significant jeopardy to your condition.
Emergencies outside
our service area: Benefits are available for any medically necessary health
services that is immediately required because of injury or unforeseen illness.
If you need to be hospitalized, the plan must be notified within 48 hours or
on the first working day following your admission, unless it was not reasonably
possible to notify the Plan within that time. If a
Plan doctor believes care
can be better provided in a Plan hospital, you will be transferred when
medically feasible with any ambulance charges covered in full. If you cannot
reach your primary care provider, call
Member Services at 1-800-348-2922; we
will help you contact your doctor or direct you to the appropriate care. 32
32 Page 33 34
2001 Carelink Health Plans 33 Section 5( d)
Benefit Description You pay
Emergency within our service area
Emergency care at a doctor's office $10 per office visit to your primary care
physician
$20 per office visit to a specialist
Emergency care at an urgent care center $30 per office visit
Emergency
care as an outpatient or inpatient at a hospital, including doctors' services
$50 copay (waived if admitted)
Not covered:
Elective care or non-emergency care
All
charges.
Emergency outside our service area
Emergency care at an urgent
care center $30 per office visit
Emergency care as an outpatient or inpatient at a hospital, including
doctors' services $50 copay (waived if admitted)
Not covered:
Elective care or non-emergency care
Emergency care at a doctor's office
Emergency care
provided outside the service area if the need for care could have been foreseen
before leaving the service area
Medical and hospital costs resulting from a normal full-term delivery of a
baby outside the service area
All charges.
Ambulance
Professional ambulance service when medically
appropriate
Air Ambulance
See 5( c) for non-emergency service.
Nothing 33
33 Page
34 35
2001 Carelink Health Plans
34 Section 5( d)
Section 5 (e). Mental health and substance
abuse benefits
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Parity
Beginning in 2001, all FEHB plans' mental health and
substance abuse benefits will achieve "parity" with other benefits.
This means that we will provide
mental health and substance abuse benefits differently than in the past.
When you get our approval for services and follow a treatment plan we
approve, cost-sharing and limitations for Plan mental health and substance
abuse benefits will be no greater than for similar benefits for other
illnesses and conditions.
Here are some important things to keep in mind about these benefits:
All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations, and exclusions
in this brochure.
Be sure to read Section 4, Your costs for covered
services for valuable information about how cost sharing works. Also read
Section 9 about coordinating benefits with other
coverage, including with Medicare. YOU MUST GET PREAUTHORIZATION OF THESE
SERVICES. See the
instructions after the benefits description below.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Description You pay
Mental health and substance abuse benefits
Diagnostic and treatment services recommended by a Plan provider and
contained in a treatment plan
that we approve. The treatment plan may
include services, drugs, and supplies described elsewhere in
this brochure.
Note: Plan benefits are payable only when we determine the care is
clinically appropriate to treat
your condition and only when you receive the
care as part of a treatment plan that we approve.
Your cost sharing responsibilities are no greater than for other illness or
conditions
Professional services, including individual or group therapy by providers
such as psychiatrists,
psychologists, or clinical social workers
Medical
management
$20 per office visit
Diagnostic tests Nothing
Services provided by a hospital or other
facility
Services in approved alternative care settings such as partial
hospitalization, half-way house,
residential treatment, full-day
hospitalizations, facility based intensive outpatient treatment
$100 per hospital admission 34
34 Page 35 36
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 35 Section 5( d)
Not covered : Services we have not
approved. Note: OPM will base its review of disputes
about treatment plans
on the treatment plan's clinical appropriateness. OPM will
generally not
order us to pay or provide one clinically appropriate treatment plan in favor
of another.
All charges.
Preauthorization To be eligible to receive these benefits you must
follow your treatment plan and all the following authorization processes:
You can access providers in our Mental Health/ Substance Abuse Network by
contacting Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922, or for
direct access to MHNet
(Mental Health Network) call 1-800-633-1112. Your Primary Care Physician can
also refer you for these services.
Special transitional benefit If a mental health or substance
abuse professional provider is treating you under our plan as of January 1,
2001, you will be
eligible for continued coverage with your provider for up
to 90 days under the following conditions:
If your mental health or substance abuse professional provider with
whom
you are currently in treatment leaves the plan at our request for other than
cause, or
If changes to this plan's benefit structure for 2001 cause your out-of-pocket
costs for your out-of-network provider to be greater than they were in year
2000.
If these conditions apply to you, we will allow you reasonable time to
transfer your care to a Plan mental health or substance
abuse professional
provider. During the transitional period, you may continue to see your treating
provider and will not pay
any more out-of-pocket than you did in the year
2000 for services. This transitional period will begin with our notice to
you of the change in coverage and will end 90 days after you receive our
notice. If we write to you before October 1, 2000,
the 90-day period ends
before January 1 and this transitional benefit does not apply.
Network limitation We may limit your benefits if you do not
follow your treatment plan.
How to submit network claims All claims are filed by network
providers. 35
35 Page
36 37
2001 Carelink Health Plans
36 Section 5( f)
Section 5 (f). Prescription drug benefits
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Here are some important things to keep in mind about these benefits:
We cover prescribed drugs and medications, as described in the chart
beginning on the next page.
All benefits are subject to the definitions, limitations and exclusions in
this brochure and are payable only when we determine they are medically
necessary.
Be sure to read Section 4, Your costs for covered services
for valuable information about how cost sharing works. Also read Section 9
about coordinating benefits with other
coverage, including with Medicare.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
There are important features you
should be aware of. These include:
Who can write your prescription.
A licensed plan physician or referral plan doctor must write the
prescription.
Where you can obtain them. You must obtain prescriptions at a Plan
Participating retail or mail order pharmacies.
We use a formulary.
Drugs are prescribed by Plan doctors and dispensed in accordance with
our prescription drug formulary.
Nonformulary drugs will be covered when prescribed by a Plan doctor, subject
to the $50 non-formulary copay in retail setting and $100 in mail setting.
Our Prescription Drug Formulary is a list of drugs and other items that
we approve for your use and which will be dispensed through Participating
pharmacies to members.
We periodically review and modify our formulary. This
list of approved drugs is available for review in the participating physician's
office.
You may also obtain the formulary list by contacting the Plan's
Customer Service Department at 1-800-348-2922 or visiting our web-site at www.
carelink. cvty. com
These are the dispensing limitations.
You pay
a $10 copay per Generic formulary drug or refill and a $20 copay
per name Brand formulary drug and a $50 copay for a Non-Formulary
drug at a retail pharmacy.
Prescription drugs prescribed by a Plan or referral doctor and obtained at a
Plan Participating retail pharmacy will be dispensed up to a 30-day supply.
Selected products or prescription drugs may require prior approval from the
Plan.
When generic substitution is permissible, but you or your doctor
request the name brand drug, you pay the price difference between the generic
drug and name brand drug as well as the appropriate
copay per prescription unit or refill.
Selected FDA approved once-daily
drugs will be limited to one pill daily where the total daily dose is available
in one pill. For example, drug X comes in 20 mg and 40 mg and is FDA approved to
be
taken once daily. Drug X 20 mg will be limited to 30 pills per rx.
In any
event, your prescription drug copay will never exceed the retail price of the
drug.
Mail Order Pharmacy.
You pay a $10 copay per generic
formulary drug or refill and a $20 copay per name brand formulary drug
when generic substitution is not permissible and $100 copay for a
non-formulary drug at Plan
participating Mail Order Pharmacy.
Maintenance medications are those
drugs that are needed for long-term or chronic conditions such as high blood
pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. 36
36
Page 37 38
2001
Carelink Health Plans 37 Section 5( f)
You can get up to a 90-day
supply of Plan-approved maintenance medications through our mail-order pharmacy.
Controlled Substances, warfarin (Coumadin) and methotrexate (Rheumatrex) are
not allowed by the Plan to be filled at Mail Order Pharmacy.
When you
have to file a claim.
If you have to file a reimbursement claim for
prescription drugs, contact our Customer Service Department at 1-800-348-2922 to
obtain claim forms.
. 37
37 Page
38 39
2001 Carelink Health Plans
38 Section 5( f)
Benefit Description You pay
Covered
medications and supplies
We cover the following medications and supplies
prescribed by a Plan physician and obtained from a Plan pharmacy or through our
mail order
program:
Covered medications and accessories include:
Drugs
for which a prescription is required by law
Full range of FDA approved
prescriptions for birth control, including but not limited to oral
contraceptives, Depo Provera and
contraceptive diaphragms Insulin
Plan approved diabetic supplies,
including insulin syringes and needles, blood glucose test strips and lancets
Selected injectables as specified by the Plan (Imitrex, Glucagon and Bee
Sting Kits)
Disposable needles and syringes needed to inject covered
medication
Note: If there is no generic equivalent available, you will still
have to pay the brand name copay.
Limited benefits:
Sexual dysfunction drugs have dispensing
limitations. For complete details, please call the Customer Service Department
at 1-800-348-
2922.
Here are some things to keep in mind about our prescription drug program:
A generic equivalent will be dispensed if it is available, unless your
physician specifically requires a name brand. If you receive a name brand
drug when a Federally-approved generic drug is
available, you have to pay
the difference in cost between the name brand drug and the generic, even if the
physician
specified dispense as written for the brand name drug.
We have a closed formulary. To obtain a formulary list, please call the
Customer Service Department at 1-800-348-2922, or visit our
website at www.
carelink. cvty. com.
Retail Pharmacy (30-day supply), you pay:
$10 copay for generic
$20 copay for formulary-brand
$50 copay for non-formulary
Mail-Order Pharmacy (90-day supply), you pay:
$10 copay for
generic
$20 copay for formulary-brand
$100 for non-formulary 38
38 Page 39 40
2001 Carelink Health Plans 39 Section 5( f)
Not covered:
Drugs available without a prescription or for which
there is a nonprescription equivalent available
Drugs obtained at a non-Plan pharmacy except for out-of-area emergencies
Vitamins and minerals (both OTC and legend), except legend prenatal
vitamins and liquid or chewable legend pediatric vitamins
Medical
supplies such as dressings and antiseptics
Drugs for cosmetic
purposes
Drugs to enhance athletic performance
Drugs to
aid in smoking cessation
Drugs used for the primary purpose of
treating infertility, including those given in connection with artificial
insemination
Oral dental preparations and fluoride rinses
Drug therapy for
weight loss (e. g., Xenical)
Replacement drugs resulting from loss,
damage or theft
Prescriptions directly related to non-covered
services or benefits
Any non-covered brand name drug specified by
Carelink when the same drug is made by two different brand name manufacturers
All Charges 39
39 Page 40 41
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 40 Section 5( g)
Section 5 (g). Special Features
Feature Description
Services for deaf and hearing impaired T. T. D.
services are available. For more information, please call
Customer Service
at 1-800-348-2922.
Reciprocity benefit Reciprocity benefits are available through Health
America. For more information, please call Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922.
High risk pregnancies Carelink offers a healthy pregnancy program for
all members, including, intensive case management for high-risk pregnancies. For
more information, please call Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922.
Centers of excellence for transplants/ heart
surgery/ etc
Carelink utilizes the United Resources Network for all transplants. For
more information, please call Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922.
Travel benefit/ services overseas Emergency care is available
worldwide. For more information, please call Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922.
40
40 Page 41 42
2001 Carelink Health Plans 41 Section 5( i)
Section 5 (h). Dental benefits
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Here are some important things to keep in mind about these benefits:
Please remember that all benefits are subject to the definitions,
limitations, and exclusions in this brochure and are payable only when we
determine they are medically necessary.
Plan dentists must provide or arrange your care.
We cover hospitalization
for dental procedures only when a non-dental physical impairment exists which
makes hospitalization necessary to safeguard the health of the
patient; we do not cover the dental procedure unless it is described below.
Be sure to read Section 4, Your costs for covered services for
valuable information about how cost sharing works. Also read Section 9 about
coordinating benefits with other
coverage, including with Medicare.
I M
P O
R T
A N
T
Accidental injury benefit We
cover restorative services and supplies necessary to
promptly repair (but not replace) sound natural teeth. The need for these
services must result from an
accidental injury.
$20 copay if care is delivered by a dentist or specialist;
$100 copay if
care is rendered as an inpatient or outpatient in a hospital
Dental benefits
We have no other dental benefits. 41
41 Page 42 43
2001 Carelink Health Plans 42 Section 8
Section 5 (i). Non-FEHB benefits available to Plan members
The benefits on this page are not part of the FEHB contract or premium,
and you cannot file an FEHB disputed claim about them. Fees you pay for
these services do not count toward FEHB deductibles or out-of-pocket
maximums.
FEDERAL CARELINK DENTAL PLAN
Federal Carelink Dental is an optional dental product that Carelink
complements and supplements the dental benefits included in your Carelink HMO
coverage. It is available at no cost when you choose the Carelink HMO
medical option.
To apply for Federal Carelink Dental, you must be
enrolled in the Carelink HMO medical option.
Plan Features:
Covers most preventive and basic services Freedom of choice when
choosing providers
No deductibles Covers dependent children up to age 22
Easy claims submission
For more information regarding benefits,
limitations and exclusions, please call Customer Service at 1-800-348-2922.
42
42 Page 43
44
2001 Carelink Health Plans 43 Section 8
Section 6. General exclusions --things we don't cover
The
exclusions in this section apply to all benefits. Although we may list a
specific service as a benefit, we will not cover it unless your Plan doctor
determines it is medically necessary to prevent, diagnose, or
treat your
illness, disease, injury, or condition and we agree, as discussed under
What Services Require Our Prior Approval on page 11.
We do not cover the following:
Care by non-Plan providers except for
authorized referrals or emergencies (see Emergency Benefits);
Services, drugs, or supplies you receive while you are not enrolled in this
Plan;
Services, drugs, or supplies that are not medically necessary;
Services, drugs, or supplies not required according to accepted standards of
medical, dental, or psychiatric practice;
Experimental or investigational procedures, treatments, drugs or devices;
Procedures, services, drugs and supplies related to abortions except when
the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or
when the pregnancy is the result of an act
of rape or incest;
Procedures, services, drugs and supplies related to
sex transformations;
Services, drugs, or supplies you receive from a
provider or facility barred from the FEHB Program; 43
43 Page 44 45
2001 Carelink Health Plans 44 Section 8
Section 7. Filing a claim for covered services
When you see
Plan physicians, receive services at Plan hospitals and facilities, or obtain
your prescription drugs at Plan pharmacies, you will not have to file claims.
Just present your identification card and pay your copayment or
coinsurance.
You will only need to file a claim when you receive emergency services from
non-plan providers. Sometimes these providers bill us directly. Check with the
provider. If you need to file the claim, here is the process:
Medical and hospital benefits In most cases, providers and facilities
file claims for you. Physicians must file on the form HCFA-1500, Health
Insurance Claim Form.
Facilities will file on the UB-92 form. For claims
questions and assistance, call us at 1-800-348-2922.
When you must file a claim --such as for out-of-area care --submit it on the
HCFA-1500 or a claim form that includes the information shown
below. Bills
and receipts should be itemized and show:
Covered member's name and ID
number;
Name and address of physician or facility that provided the service
or supply;
Dates you received the services or supplies;
Diagnosis;
Type of each
service or supply;
The charge for each service or supply;
A copy of the
explanation of benefits, payments, or denial from any primary payer --such as
the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN);
and
Receipts, if you paid for your
services.
Submit your claims to: Carelink Health Plans, PO Box 7373,
London, KY 40742
Prescription drugs In most cases, participating pharmacy providers
file claims for you. If you need to submit a prescription claim for
reimbursement, or if you
have questions or need assistance, please call us
at 1-800-348-2922.
Deadline for filing your claim 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. 44
44 Page 45 46
2001 Carelink Health Plans 45 Section 8
When we need more information Please reply promptly when we ask
for additional information. We may delay processing or deny your claim if you do
not respond.
Section 8. The disputed claims process
Follow this
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program disputed claims process if you
disagree with our decision on your claim or request for services, drugs, or
supplies – including a request for preauthorization:
Step Description
1 Ask us in writing to reconsider our initial
decision. Write to us at: Carelink Health Plans, 141 Summers Square, Charleston,
WV 25326. You must:
(a) Write to us within 6 months from the date of our
decision; and
(b) Send your request to us at: Carelink Health Plans, 141
Summers Square, Charleston, WV 25326; 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.
2 We have 30 days from the date we receive your request to: (a) Pay
the claim (or, if applicable, arrange for the health care provider to give you
the care); or
(b) Write to you and maintain our denial --go to step 4; or
(c) Ask you or your provider for more information. If we ask your provider, we
will send you a copy
of our request— go to step 3.
3 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.
4 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: Office of Personnel Management, Office of Insurance
Programs, Contracts Division III, P. O. Box 436, Washington, D. C. 20044-0436.
45
45 Page 46 47
2001 Carelink Health Plans 46 Section 8
The Disputed Claims Process (Continued)
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.
Note: If you want OPM to review different claims, 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
provide a copy of your specific written consent with the
review request.
Note: The above deadlines may be extended if you show that you were unable
to meet the deadline because of reasons beyond your control.
5 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.
6 If you do not agree with OPM's decision, your only recourse is to
sue. If you decide to sue, 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. 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 sue 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.
NOTE: If you have a serious or life threatening condition (one that
may cause permanent loss of bodily functions or death if not treated as soon as
possible), and
(a) We haven't responded yet to your initial request for care
or preauthorization/ prior approval, then call us at 1-800-348-2922 and we will
expedite our review; or
(b) We denied your initial request for care or
preauthorization/ prior approval, then:
If we expedite our review and
maintain our denial, we will inform OPM so that they can give your claim
expedited treatment too, or
You can call OPM's Health Benefits Contracts Division III at 202-606-0737
between 8 a. m. and 5 p. m. eastern time. 46
46
Page 47 48
2001
Carelink Health Plans 47 Section 9
Section 9. Coordinating
benefits with other coverage
When you have other health coverage You
must tell us if you are covered or a family member is covered under another
group health plan or have automobile insurance that pays health
care
expenses without regard to fault. This is called "double coverage."
When you have double coverage, one plan normally pays its benefits in full
as the primary payer and the other plan pays a reduced benefit as the
secondary payer. We, like other insurers, determine which coverage is
primary according to the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners'
guidelines.
When we are the primary payer, we will pay the benefits
described in this brochure.
When we are the secondary payer, we will determine our allowance. After the
primary plan pays, we will pay what is left of our allowance, up
to our
regular benefit. We will not pay more than our allowance.
What is Medicare? Medicare is a Health Insurance Program for: People
65 years of age or older.
Some people with disabilities, under 65 years of
age. People with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure
requiring
dialysis or a transplant).
Medicare has two parts: Part A (Hospital
Insurance). Most people do not have to pay for Part
A. Part B (Medical
Insurance). Most people pay monthly for Part B.
If you are eligible for Medicare, you may have choices in how you get your
health care. Medicare+ Choice is the term used to describe the
various
health plan choices available to Medicare beneficiaries. The information in the
next few pages shows how we coordinate benefits
with Medicare, depending on
the type of Medicare managed care plan you have.
The Original Medicare Plan The Original Medicare Plan is available
everywhere in the United States. Its the way most people get their Medicare Part
A and Part B benefits.
You may go to any doctor, specialist, or hospital
that accepts Medicare. Medicare pays its share and you pay your share. Some
things are not
covered under Original Medicare, like prescription drugs.
When you are enrolled in this Plan and Original Medicare, you still need to
follow the rules in this brochure for us to cover your care. Your care
must
continue to be coordinated by your Plan PCP and precertified by Carelink as
required.
We will not waive any of our copayments or coinsurance.
(Primary payer
chart begins on next page.) 47
47 Page 48 49
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 48 Section 9
The following chart illustrates whether
Original Medicare or this Plan should be the primary payer for you according to
your employment status and other factors determined by Medicare. It is critical
that you tell us if you or a covered
family member has Medicare coverage so
we can administer these requirements correctly.
Primary Payer Chart
Then the primary payer is… A. When either you --or your covered
spouse --are age 65 or over and …
Original Medicare This Plan
1) Are an active employee with the
Federal government (including when you or a family member are eligible for
Medicare solely because of a disability),
2) Are an annuitant,
3) Are a reemployed annuitant with the Federal
government when…
a) The position is excluded from FEHB,
or……………………………
………..
b) The position is not excluded from
FEHB………………………….
Ask your employing office which of these applies to you.
……………………..………
4) Are a Federal judge who retired under title 28, U. S. C., or a Tax Court
judge who retired under Section 7447 of title 26, U. S. C. (or if
your
covered spouse is this type of judge),
5) Are enrolled in Part B only,
regardless of your employment status, (for Part B
services) (for other
services)
6) Are a former Federal employee receiving Workers' Compensation
and the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs has determined
that you are unable to return to duty,
(except for claims related to
Workers'
Compensation.)
B. When you --or a covered family member --have
Medicare based on end stage renal disease (ESRD) and…
1) Are within the first 30 months of eligibility to receive Part A
benefits solely because of ESRD,
2) Have completed the 30-month ESRD
coordination period and are still eligible for Medicare due to ESRD,
3)
Become eligible for Medicare due to ESRD after Medicare became primary for you
under another provision,
C. When you or a covered family member have FEHB
and…
1) Are eligible for Medicare based on disability, and
a)
Are an annuitant,
or…………………………………………………
……….
b) Are an active
employee…………………………………………
……………………..
…….
Please note, if your Plan physician does not participate in Medicare,
you will have to file a claim with Medicare 48
48 Page 49 50
2001 Carelink Health Plans 49 Section 9
Claims Process – You probably will never have to file a
claim form when you have both our Plan and Medicare.
When we are the primary
payer, we process the claim first When Original Medicare is the primary payer,
Medicare processes
you claim first. In most cases, your claims will be
coordinated automatically and we will pay the balance of covered charges. You
will not need to do anything. To find out if you need to do something about
filing your claims, call us at 1-800-348-2922 or
visit our website at www.
carelink. cvty. com.
In this case, we do not waive any out-of-pocket costs.
Medicare managed care plan If you are eligible for Medicare, you may
choose to enroll in and get your Medicare benefits from a Medicare managed care
plan. These are health
care choices (like HMOs) in some areas of the
country. In most Medicare managed care plans, you can only go to doctors,
specialists, or
hospitals that are part of the plan. Medicare managed care
plans cover all Medicare Part A and B benefits. Some cover extras, like
prescription
drugs. To learn more about enrolling in a Medicare managed care
plan, contact Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or at
www.
medicare. gov. If you enroll in a Medicare+ Choice plan, the following options
are available to you:
This Plan and our Medicare managed care plan: You may enroll in our
Medicare managed care 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.
This Plan and another Plan's Medicare managed care plan: You may
enroll in another plan's Medicare managed care plan and also
remain enrolled
in our FEHB plan. We will still provide benefits when your Medicare managed care
plan is primary, but we will not waive any
of our copayments or coinsurance.
Suspended FEHB coverage and a Medicare managed care plan: If you are
an annuitant or former spouse, you can suspend your FEHB
coverage to enroll
in a Medicare managed care plan 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 or move out of the
Medicare managed care plan service area.
Enrollment in Note: If you choose not to enroll in Medicare Part B,
you can still be Medicare Part B covered under the FEHB Program. We
cannot require you to enroll in
Medicare.
TRICARE TRICARE is the health care program for eligible dependents of
military persons and retirees of the military. TRICARE includes the CHAMPUS
program. If both TRICARE and this Plan cover you, we pay first. See your
TRICARE Health Benefits Advisor if you have questions about
TRICARE
coverage. 49
49 Page
50 51
2001 Carelink Health Plans
50 Section 9
Workers' Compensation We do not cover
services that:
you need because of a workplace-related disease 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 benefits. You must use our providers.
Medicaid When you have this Plan and Medicaid, we pay first. 50
50 Page 51 52
2001 Carelink Health Plans 51 Section 9
When other Government agencies We do not cover services and
supplies when a local, State, are responsible for your care or Federal
Government agency directly or indirectly pays for them.
When others are
responsible When you receive money to compensate you for for injuries
medical or hospital care for injuries or illness caused by another person,
you must reimburse us for any expenses we paid. However, we will cover the
cost of treatment that exceeds the amount you received in the
settlement.
If you do not seek damages you must agree to let us try. This is called
subrogation. If you need more information, contact us for our
subrogation
procedures. 51
51 Page
52 53
2001 Carelink Health Plans
52 Section 10
Section 10. Definitions of terms we use in this
brochure
Calendar year January 1 through December 31 of the same year.
For new enrollees, the calendar year begins on the effective date of their
enrollment and ends on
December 31 of the same year.
Copayment A copayment is a fixed amount of money you pay when you
receive covered services. See page 12.
Coinsurance Coinsurance is the percentage of our allowance that you
must pay for your care. See page 12.
Covered services Care we provide
benefits for, as described in this brochure.
Custodial care Custodial
care is care designed essentially to assist an individual to meet his/ her
activities of daily living.
Experimental or The Medical Director is responsible for the evaluation
of new investigational services technologies including medical, surgical,
and diagnostic, drugs and
devices, and new applications of existing
technologies. New technology and new applications of existing technology must be
approved by the
appropriate regulatory body if applicable. The evidence in
the literature and the opinions of the relevant medical experts, if available,
must show
the new technology or application will improve the health outcome
and must be effective as established alternatives. If the above criteria are not
met, the technology or application may be considered experimental or
investigational.
Group health coverage Insurance coverage provided to eligible
employees or members of an employer, group or association.
Medical
necessity Those services/ supplies that we determine to be appropriate and
which are provided in accordance with standards of care in the Service Area.
Plan Allowance Amount paid for services that is based on the contract
we have with plan providers.
Us/ We Us and we refer to Carelink
Health Plans
You You refers to the enrollee and each covered family
member. 52
52 Page
53 54
2001 Carelink Health Plans
53 Section 11
Section 11. FEHB facts
No pre-existing
condition We will not refuse to cover the treatment of a condition that you
had limitation before you enrolled in this Plan solely because you had
the condition
before you enrolled.
Where you can get information
See www. opm. gov/ insure. Also, your employing or retirement office
about enrolling in the can answer your questions, and give you a Guide
to Federal Employees
FEHB Program Health Benefits Plans, brochures for other plans,
and other materials you need to make an informed decision about:
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;
When your enrollment ends; and
When the next open season for enrollment
begins.
We don't determine who is eligible for coverage and, in most cases,
cannot change your enrollment status without information from your
employing or retirement office.
Types of coverage available Self Only coverage is for you alone. Self
and Family coverage is for for you and your family you, your spouse, and
your unmarried dependent children under age 22,
including any foster
children or stepchildren your employing or retirement office authorizes coverage
for. Under certain circumstances,
you may also continue coverage for a
disabled child 22 years of age or older who is incapable of self-support.
If you have a Self Only enrollment, you may change to a Self and Family
enrollment if you marry, give birth, or add a child to your family. You
may
change your enrollment 31 days before to 60 days after that event. The Self and
Family enrollment begins on the first day of the pay period
in which the
child is born or becomes an eligible family member. When you change to Self and
Family because you marry, the change is effective
on the first day of the
pay period that begins after your employing office receives your enrollment
form; benefits will not be available to your
spouse until you marry.
Your employing or retirement office will not notify you when a family
member is no longer eligible to receive health benefits, nor will we.
Please
tell us immediately when you add or remove family members from your coverage for
any reason, including divorce, or when your child
under age 22 marries or
turns 22.
If you or one of your family members is enrolled in one FEHB plan,
that person may not be enrolled in or covered as a family member by another
FEHB plan. 53
53 Page
54 55
2001 Carelink Health Plans
54 Section 11
When benefits and The benefits in this
brochure are effective on January 1. If you are new premiums start to
this Plan, your coverage and premiums begin on the first day of your first pay
period that starts on or after January 1. Annuitants' premiums begin on
January 1.
Your medical and claims We will keep your medical and
claims information confidential. Only records are confidential the
following will have access to it:
OPM, this Plan, and subcontractors when they administer this contract;
This Plan, and appropriate third parties, such as other insurance plans and
the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), when
coordinating benefit payments and subrogating claims;
Law enforcement
officials when investigating and/ or prosecuting alleged civil or criminal
actions;
OPM and the General Accounting Office when conducting audits;
Individuals
involved in bona fide medical research or education that does not disclose your
identity; or
OPM, when reviewing a disputed claim or defending litigation about a claim.
When you retire 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).
When you lose benefits
When FEHB coverage ends You will
receive an additional 31 days of coverage, for no additional premium, when:
Your enrollment ends, unless you cancel your enrollment, or
You are a
family member no longer eligible for coverage.
You may be eligible for
spouse equity coverage or Temporary Continuation of Coverage.
Spouse equity If you are divorced from a Federal employee or
annuitant, you may not coverage continue to get benefits under your
former spouse's enrollment. But, you
may be eligible for your own FEHB
coverage under the spouse equity law. If you are recently divorced or are
anticipating a divorce, contact
your ex-spouse's employing or retirement
office to get RI 70-5, the Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans
for Temporary
Continuation of Coverage and Former Spouse Enrollees, or
other information about your coverage choices.
TCC If you leave Federal service, or if you lose coverage because you
no longer qualify as a family member, you may be eligible for Temporary
Continuation of Coverage (TCC). For example, you can receive TCC if you are
not able to continue your FEHB enrollment after you retire.
You may not elect TCC if you are fired from your Federal job due to gross
misconduct.
Get the RI 79-27, which describes TCC, and the RI 70-5, the
Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans for Temporary Continuation
of
Coverage and Former Spouse Enrollees, from your employing or
retirement office or from www. opm. gov/ insure. 54
54
Page 55 56
2001
Carelink Health Plans 55 Section 11
Converting to You may
convert to a non-FEHB individual policy if: individual coverage 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 service, your employing office will notify you of your right
to convert. You must apply in writing to us 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 apply in writing to us 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, and
we
will not impose a waiting period or limit your coverage due to pre-existing
conditions.
Getting a Certificate of If you leave the FEHB Program, we will give
you a Certificate of Group Group Health Plan Coverage Health Plan
Coverage that indicates how long you have been enrolled with us. You
can use
this certificate when getting health insurance or other health care coverage.
Your new plan must reduce or eliminate waiting periods, limitations, or
exclusions
for health related conditions based on the information in the
certificate, as long as you enroll within 63 days of losing coverage under this
Plan.
If you have been enrolled with us for less than 12 months, but were
previously enrolled in other FEHB plans, you may also request a
certificate
from those plans.
Inspector General Advisory Stop health care fraud! Fraud increases the
cost of health care for everyone. If you suspect that a physician, pharmacy, or
hospital has
charged you for services you did not receive, billed you twice
for the same service, or misrepresented any information, do the following:
Call the provider and ask for an explanation. There may be an error. If the
provider does not resolve the matter, call us at 1-800-348-2922
and explain
the situation. If we do not resolve the issue, call THE HEALTH CARE FRAUD
HOTLINE--202/ 418-3300 or write to: The United States Office of
Personnel Management, Office of the Inspector General Fraud
Hotline, 1900 E
Street, NW, Room 6400, Washington, DC 20415.
Penalties for Fraud
Anyone who falsifies a claim to obtain FEHB Program benefits can be
prosecuted for fraud. Also, the Inspector General may investigate
anyone who
uses an ID card if the person tries to obtain services for someone who is not an
eligible family member, or is no longer enrolled
in the Plan and tries to
obtain benefits. Your agency may also take administrative action against you. 55
55 Page 56 57
2001 Carelink Health Plans 56 Index
Index Do not rely on this page; it is for your convenience and
does not explain your benefit coverage.
Accidental injury 41 Allergy
tests 18
Ambulance 31 Anesthesia 28
Autologous bone marrow transplant 27
Biopsies 24 Blood and blood plasma 30
Breast cancer screening 16
Casts 30
Changes for 2001 8 Chemotherapy 19
Childbirth 17 Cholesterol
tests 15
Claims 44 Coinsurance 12, 52
Colorectal cancer screening 15
Congenital anomalies 24
Coordination of benefits 47 Covered services 52
Covered providers 5 Crutches 22
Definitions 52 Dental care 41
Diagnostic services 15, 34 Disputed claims review 45
Donor expenses
(transplants) 27 Dressings 30
Durable medical equipment (DME) 22
Educational classes and programs 23 Effective date of enrollment 54
Emergency 32 Experimental or investigational 52
Family planning
17 Fecal occult blood test 15
General Exclusions 43 Hearing
services 20
Home health services 22 Hospice care 31
Home nursing care 22 Hospital 29
Immunizations 16 Infertility 17
Inhospital physician care 14
Inpatient Hospital Benefits 29
Insulin 38 Laboratory and pathological
services 15 Machine diagnostic tests 15
Magnetic Resonance
Imagings (MRIs) 15
Mail Order Prescription Drugs 36 Mammograms 15, 16
Maternity Benefits 17 Medicaid 50
Medically necessary 11 Medicare 47
Mental Conditions/ Substance Abuse Benefits 34
Newborn care 17 Non-FEHB
Benefits 42
Nurse Licensed Practical Nurse 22
Nurse Anesthetist 30
Registered Nurse 29
Nursery charges 17 Obstetrical care 17
Occupational therapy 20 Office visits 14
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
26 Orthopedic devices 22
Out-of-pocket expenses 12 Outpatient facility care
30
Oxygen 22 Pap test 15
Physical therapy 20 Physician 14
Pre-admission testing 30
Precertification 11
Preventive care, adult 15 Preventive care, children 16
Prescription drugs 36 Preventive services 15-16
Prior approval 11
Prostate cancer screening 15
Prosthetic devices 22 Psychologist 34
Radiation therapy 19 Rehabilitation therapies 19
Renal dialysis
19 Room and board 29
Second surgical opinion 14 Skilled nursing
facility care 30
Speech therapy 20 Splints 30
Subrogation 51 Substance
abuse 34
Surgery 24 Anesthesia 28
Oral 26 Outpatient 30
Reconstructive 25 Syringes 38
Temporary continuation of coverage
54
Transplants 27, 40 Treatment therapies 19
Well child care 16
Wheelchairs 22
Workers' compensation 50 X-rays 15 56
56 Page 57 58
2001 Carelink Health Plans 57
NOTES:
57
57 Page 58
59
2001 Carelink Health Plans 58 Summary
NOTES: 58
58 Page 59 60
2001 Carelink
Health Plans 59 Summary
Summary of Benefits for Carelink
Health Plans -2001 Do not rely on this chart alone. All benefits are
provided in full unless otherwise indicated subject to the limitations
and
exclusions set forth in this brochure. On this page we summarize specific
expenses we cover; for more detail, look inside.
If you want to enroll or change your enrollment in this Plan, be sure to put
the correct enrollment code from the cover on your enrollment form.
We only
cover services provided or arranged by Plan physicians, except in emergencies.
Benefits You Pay Page
Medical Services provided by physicians
Diagnostic & treatment services provided in the office
Office visit
copay: $10 primary care; $20
specialist 14-28
Services provided by a hospital:
Inpatient
Outpatient
$100 copayment per admission 29-31
Emergency benefits
In-area
Out-of-area
$50 copayment
(waived if admitted) 32-33
Mental health and substance abuse treatment Regular cost sharing 34-35
Prescription Drugs $10 copay for generic;
$20 for a brand; $50 copay for
all non-formulary drugs. Mail order
prescriptions are available.
formulary-36-39
Dental Care Accidental Benefit only. 41
Vision Care No benefit
Special Features
Services for deaf and hearing impaired
Reciprocity
benefit
High risk pregnancies
Centers of excellence for transplants
Travel benefit/ services overseas
Nothing 40
Protection against catastrophic costs (your out-of-pocket maximum) Nothing
after
$1500/ Self Only or $3000/ Family
enrollment per year. Some costs do not
count toward this protection.
12 59
59 Page
60
2001 Carelink Health Plans 60 Summary
2001 Rate Information for Carelink Health Plans
Non-Postal rates
apply to most non-Postal enrollees. If you are in a special enrollment
category, refer to the FEHB Guide for that category or contact the agency that
maintains your health benefits
enrollment.
Postal rates apply to
career Postal Service employees. Most employees should refer to the FEHB Guide
for United States Postal Service Employees, RI 70-2. Different postal rates
apply and
special FEHB guides are published for Postal Service Nurses and
Tool & Die employees (see RI 70-2B); and for Postal Service Inspectors and
Office of Inspector General (OIG) employees (see
RI 70-2IN).
Postal
rates do not apply to non-career postal employees, postal retirees, or associate
members of any postal employee organization. Refer to the applicable FEHB Guide.
Non-Postal Premium Postal Premium
Biweekly Monthly Biweekly
Type
of Enrollment Code Gov't Share Your Share Gov't Share Your Share USPS Share Your
Share
Fill in Location Here
Self Only 4C1 $81.21 $27.07 $175.96 $58.65
$96.10 $12.18
Self and Family 4C2 $195.82 $123.25 $424.28 $267.04 $231. 17 $87.90 60