Regence MedAdvantage (PPO)

Coverage Information: Regence MedAdvantage Basic (PPO), Regence MedAdvantage + Rx Classic (PPO) and Regence MedAdvantage + Rx Enhanced (PPO)

This is information for coverage beginning January 1, 2012.

Coverage Information

Where we provide coverage:

Here are some helpful documents to understand our coverage better:

• : This brochure contains detailed benefit information about this plan, including applicable conditions and limitations, premiums, cost-sharing (e.g., copays, coinsurance and deductibles), and any conditions associated with receipt or use of benefits.
• Provider Directory: This brochure contains a listing of providers in your state. The directory is current as of the date at the bottom of each provider listing page.
  (Medical, Dental and VSP Vision)
• 
  
  This booklet is sent to members after they enroll. It explains the health plan coverage including:
• Service area
• Applicable conditions and limitations
• Premiums
• Cost sharing (e.g., copays, coinsurance and deductibles)
• Any conditions associated with receipt or use of benefits
• Out-of-network coverage
• Potential for contract termination
• How to obtain an aggregate number of grievances, appeals and exceptions
Benefits, provider network, premium and co-payments/coinsurance may change on January 1, 2012. Please contact Regence MedAdvantage for details.

• : The Medicare program rates how well plans perform in different categories (for example, detecting and preventing illness, customer service and ratings from patients). For more information you may open the plan ratings document above, or you may go to www.medicare.gov and select "Health and Drug Plans", then "Compare Health and Drug Plans" to compare the plan ratings for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in your area.
• Regence Advantages Value-Added Programs: Regence Advantages is a set of value-added programs that offer great savings to members. They are offered by a number of leading health-related companies. These programs include vision and hearing care services, and discounts at fitness centers. These programs are not insurance, but are offered in addition to your medical or prescription drug plan to help you take charge of your health. (The products and services described above are neither offered nor guaranteed under our contract with the Medicare program. In addition, they are not subject to the Medicare appeals process. Any disputes regarding these products and services may be subject to the Regence MedAdvantage grievance process.)

Annual Renewal of Contract

Regence MedAdvantage is a health plan with a Medicare contract. Medicare renews this contract annually. Your Medicare Advantage plan may not be available next year because by law, CMS may refuse to renew our contract, or Regence can choose not to renew our contract with CMS, or Regence can choose to reduce its service area, which would result in your plan's termination or renewal.

The benefit information provided herein is a brief summary, not a comprehensive description of benefits. For more information contact the plan.

Benefits, premiums, and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on Jan. 1, 2013. Formularies and pharmacy and provider networks may change during 2012 and/or on Jan. 1, 2013. Certain eligibility periods and requirements apply.

Pharmacies & Covered Drugs

If you have Regence MedAdvantage + Rx Classic (PPO) or Regence MedAdvantage + Rx Enhanced (PPO), the prescription drug coverage outlined below applies to you.

Network Pharmacies
We have contracts with almost 60,000 pharmacies that equal or exceed CMS requirements for pharmacy access in your area. Our pharmacy network includes 90-day supply, retail, mail order and specialty, chain, home infusion, long-term care and Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban Indian Health Program pharmacies. Please see the Formulary or your Evidence of Coverage for more information relating to quantity limitations and requirements for mail-order drug service. Eligible beneficiaries must use network pharmacies to access their prescription drug benefit, except under non-routine circumstances, and quantity limitations and restrictions may apply.

• : These pharmacies are able to dispense up to a 90-day supply of most medications.

For additional network pharmacy information, contact Regence MedAdvantage Customer Service.

Covered Prescription Drugs (Formulary)
Search for a prescription drug.

• Online Formulary Search »
• : This is a partial listing of the drugs on our formulary.
• : This is a comprehensive listing of all of the drugs on our formulary.
• (PDF) Notice of Formulary Changes: This is a description of recent changes to our formulary drugs.
• : Information for new enrollees on our Part D prescription drug plans.
• (PDF) Prior Authorization Requirements:
  Listing of Prior Authorization requirements for consideration of coverage for specific drugs.

Help with prescription drug premiums and costs if you have Part D prescription drug coverage: You may be able to get Extra Help paying for your prescription drug premiums and costs. To see if you qualify for extra help, call any of the following:

• Medicare—1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY or TDD users should call 1 (877) 486-2048. Offices are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Social Security—1 (800) 772-1213. TTY or TDD users should call 1 (800) 325-0778. Offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Your State Medicaid Office.
• Best Available Evidence for Low Income Subsidy Eligibility
  We follow the Best Available Evidence guidelines that are outlined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. For more information regarding these guidelines, please see: www.cms.hhs.gov/PrescriptionDrugCovContra/17_Best_Available_Evidence_Policy.asp.

Quality Improvement
Regence works hard to provide quality programs for our members. We're here to help ensure that medication options for our members are appropriate, safe and effective. We have concurrent drug utilization review and safety initiatives geared to give our members the best possible health benefits from their medications, while lowering risks for adverse events, medication errors, drug interactions or therapy duplications. Our medication policies and procedures are based on careful review of scientific information and input from practicing physicians. Our ultimate goal is to enhance health outcomes with improved medication use for our members.

Medication Therapy Management
Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a covered service offered to members of our Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. MTM is a voluntary program that is offered to our members, with limited eligibility requirements, to assist with controlling chronic disease. The MTM program is not actually a plan benefit, it is an educational program offered to members.

The MTM program is currently available to assist members in controlling the following conditions:

• Asthma
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Mental Health
• Osteoporosis

For additional information about the program and eligibility, members should contact us at 1 (800) 541-8981. Our telephone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. From October 15 through February 14, Customer Service is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week. TTY users should call 711.
 

Rights and Responsibilities

Your rights and responsibilities upon disenrollment:

• You must continue to use network pharmacies until you are disenrolled from our plan.
• You may only disenroll or switch prescription drug plans under certain circumstances.
• You have the right to make a complaint if we ask you to leave our plan.

Our rights and responsibilities upon your disenrollment

We will let you know, in writing, the date your coverage ends. We have the right to disenroll you for the following reasons:

• You are no longer eligible for Medicare prescription drug coverage.
• If we are no longer contracting with Medicare or we leave your service area.
• You move out of our service area. You materially misrepresent third-party reimbursement.
• You fail to pay your plan premium.
• You provide fraudulent information when you enroll or let someone else use your enrollment card to get covered services.

Grievance & Appeals

GRIEVANCES, COVERAGE DECISIONS AND APPEALS

Grievances
A grievance is any complaint you make about us or one of our plan providers. This does not involve payment or coverage disputes.

Examples of grievances include:

• The customer service you receive.
• Waiting too long on the phone, waiting room, in the exam room, or when getting a prescription
• The length of time required to fill a prescription or the accuracy of filling a prescription.
• The quality of care you received from a provider or facility.

Grievances must be filed within 60 days of the event or incident. You may send a complaint to us in writing or by calling customer service at 1 (800) 541-8981. Our telephone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. From October 15 through February 14, Customer Service is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week. TTY users should call 711. If you wish to appoint someone to act on your behalf, you must fill out an Appointment of Representative form and send it to us along with your grievance. We must notify you of our decision about your grievance within 30 calendar days after receiving your grievance.

Contact: Medicare Advantage/Medicare Part D
Appeals and Grievances S5D
PO Box 12625
Salem, OR 97309-0625

Number to call for oral coverage decision request:
1 (800) 541-8981

Number to call to request a redetermination (appeal):
1 (866) 749-0355

Fax number for appeals and grievances:
1 (888) 309-8784

Fax number for prescription coverage decisions:
1 (888) 335-3016

Contact: Medicare Part D
Prior Authorization MS 2P
PO Box 1071
Portland, OR 97207-1071

Coverage Decisions
A coverage decision is a decision we make about what we'll cover or the amount we'll pay for your medical services or prescription drugs.

Examples of coverage decisions include:

• Formulary exceptions*
• Copayment tiering exceptions*
• Requests to find out if a medical service or procedure is covered

Pharmacy Coverage decisions will be responded to within 72 hours for standard requests and 24 hours for expedited requests.** Medical Coverage decisions are responded to within 14 days for standard requests and 72 hours for expedited requests. Coverage decisions can be submitted by you or your prescribing physician by filling out completely the Coverage Determination form and returning it to us. If you wish to appoint someone to act on your behalf, you must fill out completely an Appointment of Representative form and return it to us, along with your Coverage Determination form.

*If you are asking for a formulary or tiering exception, your prescribing physician must provide a statement to support your request. You cannot ask for a tiering exception for a drug in our Specialty Tier. In addition, you cannot obtain a brand name drug at the copayment that applies to the generic drugs.

**If you, or your prescribing physician, believe that waiting for a standard decision (which will be provided within 72 hours) could seriously harm your life, health or ability to regain maximum function, you can ask for an expedited (fast) decision. If your prescribing physician asks for a faster decision for you, or supports you in asking for one by stating (in writing or in a telephone call to us) that he or she agrees that waiting 72 hours could seriously harm your life, health or ability to regain maximum function, we will give you a decision within 24 hours. If you do not obtain your physician's support, we will decide if your health condition requires a fast decision.

Appeals
An appeal is any complaint you make when you want us to reconsider a decision we have made about your medical or Part D prescription drug benefits.

Examples of appeals include:

• Our decision not to cover a drug, vaccine or other medical or Part D benefit.
• Our decision not to reimburse you for a medical service or Part D drug that you paid for.
• Our denial of a coverage determination.

Appeals must be filed within 60 days of the payment or coverage denial. You must send an appeal to us in writing, including a signature. If you wish to appoint someone to act on your behalf, you must fill out an Appointment of Representative form and return it to us, along with your appeal. We must notify you of the outcome of your appeal within 7 calendar days after receiving your Part D appeal. Additional information about the medical and prescription appeal process may be found by referring to the Evidence of Coverage in the section titled "What to do if you have a problem or complaint."

For more information, you may contact Customer Service at 1 (800) 541-8981. Our telephone hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. From October 15 through February 14, Customer Service is available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., seven days a week. TTY users should call 711.

Rights and Responsibilities
Your rights and responsibilities upon disenrollment:

• You must continue to use network pharmacies until you are disenrolled from our plan.
• You may only disenroll or switch prescription drug plans under certain circumstances.
• You have the right to make a complaint if we ask you to leave our plan.

Our rights and responsibilities upon your disenrollment
We will let you know, in writing, the date your coverage ends. We have the right to disenroll you for the following reasons:

• You are no longer eligible for Medicare Part A and/or B or Medicare prescription drug coverage.
• If we are no longer contracting with Medicare or we leave your service area.
• You move out of our service area. You materially misrepresent third-party reimbursement.
• You fail to pay your plan premium.
• You provide fraudulent information when you enroll or let someone else use your enrollment card to get covered services.

Contract Information
Regence MedAdvantage is a health plan with a Medicare contract. Medicare renews this contract annually. Your Medicare Advantage plan may not be available next year because by law, CMS may refuse to renew our contract, or Regence can choose not to renew our contract with CMS, or Regence can choose to reduce its service area, which would result in your plan's termination or renewal.

The benefit information provided herein is a brief summary, not a comprehensive description of benefits. For more information contact the plan.

Benefits, premiums, and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on Jan. 1, 2013. Formularies and pharmacy and provider networks may change during 2012 and/or on Jan. 1, 2013. Certain eligibility periods and requirements apply.

Limitations, copayments and restrictions may apply.

It may cost more to get care from out-of-network providers, except in an emergency or urgent care situation.

If you have to go to an out-of-network pharmacy due to non routine circumstances, you may have to pay more. Quantity limitations and restrictions may apply.

Certain eligibility periods and requirements apply.

Individuals must have both Part A and Part B to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

You must continue to pay your Part B premium.

Before Applying

With Regence, you have several options for applying for coverage. You may apply online (beginning on October 15), over the phone or on paper. Whichever way you choose, there are some important things to consider before you apply:

Timelines for enrollment
Members may enroll in the plan only during specific times of the year. You may select a Medicare Advantage plan during the Annual Election Period beginning Oct 15 through Dec 7, 2011 for coverage beginning Jan 1, 2012. Depending on your situation, there may be other times you may enroll. Get more information about eligibility and enrollment.

Individual Eligibility
Individuals must have both Part A and Part B to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicare Premium Payment
You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium if it's not otherwise paid for under Medicaid or another third party.

Premium Withholding
If you decide to switch from direct bill to premium withhold from your Social Security payments, it could take up to three months for it to take effect and you will still be responsible for those premiums.

Part D Enrollment with a Medicare Advantage Plan
If a beneficiary is already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan with Part D prescription drug coverage, the beneficiary must receive their Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit through that plan. Therefore, members enrolling in our Regence MedAdvantage plans and who also want Part D coverage must receive their prescription drug coverage through their MedAdvantage plan by choosing either Regence MedAdvantage + Rx Enhanced or Regence MedAdvantage + Rx Classic.

If you decide to apply online:
Our online process provides you with a convenient, fast way to apply. Click here to initiate our shopping experience.

If you decide to apply over the phone:
You may apply over the phone by calling 1-888-REGENCE (1-888-734-3623), from 8 am. To 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Pacific time. Our Medicare specialists will walk you through the process.

If you decide to apply on paper:
Here are some important dates that you should know if you are making a change to your coverage during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) for a January 1, 2012, effective date using a paper enrollment form.

• All paper enrollment forms must be postmarked by the Post Office no later than December 7, 2011. (Envelopes postmarked Dec. 7, 2011, but not received by Regence until after December 7, cannot be accepted.)
• If you fax your enrollment form to our office, it must be received no later than midnight on December 7, 2011.

Instructions for applying on paper

• Please click on the application and fill it out online.
• Print a copy of your completed form and don't forget to sign it before submitting.
• Print out the Surepay form and complete by hand. (Surepay is an optional program available for your convenience.)

Hints
Enrolling yourself and your spouse? Both of you will need to fill out a separate enrollment form.

1. Select the plan you want.
2. Decide if you want your premium deducted from your personal checking, savings or money market account (you will need to fill out the Surepay form listed below).
3. Answer all questions so we can process your application without delay.
   
   

Where to mail enrollment and Surepay forms
Regence MedAdvantage
P.O. Box 12625, S5B
Salem, OR 97309-0625

Where to fax enrollment and Surepay forms
Please fax to this number: 1-888-335-2988. If you fax your forms to us, you do not need to mail them as well.

Where to get more information
Please call us at 1-888-734-3623 for answers to questions about applying for coverage. Our hours are 8 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, Pacific time.

Enrollment through CMS
Medicare beneficiaries may also enroll through the CMS Medicare Online enrollment center located at www.medicare.gov.