2024 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan - Standard and Basic Option
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction - 4
Plain Language - 4
Stop Healthcare Fraud! - 4
Discrimination is Against the Law - 5
Preventing Medical Mistakes - 6
FEHB Facts - 8
Summary of Benefits for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan Basic Option – 2024 - 165
2024 Rate Information for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan - 170
Plain Language - 4
Stop Healthcare Fraud! - 4
Discrimination is Against the Law - 5
Preventing Medical Mistakes - 6
FEHB Facts - 8
Coverage information - 8
• No pre-existing condition limitation - 8
• Minimum essential coverage (MEC) - 8
• Minimum value standard - 8
• Where you can get information about enrolling in the FEHB Program - 8
• Enrollment types available for you and your family - 8
• Family member coverage - 9
• Children’s Equity Act - 9
• When benefits and premiums start - 10
• When you retire - 10
When you lose benefits - 10
• When FEHB coverage ends - 10
• Upon divorce - 11
• Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) - 11
• Finding replacement coverage - 11
• Health Insurance Marketplace - 11
Section 1. How This Plan Works - 12 • No pre-existing condition limitation - 8
• Minimum essential coverage (MEC) - 8
• Minimum value standard - 8
• Where you can get information about enrolling in the FEHB Program - 8
• Enrollment types available for you and your family - 8
• Family member coverage - 9
• Children’s Equity Act - 9
• When benefits and premiums start - 10
• When you retire - 10
When you lose benefits - 10
• When FEHB coverage ends - 10
• Upon divorce - 11
• Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) - 11
• Finding replacement coverage - 11
• Health Insurance Marketplace - 11
General features of our Standard and Basic Options - 12
We have a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) - 12
How we pay professional and facility providers - 12
Your rights and responsibilities - 13
Your medical and claims records are confidential - 13
Section 2. Changes for 2024 - 14 We have a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) - 12
How we pay professional and facility providers - 12
Your rights and responsibilities - 13
Your medical and claims records are confidential - 13
Changes to our Standard Option only - 14
Changes to our Basic Option only - 14
Changes to both our Standard and Basic Options - 15
Section 3. How You Get Care - 17 Changes to our Basic Option only - 14
Changes to both our Standard and Basic Options - 15
Identification cards - 17
Where you get covered care - 17
Balance Billing Protection - 17
• Covered professional providers - 17
• Covered facility providers - 18
What you must do to get covered care - 20
• Transitional care - 20
• If you are hospitalized when your enrollment begins - 20
You need prior Plan approval for certain services - 21
• Inpatient hospital admission, inpatient residential treatment center admission, or skilled nursing facility admission - 21
• Other services - 21
• Surgery by Non-participating providers under Standard Option - 24
How to request precertification for an admission or get prior approval for Other services - 24
• Non-urgent care claims - 25
• Urgent care claims - 25
Where you get covered care - 17
Balance Billing Protection - 17
• Covered professional providers - 17
• Covered facility providers - 18
What you must do to get covered care - 20
• Transitional care - 20
• If you are hospitalized when your enrollment begins - 20
You need prior Plan approval for certain services - 21
• Inpatient hospital admission, inpatient residential treatment center admission, or skilled nursing facility admission - 21
• Other services - 21
• Surgery by Non-participating providers under Standard Option - 24
How to request precertification for an admission or get prior approval for Other services - 24
• Non-urgent care claims - 25
• Urgent care claims - 25
• Concurrent care claims - 25
• Emergency inpatient admission - 26
• Maternity care - 26
• If your facility stay needs to be extended - 26
• If your treatment needs to be extended - 26
If you disagree with our pre-service claim decision - 26
• To reconsider a non-urgent care claim - 27
• To reconsider an urgent care claim - 27
• To file an appeal with OPM - 27
• Emergency inpatient admission - 26
• Maternity care - 26
• If your facility stay needs to be extended - 26
• If your treatment needs to be extended - 26
If you disagree with our pre-service claim decision - 26
• To reconsider a non-urgent care claim - 27
• To reconsider an urgent care claim - 27
• To file an appeal with OPM - 27
Section 4. Your Costs for Covered Services - 28
Cost-share/Cost-sharing - 28
Copayment - 28
Deductible - 28
Coinsurance - 29
If your provider routinely waives your cost - 29
Waivers - 29
Differences between our allowance and the bill - 29
Important Notice About Surprise Billing — Know Your Rights - 32
Your costs for other care - 32
Your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum for deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments - 33
Carryover - 34
If we overpay you - 34
When Government facilities bill us - 34
The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program – FSAFEDS - 34
Copayment - 28
Deductible - 28
Coinsurance - 29
If your provider routinely waives your cost - 29
Waivers - 29
Differences between our allowance and the bill - 29
Important Notice About Surprise Billing — Know Your Rights - 32
Your costs for other care - 32
Your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum for deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments - 33
Carryover - 34
If we overpay you - 34
When Government facilities bill us - 34
The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program – FSAFEDS - 34
Section 5. Benefits - 35
Section 5. Standard and Basic Option Overview - 37
Non-FEHB Benefits Available to Plan Members - 133
Section 6. General Exclusions – Services, Drugs, and Supplies We Do Not Cover - 134
Section 7. Filing a Claim for Covered Services - 136
Section 8. The Disputed Claims Process - 139
Section 9. Coordinating Benefits With Medicare and Other Coverage - 142
Section 8. The Disputed Claims Process - 139
Section 9. Coordinating Benefits With Medicare and Other Coverage - 142
When you have other health coverage - 142
• TRICARE and CHAMPVA - 142
• Workers’ Compensation - 143
• Medicaid - 143
When other Government agencies are responsible for your care - 143
When others are responsible for injuries - 143
When you have Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Plan (FEDVIP) - 145
Clinical trials - 145
When you have Medicare - 145
• The Original Medicare Plan (Part A or Part B) - 145
• Tell us about your Medicare coverage - 146
• Private contract with your physician - 146
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) - 147
• Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) - 147
• Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part B) - 147
When you are age 65 or over and do not have Medicare - 149
Physicians Who Opt-Out of Medicare - 150
When you have the Original Medicare Plan (Part A, Part B, or both) - 150
Summary of Benefits for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan Standard Option – 2024 - 163 • TRICARE and CHAMPVA - 142
• Workers’ Compensation - 143
• Medicaid - 143
When other Government agencies are responsible for your care - 143
When others are responsible for injuries - 143
When you have Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Plan (FEDVIP) - 145
Clinical trials - 145
When you have Medicare - 145
• The Original Medicare Plan (Part A or Part B) - 145
• Tell us about your Medicare coverage - 146
• Private contract with your physician - 146
• Medicare Advantage (Part C) - 147
• Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) - 147
• Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part B) - 147
When you are age 65 or over and do not have Medicare - 149
Physicians Who Opt-Out of Medicare - 150
When you have the Original Medicare Plan (Part A, Part B, or both) - 150
Summary of Benefits for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan Basic Option – 2024 - 165
2024 Rate Information for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan - 170