2024 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan - Standard and Basic Option
Section 5(h). Wellness and Other Special Features
Page 128
Section 5(h). Wellness and Other Special Features
Page 128
- Case Management provides members who have acute or chronic complex healthcare needs with the services and assistance of a licensed healthcare professional with a nationally recognized case management certification. Case managers may be a registered nurse, licensed social worker, or other licensed healthcare professional practicing within the scope of their license, who may work with you and your providers to assess your healthcare needs, coordinate needed care and available resources, evaluate the outcomes of your care, and support and monitor the progress of the member’s treatment plan and healthcare needs. Some members may receive guidance and clinical support for an acute healthcare need while others may benefit from a short-term case management enrollment. Enrollment in case management requires your consent. Members in case management are asked to provide verbal consent prior to enrollment in case management and must provide written consent for case management.
- Disease Management supports members who have diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), coronary artery disease, or congestive heart failure by helping them adopt effective self-care habits to improve the self-management of their condition. If you have been diagnosed with any of these conditions, we may send you information about the programs available to you in your area.
If you have any questions regarding these programs, including if you are eligible for enrollment and assistance with enrollment, please contact us at the customer service phone number on the back of your ID card.
Flexible Benefits Option
Under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, our Case Management process may include a flexible benefits option. This option allows professional case managers at Local Plans to assist members with certain complex and/or chronic health issues by coordinating complicated treatment plans and other types of complex patient care plans. Through the flexible benefits option, case managers will review the member’s healthcare needs and may at our sole discretion, identify a less costly alternative treatment plan for the member. The member (or their healthcare proxy) and provider(s) must cooperate in the process. Case Management Program enrollment is required for eligibility. Prior to the starting date of the alternative treatment plan, members who are eligible to receive services through the flexible benefits option are required to sign and return a written consent for case management and the alternative plan. If you and your provider agree with the plan, alternative benefits will begin immediately and you will be asked to sign an alternative benefits agreement that includes the terms listed below, in addition to any other terms specified in the agreement. We must receive the consent for case management and the alternative benefits agreement signed by the member/healthcare proxy before you receive any services included in the alternative benefits agreement.
Under the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan, our Case Management process may include a flexible benefits option. This option allows professional case managers at Local Plans to assist members with certain complex and/or chronic health issues by coordinating complicated treatment plans and other types of complex patient care plans. Through the flexible benefits option, case managers will review the member’s healthcare needs and may at our sole discretion, identify a less costly alternative treatment plan for the member. The member (or their healthcare proxy) and provider(s) must cooperate in the process. Case Management Program enrollment is required for eligibility. Prior to the starting date of the alternative treatment plan, members who are eligible to receive services through the flexible benefits option are required to sign and return a written consent for case management and the alternative plan. If you and your provider agree with the plan, alternative benefits will begin immediately and you will be asked to sign an alternative benefits agreement that includes the terms listed below, in addition to any other terms specified in the agreement. We must receive the consent for case management and the alternative benefits agreement signed by the member/healthcare proxy before you receive any services included in the alternative benefits agreement.
- Alternative benefits will be made available for a limited period of time and are subject to our ongoing review. You must cooperate with and participate in the review process. Your provider(s) must submit the information necessary for our reviews. You and/or your healthcare proxy must participate in care conferences and caregiver training as requested by your provider(s) or by us.
- We may revoke the alternative benefits agreement immediately at any time, if we discover we were misled by the information given to us by you, your provider, or anyone else involved in your care, or that you are not meeting the terms of the agreement.
- If we approve alternative benefits, we do not guarantee that they will be extended beyond the limited time period and/or scope of the alternative benefits agreement or that they will be approved in the future.
- The decision to offer alternative benefits is solely ours, and unless otherwise specified in the alternative benefits agreement, we may at our sole discretion, withdraw those benefits at any time and resume regular contract benefits.
- Our decision to offer or withdraw alternative benefits is not subject to OPM review under the disputed claims process.