CAT Tracks for May 1, 2004 NEW BCBS GROUP HEALTH PLAN

In response to questions concerning the District's new group health insurance plan with BlueCross Blue Shield (which did pass in a vote of the group's membership on April 23rd and went into effect on Saturday, May 1st), I received the following e-mail from Kenny Johnson. He encouraged me to share it with you...

Marty Morano
BCBSIL
Sr. Account Executive
Collinsville, IL. 62234

Subject: Cairo School
District- Modified Health Plan
04/30/2004 10:31 AM

Marty:

I have a few questions, as related to me, that I would appreciate an E-Mail reply. I will forward your reply to Cairo as well.

- Kenny, my responses immediately follow your questions.

On the new plan:

1) Do they continue using their current ID Card until the new card is issued?

-Yes, they continue to use their ID card until they receive their new set.

2) How will prescriptions be handled starting May 1st (tomorrow) until the new ID Cards are received?

-Members should continue to use their current ID cards. There may be a short period of time when the drug benefit system is off. This will happen so that we can transfer all current employees/dependents to our drug card copay system. If at any time, the pharmacy tells the member that they cannot submit the claim to us, then the member should pay at the pharmacy, just like now and keep the pharmacy receipt. When we have our meeting on 5/24, if this happened to anyone, they should bring in those receipts. I will bring a special form, which they will need to sign and give me the prescription receipts. We will reimburse them minus the applicable copay.

3) How can the enrolled members confirm which pharmacies accept the BCBS Rx Card and the applicable Co-Payments? Is there a website they can view and do they need to have any type of ID or password to go to the website and view this information?

-To view a list of all the pharmacies throughout the USA, members can go to our website at:

www.bcbsil.com,
then click on the Members tab
then click on Prescription Drug
then click on Pharmacy Finder
then select state; i.e. Illinois, Kentucky
then select town or zip code, then submit

All the pharmacies that accept our BCBSIL ID card will accept the new one.

Re: CoPay Information

Members can call (right now) 1-800-423-1973, give them their social security number and tell them the exact medication that they are taking. Caremark will tell them if it is a generic, formulary or a non-formulary. If the member's medication is non-formulary, they can ask if there is a generic or formulary substitute available.

4) How can the members get information on the Mail Order Program? Is there a website for this as well? How about a toll-free number that they can call even though they may not be in the system yet with the new plan?

-The toll free # is 1-800-423-1973.

They can go to our website at:

www.bcbsil.com,
then click on members
then click on Prescription Drugs
then under Home Delivery RX Benefit Program, it gives them instructions and forms.

For confirmation purposes, you and I are planning a trip to Cairo on May 24th. I look forward to your prompt reply. Thanking you in advance, I am:

Kenny Johnson

Hopefully, this answers any questions you may have about the new coverage. If not...as indicated in the e-mail...Kenny Johnson and Marty Morano plan on being in the District on May 24th.