AlaskaCare Retiree Health News | Monthly e-newsletter | May 2019
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AlaskaCare Retiree Health News
| Volume 13 | May 2019 |
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The Division of Retirement and Benefits sends monthly e-newsletters to provide you with accurate, timely information about your AlaskaCare retiree health benefits. You can expect to receive an e-newsletter each month, and the Division may also send out timely information and updates through this email list. If you prefer not to receive these email updates, you can unsubscribe at any time. Either way, you will continue to receive the HealthMatters newsletter in the mail, as well as your important health plan information. |
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Effective January 1, 2019, vaccines covered under Medicare Part D and administered at a pharmacy are a plan benefit! Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover many commercially-available immunizations recommended by the CDC to prevent illness. As a result of the adoption of the AlaskaCare enhanced EGWP, the Division has expanded coverage of vaccines covered by Medicare Part D for all retirees—including those who are not yet Medicare-eligible, who are in the EGWP or Standard Pharmacy plans, or who have elected the Opt-Out pharmacy benefit plan. However, members that have opted-out of the EGWP will be responsible for a greater portion of vaccine costs. Common vaccines that have been added to the AlaskaCare retiree pharmacy benefit include shingles, diphtheria, tetanus, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), polio, hepatitis, and HPV. Don’t forget to have the vaccines administered at your pharmacy! Please note that flu and pneumococcal shots are not covered by Medicare Part D Prescription Drug plans and therefore are not presently covered by the AlaskaCare plan. They are typically, however, a benefit for persons with Medicare Part B coverage. |
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Reminder: Notify Us of Your Dependent Status Changes
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If you have a dependent that will be graduating from college, remember to notify the Division of Retirement and Benefits of their change in status. Also, be sure to notify the Division if you need to add or remove dependents due to marriage, divorce, birth, death, or adoption. In accordance with Alaska Statutes 39.35.680(12) and 14.25.220(13):
The AlaskaCare Verification of Student Status Forms are available on the AlaskaCare website. |
Providers in the Aetna Network |
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Using network providers can provide substantial benefits to members through the elimination of what’s known as balance billing. Balance billing occurs when an out-of-network provider may bill you for the difference—or the balance—between the recognized charge and the actual charge. It is solely the responsibility of the member to pay the balance. The AlaskaCare plans limit payment of covered services to the recognized charge for the service provided. Network providers have agreed to accept, as payment in full, the negotiated charge. Therefore, you are not subject to balance billing when you use a network provider. Using network providers can also generate substantial savings for members by limiting charges to negotiated provider discounts. For assistance finding an in-network provider, call the Aetna Concierge at (855) 784-8646 or search online using Aetna’s DocFind tool. Please welcome the following providers to the Aetna Network!
For more information about the benefits of network usage, please visit the AlaskaCare Defined Benefit Retiree Plan FAQ webpage. |
Alaska Regional Hospital—Senior Health and Fitness Day |
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Alaska Regional Hospital is hosting a Senior Health & Fitness day on Wednesday, May 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will include health screenings, interactive demonstrations, nutrition seminar, yoga, fall prevention seminar and more. Dress comfortably and bring your own blood pressure cuff with its instructions. The event is free and open to the public! Please RSVP by phone at (907) 264-1722 or online through Alaska Regional Hospital’s website. |
News from the Retiree Health Plan Advisory Board |
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The Retiree Health Plan Advisory Board (RHPAB) is tasked with facilitating engagement and communication among the Commissioner of Administration, the Division of Retirement and Benefits, and the community of AlaskaCare retirees. The seven-member board meets four times per year, with additional meetings of the modernization committee each quarter. The full board met on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The agenda included updates and in-depth discussion about the modernization project, a collection of initiatives and proposed changes to the health plan under consideration by the Board and the Division to provide updated and improved benefits for all retirees. Members of the public are always welcome to attend and observe the meeting or listen in via phone. Each RHPAB board meeting includes time on the agenda for public comment, and written comments may be submitted to the board at AlaskaRHPAB@alaska.gov. For more about RHPAB and upcoming meetings, including meeting locations, teleconference information and meeting materials, please visit AlaskaCare.gov/retiree/advisory.html. |
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We update the FAQs regularly. Please keep checking back for new information! Here are some recently asked questions: Why aren't dependents covered to age 26 under the AlaskaCare retiree health plan? The AlaskaCare retiree health plan is exempt from Affordable Care Act requirements that expand coverage to dependents up to age 26. Dependent coverage in the AlaskaCare retiree health plan is outlined in State statute which stipulates that qualifying dependent children are covered up to age 19, or up to age 23 if they are a full-time student. The Division of Retirement and Benefits understands that there is strong interest in expanding dependent coverage but doing so would require a statutory change. When I use an out-of-network provider, how much of the bill am I responsible for? If you use an out-of-network provider, you are responsible for the difference between the recognized charge and the amount charged by the provider. This is in addition to other applicable charges such as deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, and non-covered charges. When you see a network provider, the plan will pay based on the lesser of the billed amount or the provider’s discounted fee amount. What is a “recognized charge”? A recognized charge is the maximum amount that the AlaskaCare medical, dental, vision, and audio plans will pay for a covered service. The term is sometimes referred to as the usual, customary and reasonable (UCR) charge or the maximum allowed charge. An out-of-network provider has the right to bill you for the difference between the recognized charge and the actual charge. This is sometimes referred to as “balance billing.” When you use a network provider, you are not subject to balance billing for covered services. In other words, the provider has agreed to accept, as payment in full, the recognized charge for the service provided. You are only responsible for payment of other applicable charges such as deductibles, co-insurance, and/or non-covered charges. |
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VISIT US 6th Fl. State Office Building Juneau, AK 99811-0203 |
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CALL US Call Center: 907.465.4460 Toll Free: 1.800.821.2251 |
