Anthem PPO $500 Deductible FAQ and Resources

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The following questions and answers will help you better understand the Anthem PPO $500 Deductible Health Plan.

A. Comprehensive Coverage

1. Are the types of services covered under this plan different than other IU medical plans?

No. The plan covers medical, prescription, behavioral health, and transplant services the same as other IU employee medical plans.  The difference is primarily in the deductibles and copays.

2. Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Yes.  IU-sponsored employee medical plans do not have any pre-existing condition limits on new enrollees or when an employee moves from one IU plan to another.

3. Is there any waiting period before certain services are covered?

No.

4. What if I enroll in the plan this year and don’t like it?

Each year during Open Enrollment you may choose to move to any of the available IU medical plans.

B. Deductibles and Out-of-Pocket Maximums

1. What are the deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums?
In-Network:
  • Deductible: $500 individual / $1,500 family
  • Out-of-pocket Maximum: $2,400 individual / $7,200 family

Out-of-Network:

  • Deductible: $900 individual / $2,700 family
  • Out-of-pocket Maximum: $6,850 individual / $13,700 family

These amounts apply only to medical services, not to prescription costs, which have a separate out-of-pocket maximum.

2. How does the deductible work in this plan? 

For this type of plan, each family member has an individual deductible, and the family as a whole has a family deductible maximum. As medical expenses are incurred, the amount each family member pays toward these expenses is credited to their individual deductible and also to the family deductible maximum.

There are two ways the plan will begin to pay its share of the cost of healthcare expenses for a particular individual within the family.

  • If an individual meets their individual deductible of $500, the plan begins to pay its share of the cost of healthcare expenses for that individual only, but not for the other family members.
  • If the family deductible maximum of $1500 is met by three or more family members, the plan begins to pay its share of the cost of healthcare expenses for all members of the family whether or not they’ve met their own individual deductibles.

Each enrollee may contribute no more than the amount of the individual deductible listed above to the family deductible maximum.

3. What services apply to the deductible?

The deductible applies to all covered services except emergency room and in-network urgent care centers, preventive care, prescription drugs (except drugs administered in a Physician’s office), and transplants.

4. After I meet the deductible, what is the coinsurance?

Once you have met your deductible, you enter the coinsurance phase. Coinsurance is the percent of a covered healthcare service you pay after you have paid your deductible. Under this plan there is a 20% coinsurance on most in-network services, which means that the insurance pays 80% of the allowable charge for your medical service, while you must pay 20%. The out-of-network coinsurance is generally 40%. You will remain in the coinsurance phase until you hit your out-of-pocket maximum for the year.

5. How does the medical out-of-pocket maximum work?

The out-of-pocket maximum is the most you’ll have to pay for covered services in a plan year. After you spend this amount on deductibles and coinsurance, the plan begins to pay 100% of the allowed amount for covered services.

Like the deductible, each family member has an individual out-of-pocket maximum, and the family as a whole has a family out-of-pocket maximum. As medical expenses are incurred, the amount each family member pays toward these expenses is credited to their individual out-of-pocket maximum and to the family out-of-pocket maximum.

There are two ways the plan will begin to pay 100% of covered charges for healthcare expenses for a particular individual within the family.

  • If an individual meets their individual out-of-pocket maximum ($2,700), the plan begins to pay 100% of covered charges for that individual only, but not for the other family members.
  • If the family out-of-pocket maximum ($7,200) is met, the plan begins to pay 100% of covered charges for all members of the family whether or not they’ve met their own individual out-of-pocket maximums.

Each enrollee may contribute no more than the amount of the individual out-of-pocket maximum listed above to the family out-of-pocket maximum.

Note that covered charges for prescription drugs do not count towards the medical out-of-pocket maximum. Additional items excluded from the out-of-pocket maximum include non-network provider charges above the maximum allowable amount, adjustments to covered charges for services that were not pre-certified, and out-of-network transplant services.

6. How does the prescription out-of-pocket maximum work?

This plan has an out-of-pocket maximum for in-network prescriptions that is separate from the medical out-of-pocket maximum. Once prescription expenses reach the out-of-pocket maximum—$ 7,050/individual or $11, 700/family—the plan will pay 100% of covered charges for in-network prescriptions for the remainder of the plan year. Medical expenses do not count toward the prescription out-of-pocket maximum.

C. Network Services and Providers

1. Which physicians and hospitals can I use?

This plan uses the Anthem Blue Access PPO network in Indiana, the Anthem National PPO (BlueCard PPO) network in other states, and the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core network overseas. Once enrolled in the plan, you can find in-network providers by logging in to Anthem.com or the Sydney Health app and using the Find Care tool.

2. Which pharmacies can I use?

Outpatient prescription drug benefits for all IU-sponsored employee medical plans are through CVS Caremark. Most retail chain and supermarket pharmacies are in-network; for example, CVS, Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, K-Mart, Marsh, and Meijer. Walgreens is not an in-network pharmacy.

You can fill prescriptions at out-of-network pharmacies (such as Walgreens), but you will have higher out-of-pocket costs.

3. Which behavioral health providers can I use?

This plan uses the Anthem Blue Access PPO network in Indiana, the Anthem National PPO (BlueCard PPO) network in other states, and the Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core network overseas. Once enrolled in the plan, you can find in-network behavioral health providers by logging in to Anthem.com or the Sydney Health app and using the Find Care tool.

Anthem’s telehealth provider, LiveHealth Online, also offers virtual visits with psychiatry and psychology providers. Visit livehealthonline.com to learn more.

D. Preventive Services

1. How are preventive services covered?

Preventive care services are covered at 100% when (1) network providers are used and (2) services are consistent with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines and nationally recognized schedules. 

You can view the list of preventive services covered by IU-sponsored medical plans or call the Anthem customer service number on your ID card for additional information.

Federal guidance on preventive services is available at the following links:

2. How are preventive prescriptions covered?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires preventive prescriptions to be covered at 100% with no deductible and no coinsurance. These include contraceptives requiring a prescription (generic and brands without a generic equivalent); pediatric sodium fluoride, low dose aspirin, folic acid; Tamoxifen; Raloxifene; and Tobacco cessation products and nicotine replacement (up to 180-day supply annually). Only the preventive strength, dosage, and form of these medicines are covered.

E. Vision Benefit

1. Does my medical plan include vision coverage?

Yes. The vision benefit is provided through Anthem Blue View Vision. This coverage is included with your medical plan enrollment, but vision services have their own schedule of benefits and network separate from medical benefits. Additionally, the medical plan deductibles and coinsurance do not apply to vision benefits, and the amount you pay for vision services does not accumulate toward the medical plan deductible or out-of-pocket maximums. Visit the Vision Benefit web page for more information.

2. What does my vision coverage include?

The vision benefit is for routine eye care and corrective eye care only. For medical treatment of the eyes, you should visit a medical network eye care physician. Medical eye care includes services for such conditions as eye injuries, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. The medical deductible, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximums apply to medical eye services.

Benefits include:

  • A routine eye exam each plan year, with a $10 copay.
  • Frames, lenses, and contacts covered with specific allowances and copays for in-network providers. See the Vision Benefit page for more information.

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