A fee-for-service (High and Standard options) health plan ...

GEHA Benefit Plan



800-821-6136

2017

A fee-for-service (High and Standard options) health plan with a preferred provider organization

This plan's health coverage qualifies as minimum essential coverage and meets the minimum value standard for the benefits it provides. See page 8 for details.

Sponsored and administered by: Government Employees Health Association, Inc.

IMPORTANT ? Rates: Back Cover ? Changes for 2017: Page 15 ? Summary of benefits: Page 124

Who may enroll in this Plan: All Federal employees and annuitants who are eligible to enroll in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program may become members of GEHA. You must be, or must become a member of Government Employees Health Association, Inc.

To become a member: You join simply by signing a completed Standard Form 2809, Health Benefits Registration Form, evidencing your enrollment in the Plan.

Membership dues: There are no membership dues for the Year 2017.

Enrollment codes for this Plan:

311 High Option - Self Only 313 High Option - Self Plus One 312 High Option - Self and Family 314 Standard Option - Self Only 316 Standard Option - Self Plus One 315 Standard Option - Self and Family

RI 71-006

Important Notice from Government Employees Health Association, Inc. About

Our Prescription Drug Coverage and Medicare OPM has determined that the Government Employees Health Association, Inc. prescription drug coverage is, on average, expected to pay out as much as the standard Medicare prescription drug coverage will pay for all plan participants and is considered Creditable Coverage. This means you do not need to enroll in Medicare Part D and pay extra for prescription drug coverage. If you decide to enroll in Medicare Part D later, you will not have to pay a penalty for late enrollment as long as you keep your FEHB coverage. However, if you choose to enroll in Medicare Part D, you can keep your FEHB coverage and your FEHB plan will coordinate benefits with Medicare. Remember: If you are an annuitant and you cancel your FEHB coverage, you may not re-enroll in the FEHB Program.

Please be advised

If you lose or drop your FEHB coverage and go 63 days or longer without prescription drug coverage that's at least as good as Medicare's prescription drug coverage, your monthly Medicare Part D premium will go up at least 1% per month for every month that you did not have that coverage. For example, if you go 19 months without Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage, your premium will always be at least 19 percent higher than what many other people pay. You will have to pay this higher premium as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. In addition, you may have to wait until the next Annual Coordinated Election Period (October 15 through December 7) to enroll in Medicare Part D.

Medicare's Low Income Benefits

For people with limited income and resources, extra help paying for a Medicare prescription drug plan is available. Information regarding this program is available through the Social Security Administration (SSA) online at

, or call the SSA at 800-772-1213, TTY: 800-325-0778.

You can get more information about Medicare prescription drug plans and the coverage offered in your area from these places: Visit for personalized help, Call 800-MEDICARE 800-633-4227, TTY: 877-486-2048.

Table of Contents

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................4 Plain Language..............................................................................................................................................................................4 Stop Health Care 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 ? Types of coverage available for you and your family ....................................................................................................8 ? Family Member Coverage ..............................................................................................................................................9 ? Children's Equity Act ...................................................................................................................................................10 ? When benefits and premiums start ...............................................................................................................................10 ? When you retire ............................................................................................................................................................11 When you lose benefits .....................................................................................................................................................11 ? When FEHB coverage ends ..........................................................................................................................................11 ? Upon divorce.................................................................................................................................................................11 ? Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) ...............................................................................................................11 ? Finding replacement coverage ......................................................................................................................................11 ? Health Insurance Marketplace ......................................................................................................................................12 Section 1. How this plan works ..................................................................................................................................................13 General features of our High and Standard Options .........................................................................................................13 How we pay providers ......................................................................................................................................................14 Health education resources ...............................................................................................................................................14 Your rights and responsibilities.........................................................................................................................................14 Your medical and claims records are confidential ............................................................................................................14 Section 2. Changes for 2017 .......................................................................................................................................................15 Changes to High and Standard options .............................................................................................................................15 Section 3. How you get care .......................................................................................................................................................18 Identification cards............................................................................................................................................................18 Where you get covered care..............................................................................................................................................18 ? Covered providers.........................................................................................................................................................18 ? Covered facilities ..........................................................................................................................................................18 ? Transitional care ...........................................................................................................................................................20 ? If you are hospitalized when your enrollment begins...................................................................................................20 You need prior Plan approval for certain services ............................................................................................................20 ? Inpatient hospital admission (including Skilled Nursing Facility, Long Term Acute Care, Rehab Facility or Residential Treatment Centers) .........................................................................................................................................20 How to precertify an admission to a hospital, Skilled Nursing Facility, Long Term Acute Care, Rehab Facility or Residential Treatment Centers ......................................................................................................................................21 ? Non-urgent care claims.................................................................................................................................................21 ? Urgent care claims ........................................................................................................................................................22 ? Concurrent care claims .................................................................................................................................................22 ? Emergency inpatient admission ....................................................................................................................................22

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? Maternity care ...............................................................................................................................................................22 ? NICU cases ...................................................................................................................................................................23 ? If your hospital stay needs to be extended....................................................................................................................23 ? Other services that require prior approval ....................................................................................................................23 ? Radiology/Imaging procedures precertification ...........................................................................................................24 ? If your treatment needs to be extended.........................................................................................................................25 If you disagree with our pre-service claims decision........................................................................................................25 ? To reconsider a non-urgent care claim..........................................................................................................................25 ? To reconsider an urgent care claim ...............................................................................................................................26 ? To file an appeal with OPM ..........................................................................................................................................26 Section 4. Your costs for covered services ..................................................................................................................................27 Coinsurance .......................................................................................................................................................................27 Copayments .......................................................................................................................................................................27 Cost-sharing ......................................................................................................................................................................27 Deductible .........................................................................................................................................................................27 If your provider routinely waives your cost......................................................................................................................27 Waivers ..............................................................................................................................................................................28 Differences between our allowance and the bill ...............................................................................................................28 Your catastrophic protection out-of-pocket maximum for deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments ...........................28 Carryover ..........................................................................................................................................................................29 If we overpay you .............................................................................................................................................................29 When Government facilities bill us ..................................................................................................................................30 Section 5. Benefits ......................................................................................................................................................................31 High and Standard Option Overview................................................................................................................................33 Non-FEHB benefits available to Plan members ...............................................................................................................94 Section 6. General Exclusions - services, drugs and supplies we do not cover ..........................................................................96 Section 7. Filing a claim for covered services ............................................................................................................................98 Section 8. The disputed claims process.....................................................................................................................................101 Section 9. Coordinating benefits with Medicare and other coverage .......................................................................................104 When you have other health coverage or auto insurance................................................................................................104 ? TRICARE and CHAMPVA ........................................................................................................................................104 ? Workers' Compensation..............................................................................................................................................104 ? Medicaid .....................................................................................................................................................................104 When other Government agencies are responsible for your care ...................................................................................105 When others are responsible for injuries.........................................................................................................................105 When you have Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Plan (FEDVIP)........................................................106 Clinical trials ...................................................................................................................................................................106 When you have Medicare ...............................................................................................................................................106 ? What is Medicare? ......................................................................................................................................................106 ? Should I enroll in Medicare? ......................................................................................................................................107 ? The Original Medicare Plan (Part A or Part B)...........................................................................................................108 ? Tell us about your Medicare coverage ........................................................................................................................108 ? Private contract with your physician ..........................................................................................................................109 ? Medicare Advantage (Part C) .....................................................................................................................................109 ? Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) ...........................................................................................................109 When you are age 65 or over and do not have Medicare ................................................................................................111 When you have the Original Medicare Plan (Part A, Part B, or both) ............................................................................112 Section 10. Definitions of terms we use in this brochure..........................................................................................................113

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Section 11. Other Federal Programs..........................................................................................................................................119 The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program ? FSAFEDS .....................................................................................119 The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program ? FEDVIP....................................................................120 The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program ? FLTCIP ..........................................................................................121

Index ..........................................................................................................................................................................................122 Summary of benefits for the High Option of the Government Employees Health Association, Inc. 2017 ..............................124 Summary of benefits for the Standard Option of the Government Employees Health Association, Inc. 2017 ........................126 2017 Rate Information for Government Employees Health Association, Inc. (GEHA) Benefit Plan......................................130

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