Happy New Year 2014 !!!

2013 is history, and its time to dig in for a new year!
Happy New Year 2014 to everyone. Joy and Peace and Success and Health to all!

Merry Christmas 2013!!!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas with family, friends, good food and good times. And find someone else to share the season with...

Weather related assistance from Aetna Health

If you are not with Aetna, check your provider. Others seem to be making similiar arrangements...

	Aetna helps members affected by Winter Storm Cleon Due to Winter Storm Cleon, many residents in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee were forced to leave their homes. In response, Aetna has put in place policy modifications in affected counties related to pharmacy services and has extended our deadlines for grievances and appeals to assist our members during this time. We have been monitoring the impact of this storm on health care providers carefully. It is important to remember that our members can seek urgent or emergent care anywhere, as needed. We will make further modifications to our policies as necessary to ensure members have access to care. We will also adjust our policies to comply with any additional local, state or federal disaster executive orders or regulations issued related to this natural disaster. Pharmacy When the disaster began to threaten, we modified policies to meet the prescription drug needs of our members in the affected areas: Members who had to flee without their medications can refill their prescriptions early.   Members whose mail-order medications may have been damaged or destroyed by the storm are able to get refills.   Members whose plans require them to use mail-order for certain medications can fill these prescriptions at a local pharmacy during the emergency period.   Aetna Specialty Pharmacy has been contacting members in the affected areas who are expecting deliveries, so they can make sure the members are able to receive their medications at their original or an alternative address.   Aetna Rx Home Delivery is filling orders for the affected areas; however some streets may be blocked. This might prevent both UPS and USPS from making deliveries. Therefore members might be experiencing service delays in those areas. If they are unable to deliver to an address, they will hold the delivery. Members can contact customer service to request alternative delivery sites, or fill their prescriptions locally. Additional assistance We are also offering additional assistance to help plan sponsors and members. We've extended deadlines for affected members to submit level I and level II appeals. Appeals for members affected by the severe weather that would have been due December 5 now have until January 3, 2014 to be submitted.  Commercial members should contact Aetna if they believe their ability to appeal a situation has been impacted by these local conditions. Additionally, in accordance with CMS regulations, Medicare members in the affected areas are able to utilize any provider and facility during this disaster. We are also waiving the requirements for authorization and pre-notification for the time period December 5 through January 3, 2014 for the affected areas as well. Monitoring the situation We will continue to monitor the situation carefully, so that we are prepared to move quickly to provide other assistance as needed. If further liberalizations are required an additional field communication will be sent out with updated information.
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Some helpful information from our friends at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Assistance Available for Members Impacted by Severe Winter Weather in Texas

During a natural disaster, you never know where you may end up. We at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) understand that a number of our members living, working or traveling in and around Texas may be impacted and/or displaced as a result of severe winter weather.

BCBSTX is prepared to assist these members by:

Explaining the options for accessing care

• Helping to locate a network provider, hospital or dialysis center
• Assisting with early refills of prescription medications
• Working to ensure transition of care or continuity of care needs are met
• Accessing member identification information

Please share this information with your employees:

• For an emergency situation, members should go directly to the nearest hospital.
• For non-emergency care needs, members can call the customer service number on the back of their member ID card to locate a network provider.
• When arriving at the participating doctor's office or hospital, the member will need to present his/her BCBSTX ID card.
• If a member does not have his/her member ID card, needs help finding care or has coverage questions, our customer service representatives will provide assistance.
• Members can also log in to Blue Access for Members^SM on the BCBSTX website or access our mobile site to search for a doctor, access their ID card and more.
• BlueCard^® participants (indicated by a suitcase on the member ID card) can call the National BlueCard access number to be routed to the appropriate customer service center.

Watch for continuing updates as we respond to the needs of our groups and members impacted by the severe winter weather. Please contact your BCBSTX account representative should you have any questions.

Important Blue Cross Phone Numbers

BCBSTX Customer Service for all group plan members: 800-521-2227

• BCBSTX Customer Service for individual/family policyholders: 888-697-0683
• BCBSTX Customer Service for Medicare Supplement policyholders: 800-654-9390
• Federal Employee Information: 800-442-4607
• National BlueCard access: 800-810-BLUE (2583)

Other Resources
American Red Cross