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If you are a member of Blue Shield of California,
you can play an active role in managing your health with prevention
and self-management programs -- with no additional cost to you. The
health programs include health education programs, health management
programs, Medicare drug discount programs and Medicare beneficiary programs.
The health education program mainly concerns on children's health, men's
health, preventive health guidelines and women's health.
Blue Shield of California to Offer Medicare Part D Prescription Drug
Benefits
Blue Shield of California proclaimed that it has received approval from
the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to offer Medicare
Part D prescription drug coverage when the new federal benefit takes
effect on January 1, 2006.
Blue Shield has been approved by CMS to offer Medicare prescription
drug coverage (MA-PD plans) to its Medicare Advantage (HMO) members.
Blue Shield will offer enhanced, stand-alone Medicare prescription drug
plans (PDP's) to individual Medicare beneficiaries as well as to those
who receive their Medicare benefits through employer group plans. This
will allow Medicare beneficiaries who are not enrolled in Medicare HMO
plans to take advantage of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.
"Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage is the most important
change to Medicare since this government program was introduced in the
1960s," said Lisa Rubino, senior vice president and chief executive
of Blue Shield's Individual, Small Group, and Government Business Unit.
"Blue Shield is proud that it has been approved by CMS to serve
as a Part D provider, and we are committed to offering a quality, customer-centered
prescription drug benefit to our current and prospective Medicare members."
Blue Shield 65 Plus (Medicare HMO) members will be enrolled automatically
in the Medicare prescription drug benefit, so they will not be required
to submit separate application forms or adhere to any enrollment deadlines.
Members will have access to brand and generic prescription drug coverage
with fixed co-payments and no deductibles.
The stand-alone Blue Shield of California Medicare Rx Plan is comprehensive
prescription drug coverage designed to complement Medicare Supplement
plans. Blue Shield will offer a plan with no deductible and fixed co-payments,
so members are covered from day one and will always know the cost of
Medicare-approved prescription drugs.
Blue Shield will also provide support and information to employer groups
that want to apply for the federal government's Employer Drug Subsidy,
which is available to some employer groups that cover Medicare-eligible
workers .Between now and the end of the year, Blue Shield of California will inform and educate its Medicare-eligible members about the new
prescription drug benefit, pricing, eligible prescription drugs, network
pharmacies, and a variety of other issues.
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