To get information from us in a way that works for you, please call member services.
Our plan has people and free interpreter services available to answer questions from disabled and non-English speaking members. We can also give you information in braille, in large print, or other alternate formats at no cost if you need it. We are required to give you information about the plan's benefits in a format that is accessible and appropriate for you. To get information from us in a way that works for you, please call member services (phone numbers are printed on the back cover of this booklet). You can also contact your local Office for Civil Rights.
If you have any trouble getting information from our plan in a format that is accessible and appropriate for you, please call to file a grievance with The Optima Health Section 1557 Coordinator, PO Box 66189, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23466, call 1-844-801-3779 or email www.languagehelp@sentara.com. You may also file a complaint with Medicare by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or directly with the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information is included in this Evidence of Coverage or with this mailing, or you may contact Member services for additional information.
As a member of our plan, you have the right to get your prescriptions filled or refilled at any of our network pharmacies without long delays. If you think that you are not getting your Part D drugs within a reasonable amount of time, please call member services.
Federal and state laws protect the privacy of your medical records and personal health information. We protect your personal health information as required by these laws.
- Your "personal health information" includes the personal information you gave us when you enrolled in this plan as well as your medical records and other medical and health information.
- The laws that protect your privacy give you rights related to getting information and controlling how your health information is used. We give you a written notice, called a "Notice of Privacy Practice," that tells about these rights and explains how we protect the privacy of your health information.
How do we protect the privacy of your health information?
- We make sure that unauthorized people don't see or change your records.
- In most situations, if we give your health information to anyone who isn't providing your care or paying for your care, we are required to get written permission from you first. Written permission can be given by you or by someone you have given legal power to make decisions for you.
- There are certain exceptions that do not require us to get your written permission first. These exceptions are allowed or required by law.
- For example, we are required to release health information to government agencies that are checking on quality of care.
- Because you are a member of our plan through Medicare, we are required to give Medicare your health information including information about your Part D prescription drugs. If Medicare releases your information for research or other uses, this will be done according to Federal statutes and regulations.
You can see the information in your records and know how it has been shared with others.
You have the right to look at your medical records held at the plan, and to get a copy of your records. We are allowed to charge you a fee for making copies. You also have the right to ask us to make additions or corrections to your medical records. If you ask us to do this, we will work with your healthcare provider to decide whether the changes should be made.
You have the right to know how your health information has been shared with others for any purposes that are not routine.
If you have questions or concerns about the privacy of your personal health information, please call member services (phone numbers are printed on the back cover of this booklet).
As a member of Optima Medicare Rx (PDP), you have the right to get several kinds of information from us.
You have the right to get information from us in a way that works for you. This includes getting the information in languages other than English and in large print or other alternate formats.
If you want any of the following kinds of information, please call member services.
- Information about our plan. This includes, for example, information about the plan's financial condition. It also includes information about the number of appeals made by members and the plan's performance ratings, including how it has been rated by plan members and how it compares to other Medicare prescription drug plans.
- Information about our network pharmacies.
- For example, you have the right to get information from us about the pharmacies in our network.
- For a list of the pharmacies in the plan's network, see the Optima Medicare Rx (PDP) Pharmacy Directory.
- For more detailed information about our pharmacies, you can call member services or visit our website at OptimaHealth.com/cos.
- Information about your coverage and the rules you must follow when using your coverage.
- To get the details on your Part D prescription drug coverage, Chapters 3 and 4 of your Evidence of Coverage and the plan's List of Covered Drugs (Formulary). These chapters, together with the List of Covered Drugs (Formulary), tell you what drugs are covered and explain the rules you must follow and the restrictions to your coverage for certain drugs.
- If you have questions about the rules or restrictions, please call member services.
- Information about why something is not covered and what you can do about it.
- If a Part D drug is not covered for you, or if your coverage is restricted in some way, you can ask us for a written explanation. You have the right to this explanation even if you received the drug from an out-of-network pharmacy.
- If you are not happy or if you disagree with a decision we make about what Part D drug is covered for you, you have the right to ask us to change the decision. You can ask us to change the decision by making an appeal.
- If you want to ask our plan to pay our share of the cost for a Part D prescription drug, call member services.
You have the right to give instructions about what is to be done if you are not able to make medical decisions for yourself
Sometimes people become unable to make health care decisions for themselves due to accidents or serious illness. You have the right to say what you want to happen if you are in this situation. This means that, if you want to, you can:
- Fill out a written form to give someone the legal authority to make medical decisions for you if you ever become unable to make decisions for yourself.
- Give your doctors written instructions about how you want them to handle your medical care if you become unable to make decisions for yourself.
The legal documents that you can use to give your directions in advance in these situations are called "advance directives." There are different types of advance directives and different names for them. Documents called "living will" and "power of attorney for health care" are examples of advance directives.
If you want to use an "advance directive" to give your instructions, here is what to do:
- Get the form. If you want to have an advance directive, you can get a form from your lawyer, from a social worker, or from some office supply stores. You can sometimes get advance directive forms from organizations that give people information about Medicare. You can also contact member services to ask for the forms (phone numbers are printed on the back cover of this booklet).
- Fill it out and sign it. Regardless of where you get this form, keep in mind that it is a legal document. You should consider having a lawyer help you prepare it.
- Give copies to appropriate people. You should give a copy of the form to your doctor and to the person you name on the form as the one to make decisions for you if you can't. You may want to give copies to close friends or family members as well. Be sure to keep a copy at home.
If you know ahead of time that you are going to be hospitalized, and you have signed an advance directive, take a copy with you to the hospital.
- If you are admitted to the hospital, they will ask you whether you have signed an advance directive form and whether you have it with you.
- If you have not signed an advance directive form, the hospital has forms available and will ask if you want to sign one.
Remember, it is your choice whether you want to fill out an advance directive (including whether you want to sign one if you are in the hospital). According to law, no one can deny you care or discriminate against you based on whether or not you have signed an advance directive.
What if your instructions are not followed?
If you have signed an advance directive, and you believe that a doctor or hospital did not follow the instructions in it, you may file a complaint with your state-specific agency. Contact information can be found in "Exhibit A" in your Evidence of Coverage.
You have the right to make complaints and to ask us to reconsider decisions we have made.
If you have any problems or concerns about your covered services or care, contact member services. They will give you the details about how to deal with all types of problems and complaints. What you need to do to follow up on a problem or concern depends on the situation. You might need to ask our plan to make a coverage decision for you, make an appeal to us to change a coverage decision, or make a complaint. Whatever you do – ask for a coverage decision, make an appeal, or make a complaint – we are required to treat you fairly.
You have the right to get a summary of information about the appeals and complaints that other members have filed against our plan in the past. To get this information, please call member services.
If it is about discrimination, call the Office for Civil Rights.
If you believe you have been treated unfairly or your rights have not been respected due to your race, disability, religion, sex, health, ethnicity, creed (beliefs), age, or national origin, you should call the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights at 1-800-368-1019 or TTY 1-800-537-7697, or call your local Office for Civil Rights.
Is it about something else?
- If you believe you have been treated unfairly or your rights have not been respected, and it's not about discrimination, you can get help dealing with the problem you are having:
- You can call member services.
- You can call the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. For details about this organization and how to contact it, Chapter 2, Section 3 of your Evidence of Coverage can give your more information.
- Or, you can call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
There are several places where you can get more information about your rights:
- You can call member services.
- You can call the State Health Insurance Assistance Program. For details about this organization and how to contact it, Chapter 2, Section 3 of your Evidence of Coverage can give your more information.
- You can contact Medicare.
- You can visit the Medicare website to read or download the publication "Medicare Rights & Protections." (The publication is available at: www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11534-Medicare-Rights-and-Protections.pdf.)
- Or, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
You have some responsibilities as a member of the plan.
What are your responsibilities?
Things you need to do as a member of the plan are listed below. If you have any questions, please call member services. We're here to help.
- Get familiar with your covered drugs and the rules you must follow to get these covered drugs. Use this Evidence of Coverage booklet to learn what is covered for you and the rules you need to follow to get your covered drugs.
- Chapters 3 and 4 of your Evidence of Coverage give the details about your coverage for Part D prescription drugs.
- If you have any other prescription drug coverage in addition to our plan, you are required to tell us. Please call member services to let us know (phone numbers are printed on the back cover of this booklet).
- We are required to follow rules set by Medicare to make sure that you are using all of your coverage in combination when you get your covered drugs from our plan. This is called "coordination of benefits" because it involves coordinating the drug benefits you get from our plan with any other drug benefits available to you. We'll help you coordinate your benefits. (For more information about coordination of benefits, go to Chapter 1, Section 10 of your Evidence of Coverage).
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are enrolled in our plan. Show your plan membership card whenever you get your Part D prescription drugs.
- Help your doctors and other providers help you by giving them information, asking questions, and following through on your care.
- To help your doctors and other health providers give you the best care, learn as much as you are able to about your health problems and give them the information they need about you and your health. Follow the treatment plans and instructions that you and your doctors agree upon.
- Make sure your doctors know all of the drugs you are taking, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements.
- If you have any questions, be sure to ask. Your doctors and other health care providers are supposed to explain things in a way you can understand. If you ask a question and you don't understand the answer you are given, ask again.
- Pay what you owe. As a plan member, you are responsible for these payments:
- You must pay your plan premiums to continue being a member of our plan.
- For most of your drugs covered by the plan, you must pay your share of the cost when you get the drug. This will be a copayment (a fixed amount) OR coinsurance (a percentage of the total cost) Chapter 4 of your Evidence of Coverage tells what you must pay for your Part D prescription drugs.
- If you get any drugs that are not covered by our plan or by other insurance you may have, you must pay the full cost.
- If you disagree with our decision to deny coverage for a drug, you can make an appeal. Please see Chapter 7 of your Evidence of Coverage for information about how to make an appeal.
- If you are required to pay a late enrollment penalty, you must pay the penalty to remain a member of the plan.
- If you are required to pay the extra amount for Part D because of your yearly income, you must pay the extra amount directly to the government to remain a member of the plan.
- Tell us if you move. If you are going to move, it's important to tell us right away. Call member services (phone numbers are printed on the back cover of this booklet).
- If you move outside of our plan service area, you cannot remain a member of our plan. We can help you figure out whether you are moving outside our service area. If you are leaving our service area, you will have a Special Enrollment Period when you can join any Medicare plan available in your new area. We can let you know if we have a plan in your new area.
- If you move within our service area, we still need to know so we can keep your membership record up to date and know how to contact you.
- If you move, it is also important to tell Social Security (or the Railroad Retirement Board). You can find phone numbers and contact information for these organizations in Chapter 2 of your Evidence of Coverage.
- Call member services for help if you have questions or concerns. We also welcome any suggestions you may have for improving our plan.
- For more information on how to reach us, including our mailing address, please see Chapter 2 of your Evidence of Coverage.