Corporate Coverage is pleased to announce being named one of the TOP TEN LARGEST EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ADMINISTRATORS IN MARYLAND as published in Baltimore Business Journal (Feb '06).

1) URGENT ISSUE REGARDING DISCOUNT DENTAL

On October 1, 2005, CareFirst BlueChoice introduced a new Discount Dental Program. This program is a complete replacement of the previous discount dental offering.

If you are storing discount dental marketing material, fee schedules or provider directories with dates prior to October 2005, please destroy them at once, as they are no longer valid. New Discount Dental material is now available on the TDN website at http://www.thedentalnet.org/carefirstweblink7.htm.

2)  Changes to CareFirst Preferred Drug List July 2005 - Effective immediately, a number of changes were made to the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Preferred Drug List (formulary).  Below is a list of these changes:

Removed from the Preferred Drug List:

• COZAAR:  Used for the treatment of hypertension.
• HYZAAR:  Used for the treatment of hypertension.

Current members that are prescribed either of these drugs will continue to receive them at the current Tier 2 level until September 30, 2005.  Beginning October 1, 2005, they will be available at the Tier 3 pricing.  Members with new prescriptions will be required to pay the Tier 3 rate effective August 1, 2005.

New members to CareFirst, regardless of the date they began treatment, will receive coverage at the new, Non-Preferred, or Tier 3 level.

New Generics Available:

The following drugs now have generic equivalents.  As a result, the brand name drug has moved to Non-Preferred or Tier 3 and the new generic alternative is now available at Tier 1. 

• Duragesic - the generic equivalent is fentanyl
• Sporonox - the generic equivalent is itraconazole
• Agrylin - the generic equivalent is anagrelide
• Ultracet - the generic equivalent is tramadol w/APAP
• Oxycontin CR - the generic equivalent is oxycodone
• Tricor - the generic equivalent is fenofibrate
• Biaxin - the generic equivalent is chlarithromycin

Depending on the prescription benefit, some members who choose the Non-Preferred or Tier 3 drug over the generic equivalent will pay the copay or coinsurance amount, plus the difference in cost between that drug and its generic equivalent, up to the cost of the drug.

2)  Effective October 1, 2005 legislation has been passed that will change the definition of "Small Employer Group".  Self-employed individuals will no longer be eligible to enroll as a new member in a Small Employer Group Health Plan product;  however, you may continue to be enrolled in your current product.  There will no longer be an open enrollment period for Self-Employed individuals in December.

That mean that if you are currently enrolled as a self-employed in a Small Employer Group Health Plan product, you may not terminate that plan and enroll under another Small Employer Group Health Plan.  You may however, contact us and apply for a medically underwritten health policy as an individual or you may remain in your current Small Employer Group Health Plan product.

3)  Effective August 1, 2005 CareFirst will now allow single employees with multiple children to have the same rate as employees with just one child.  In reviewing your renewal please note that the employee/child tier (previously marked a "EC") will show Ech(n) (meaning "Employee/child/children"), where the carrier allows this rating.