Federal Employee Program (FEP®) Focuses On Health And Wellness In 2010

Free adult preventive visits and new youth wellness program encourage healthier lifestyles

September 29, 2009

WASHINGTON - The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Government-wide Service Benefit Plan (Federal Employee Program or FEP®) announced today that it will waive co-pays on annual physical exams for Standard and Basic Option adult members who complete either their online Blue Health Assessments at www.fepblue.org, or a print version, as part of the 2010 benefits package.

"FEP is increasing its emphasis on wellness by making it easier for members to adopt healthier habits and take charge of their overall well-being," said Jena Estes, vice president of FEP for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).  "We are pleased that six out of every 10 federal employees, retirees and their families choose FEP coverage for the value they receive.  After listening to feedback from FEP members, we are introducing new programs that not only focus on health and wellness, but help members save money through waived co-pays."

In 2010, FEP will debut its new Jump 4 Health program for children.  This program includes a weight management program where children ages 5-17 who score 85 percent or higher on FEP's online Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment are eligible for four free nutritional counseling visits.  Both the co-pay waiver for annual physicals and the Jump 4 Health program are part of a broader FEP effort to increase its focus on wellness and prevention.

"We are particularly proud of our new Jump 4 Health program for children," said Estes.  "This is an opportunity to invest in our country's future and teach children that taking care of their health is a lifelong goal."

Other new Standard Option benefits include waiving co-pays for members who switch from certain brand-name drugs to generic prescriptions purchased in retail stores.  This builds on last year's benefit of waving co-pays for four mail-order generic prescriptions and the mail order benefit is the same for 2010.

FEP is helping members manage their health activities and expenses with new online tools via Blue Health Connection on www.fepblue.org.  MyBlue Personal Health Record (PHR) will provide members a secure, online view of their healthcare activities in one location.  Starting in the spring, MyBlue Benefit Statement will enable members to track and manage their out-of-pocket health expenses and see finalized medical and pharmacy claims in one, easy-to-access location.  Also, members will be able to view, download and print their Explanation of Benefit documents (EOBs) and opt-out of receiving a paper copy via Customer eService.  They will also have access to a nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week using the new online Live Nurse Chat which complements the existing telephone and secure message options.

Standard and Basic Option Benefit Enhancements
Additional Standard and Basic Option benefit enhancements emphasize prevention and wellness.  An increase in covered nutritional counseling visits from four to six helps improve weight management.  FEP has added several new preventive benefits to its coverage including individual health risk counseling and prevention, administration and interpretation of either online or paper Health Risk Assessments.

To enhance mental health and substance abuse benefits, Standard Option has decreased the non-preferred professional mental health and substance abuse coinsurance from 40 percent to 35 percent and removed day and lifetime limits.

New benefit changes in Basic Option also support prevention.  Basic Option members will no longer pay facility co-payments for screening colonoscopies in an outpatient facility.  Members will only pay a professional office visit copayment and FEP will pay 100 percent for services and tests if a preferred provider is used.  Also in Basic Option, maternity coverage is improved with the only out-of-pocket costs for maternity-related services from a preferred provider are a co-pay of $150 per inpatient hospital admission.  Maternity-related outpatient facility and professional services co-pays are waived.

FEP BlueVision® Premiums Decrease
In 2010, biweekly premiums for FEP BlueVision®, the four-year old, separate vision care product, will decrease nearly 2 percent from 2009 for both High and Standard Options.  Other changes include eliminating High Option's $50 co-pay for Standard Progressive Lenses (Standard PALs).  In addition, both options have removed the distinction between formulary contact lenses and non-formulary contact lenses.  And all contact lenses will have a $130 allowance with members being responsible for amounts over the allowance.

The FEP BlueVision® network consists of more than 27,000 ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, as well as national and regional retailers.  In-network coverage includes:  annual eye exams with no co-pays; new glasses or contact lenses every 12 or 24 months; elective allowance for contact lens; one-year warranty on frames and lenses; and discounts on laser eye surgery.

Standard and Basic Options Premiums Increase In 2009
Basic Option's out-of-pocket premiums will increase an average of 9 percent in 2010 and the employee out-of-pocket contribution will increase $3.84 for single coverage for a new biweekly total of $46.50.  Family coverage will increase by $9.00 for a new biweekly total of $108.91.

Standard Option out-of-pocket increases will range from 12.4 percent for families to 15.1 percent for singles.  This is an increase of $10.63 for singles biweekly for a total out-of-pocket cost of $80.81.  The family out-of-pocket premium increase is $20.48 for an increase of $185.06 biweekly.

All changes will go into effect on January 1, 2010.  Federal employees, retirees and their families will make their healthcare coverage decisions during the Federal Benefits Open Season, which runs from Monday, November 9, 2009, through Monday, December 14, 2009.  Additional information is available on FEP's Web site:  www.fepblue.org.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Government-wide Service Benefit Plan (Federal Employee Program or FEP®) has been part of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) since its inception in 1960.  FEP covers roughly 4.8 million federal employees, retirees and their families out of the more than 8 million people (contract holders as well as their dependents) who receive their benefits through FEHBP.  BCBSA works with the Office of Personnel Management to administer the Service Benefit Plan on behalf of the 39 independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.  For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, please visit www.fepblue.org.