Here are FEP benefit changes for 2020

The following are the benefit changes for the 2020 Federal Employee Program^® Standard and Basic Option plans and FEP Blue Focus.

Diabetes

• Standard Option and Basic Option — Syringes, pens and pen needles are covered at the reduced cost share for Preferred diabetic medications, test strips and supplies.
  • We now offer a program with Livongo^® to help members manage diabetes at no cost to the member.

Hearing aids

• Standard Option and Basic Option — Medically necessary bone-anchored hearing aids are covered without diagnosis restrictions.

Hospice

• Standard Option — A member cost share applies for traditional home hospice care for member and non-member facilities. The member and non-member facility copayment is $450 per episode (no deductible).
• Standard Option and Basic Option — Continuous home hospice care received from preferred providers is covered at no member cost share.
• Basic and FEP Blue Focus — Members pay all charges for traditional home hospice care from member and non-member facilities.
• Standard Option, Basic Option and FEP Blue Focus
  • We define an episode of care for traditional home hospice as one home hospice treatment plan per calendar year.
  • Continuous home hospice no longer requires 21 days of traditional home hospice care between each episode of care.
  • Patients don’t need to be enrolled in a traditional home hospice program to be eligible for the first episode of continuous home hospice care. Patients must be enrolled in a home hospice program for subsequent episodes of continuous home hospice care.
  • Patients can receive inpatient hospice care without 21 days of traditional home hospice care between each episode.

Lab tests

• FEP Blue Focus — No member cost share for the first 10 laboratory tests performed in each of the following laboratory test categories:
  • Basic metabolic panels
  • Cholesterol screenings
  • Complete blood counts
  • Fasting lipoprotein profiles
  • General health panels
  • Urinalysis
  • 10 venipunctures

Maternity

• FEP Blue Focus
  • We now cover up to four visits per year in full to treat depression associated with pregnancy.
  • We provide preventive care benefits with no member cost share for screening pregnant members for syphilis.
  • We provide preventive care benefits with no member cost share for reducing alcohol abuse for pregnant members when billed by an outpatient facility.

Pharmacy

• Standard Option, Basic Option and FEP Blue Focus — We now provide only pharmacy benefits for prescription vitamin D.

Surgery

• Standard Option and Basic Option — Enhanced benefit for hip and knee replacement or revision surgeries and certain spine surgeries performed outpatient at a designated Blue Distinction Center for hip, knee and spine surgeries.
  • Members with the Standard Option pay a $100 copayment per day per facility with no deductible.
  • Members with the Basic Option pay a $25 copayment per day per facility.

Telehealth

• Standard Option, Basic Option and FEP Blue Focus — Preventive telehealth benefit for nutritional counseling with no member cost share.

Transplant

• Standard Option, Basic Option and FEP Blue Focus — We provide autologous blood or bone marrow stem cell transplant benefits for scleroderma without a clinical trial.

If you have questions about benefits changes, contact Customer Service at 1-800-482-3600.