RMHP Changes Coverage for Colonoscopy

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 | Uncategorized | Comments Off

Effective January 1, 2010, Colorado House Bill 1204 requires health plans to cover certain preventative care services and screenings for a flat dollar copay amount.  For the following plans:

• GH Classic Copay
• GH Classic 50/80
• GH Classic 70
• GH Classic 75
• GH HMO 500/80
• GH HMO 750/75
• GH HMO 1000/70
• GH HMO 1500/75
• GH HMO 2000/70

An outpatient colorectal cancer screening (including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, removal of polyps during the screening and fecal occult blood tests)

Associated services (anesthesia, laboratory services, medical supplies an radiology) are included in the colorectal cancer screening benefit)

will have a copayment of $150.00 per visit.

RMHP Newborn Enrollment Criteria Changes for Group and Individual Plans

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 | Uncategorized | Comments Off

Effective January 1, 2010, a newborn will automatically be enrolled under the Subscriber’s existing RMHP health plan. If the Subscriber does not want to enroll the newborn then he or she must submit a Change Form to disenroll the child.

In the past, RMHP has automatically covered newborns for the first 31 days of life. To continue coverage, the Subscriber needed to submit a Change Form to formally enroll his or her newborn for continued coverage.

This change is being made as the majority of newborns maintain coverage after the first 31 days. RMHP has found that many Moms and Dads simply don’t think of formalizing their new infant’s continued coverage and then have to “re-enroll” their baby, which can be problematic if there is a lapse in coverage.

RMHP will send a Welcome Letter to the Subscriber, providing direction on steps to take to get a Member ID card for their newborn.  Members enrolled through a group plan will be directed to contact their Plan Administrator who will also receive notice from RMHP about newborn enrollment. Changes in premium (if any) for the addition of a newborn Dependent Child will be effective the first day of the calendar month following the date of birth.

If the Subscriber does not want the newborn covered under his or her existing RMHP health plan, the Welcome Letter describes the process to disenroll their newborn.

Notification of disenrollment must be received by RMHP within thirty-one (31) days of the date of birth in order for the termination to occur the first day after the initial thirty-one (31) days of coverage. If RMHP receives the form after thirty-one (31) days from the date of birth, the termination date will be the first day of the month following receipt of the form.

RMHP believes this will streamline their current process to enroll newborns and provide comfort to Subscribers in knowing their baby will have health care coverage from day one.

RMHP Launches Free Tobacco Cessation Program

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 | Uncategorized | Comments Off

On January 1st 2010, Rocky Mountain Health Plans is launching a free tobacco cessation program in partnership with the Colorado QuitLine. The program supports Members in their effort to become tobacco free and strengthens the QuitLine’s ability to serve more Coloradans.

Any Rocky Mountain Health Plans employer group Member or individual Member that enrolls in the program can get help to quit smoking or using tobacco products. This help includes nicotine replacement gum and patches, certain tobacco cessation prescription drugs (for participants 18 and older), and free access to the Colorado QuitLine counseling services.

The new tobacco cessation program will also become a standard part of the Rocky Mountain benefit program for all existing individual and employer group Members. Members will not have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for the program.

 The QuitLine is operated by National Jewish Health and administered by the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Program. The agreement takes effect January 1, 2010.

For additional information, please contact our office at 242-7526.

COBRA Laws Changed

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 | Uncategorized | Comments Off

Congress voted on December 19, 2009 to amend a provision of  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).   You know this, this is the act that allows assistance eligible individuals (AEI)  to receive a subsidy of 65% of their COBRA premium for up to 9 months. 

The changes made are that the last day of the period in which an employee must be involuntarily terminated to be eligible for the subsidy was extended, from 12/31/09  to 2/28/10.  Also, the length of time an AEI may receive the subsidy was extended from 9 months to fifteen.

Here is a link to the new COBRA fact sheet from the US Dept of Labor:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/fscobrapremiumreduction.html

Please contact our office with any questions, and more information will be forthcoming as it becomes available!