Effective January 1, 2012, RightChoice Benefit Administrators will no longer be the third-party administrator (TPA) for the IGRC group health insurance plans.

 

The Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits has approved HealthScope Benefits as our new Third Party Administrator. We are very hopeful that this change will result in a level of customer service that our participants expect and deserve.

 

HealthScope was chosen over several potential vendors. The main headquarters is located in Little Rock, but they have several facilities throughout the nation. Our account will be managed by the St. Louis office. We believe that our participants will be pleased with the level of sophistication of HealthScope Benefits, particularly with expanded on-line capabilities.

 

For participants in the active health plan, there are no changes in the plan benefits. The only thing that is changing is the company that administers the claims. We hope that the change will be transparent to our members. However, there are almost always glitches here and there with a transition of this magnitude. We ask for your patience in the early months. Your PPO network is not changing. You will still have Express Scripts as your pharmacy benefits manager.

 

For Medicare-eligible participants in the retiree plan, you already know that you must sign up for a Medicare-D Plan by Dec. 7, 2011. The change in your plan was not precipitated by the change in administrators; it was a separate matter. HealthScope will process your Medicare A and B supplement claims. That “Plan F” supplement is not changing. Those claims will continue to be handled through an electronic “crossover,” so our participants should not encounter any claim forms, except in very rare instances.

 

All participants need to throw away their RightChoice red cards on Dec. 31, 2011. They will not work on or after Jan. 1, 2012. Instead, all participants will receive a HealthScope white plastic card with black lettering in late December. Active participants will have one card for medical and pharmacy needs. Retired participants will need to carry TWO CARDS. One will be the HealthScope card and the other will be the prescription card from their Medicare-D vendor.

 

Participants in the IGRC “FLEX” plan for medical and dependent care reimbursements will receive separate instructions by mail.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Rick VanGiesen by e-mail.