What's New For January 1, 2012...

New Pharmacy Administrator – The pharmacy claims administration is moving from Aetna to EnvisionRXOptions.  This change in administrators doesn’t change the prescription drug benefits you receive under the plan – it only changes who processes your claim. 

A new pharmacy card and an information brochure will be mailed to you in December 2011.  To ensure that you don’t experience any problems at the Pharmacy - please make sure that you present your new Pharmacy card for any prescriptions you get filled on or after January 1, 2012. 

Click here to learn more about the Costco Pharmacy Program. Beginning January 1, 2012 your questions or claim concerns should be directed to EnvisionRXOptions Customer Service Help Desk 1-877-878-6410. 

This change does mean that you will no longer have the FSA Auto Debit feature at the pharmacy.  We appreciate the convenience of this feature and are sorry it will no longer be available.  

We do have a solution so keep reading….

Health Care Reimbursement Account Debit Cards – Because we are changing our pharmacy benefit administrator we’re also making changes to our HCRA.  Beginning in 2012 you’ll have three ways to claim the money you’ve set aside in your HCRA.

Paper Claim Form – File a claim for reimbursement by submitting a paper claim form to Aetna. Click here to access claim forms.

Streamline - Aetna automatically reimburses you from your HCRA for your share of medical and dental claims (co-pays, deductibles and co-insurance).  It will even directly deposit your reimbursements into your bank account if you have Direct Deposit setup.  Click here to access the Direct Deposit Form.

New FSA Debit Card – The new FSA debit card replaces the auto debit feature and it can be used at Costco Pharmacies (including Costco On-Line Pharmacy), Costco Optical and Costco Hearing Aid Centers.  It may also be accepted at non-Costco pharmacies that are in-network.

 Here’s a quick overview of how your debit card works.

• A debit card will be automatically mailed to you at the end of December.
• The full amount of your 2012 election will be available and loaded on your debit card.
• To use your debit card follow the instructions for activating the card.  By activating your debit card you are agreeing to use it only to purchase items otherwise eligible for reimbursement through your HCRA.
• You can use the debit card to pay your share of prescription eyewear such as eyeglasses and contact lenses, hearing aids, prescription medications and over-the-counter items that are eligible for reimbursement from your HCRA. To learn more about eligible over-the-counter items, click here and look under “Medicine, OTC”.  
• Your debit card works like a credit card – you don’t have a PIN.
• As long as you have a balance in your HCRA account you can use your debit card.
• You can only use your debit card at Costco Pharmacies (including Costco On-Line Pharmacy), Costco Optical and Costco Hearing Aid Centers. It may also be accepted at non-Costco pharmacies that are in-network. This is because the IRS requires you to substantiate each purchase you make with your debit card.  By limiting this to Costco Optical, Hearing Aid Centers and Costco Pharmacy the substantiation is done for you.  You’ll even get a receipt at the time of purchase that indicates which items were paid for by your debit card. 
• You can’t use it to pay your doctor, dentist or other service provider.  For these expenses you can either use the Streamline feature noted above or submit a paper claim form.

Click here to read more about the debit card and it’s unique features. You will receive a Welcome Packet with your debit card.  Please read all of the information before you activate your debit card.

Costco Employee Benefits Program Summary Plan Description – Costco mailed a CD to you at home in June 2011.  On that CD was the new SPD which went into effect on August 29, 2011.

Unfortunately we’ve found an error.  The Summary of Medical Plans on Pages 64 and 65 incorrectly describes the cost sharing for Routine Physicals and Well Baby Care.  These services are not covered at 100%.  Standard co-pays and co-insurance apply to all office visits including those for routing physicals and well baby care.  Click here to access an updated Summary of Medical Plans.

Grandfathered Plan Status – The Costco Employee Benefits Program (the Program) believes this Program is a “grandfathered health plan” under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the Affordable Care Act).  As permitted by the Affordable Care Act, a grandfathered health plan can preserve certain basic health coverage that was already in effect when that law was enacted.  Being a grandfathered health plan means that your Program may not include certain consumer protections of the Affordable Care Act that apply to other plans, for example, the requirement for the provision of preventive health services without any cost sharing.  However, grandfathered health plans must comply with certain other consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act, for example, the elimination of lifetime limits on benefits. 

Questions regarding which protections apply and which protections do not apply to a grandfathered health plan and what might cause a plan to change from grandfathered health plan status can be directed to the plan administrator at 1-800-284-4882. You may also contact the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor at 1-866-444-3272 or www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform. This website has a table summarizing which protections do and do not apply to grandfathered health plans.

More Information about the benefit plans and enrollment rules can be found on-line on the Booklets and Forms page or by contacting your location’s payroll or Benefits representative.  You can also contact Costco’s Benefit Department at 1-800-284-4882 or by e-mail to benefits@costco.com.