A vaccination is now available
to protect you against shingles,
an often-painful rash caused
by the same virus that causes
chicken pox. The Food and
Drug Administration has
approved the vaccine Zostavax
for people 60 years and older.
The once-in-a-lifetime
vaccination cuts the risk of
developing shingles by nearly
two-thirds.
If you have had chicken pox,
you are at risk for developing
shingles. The chicken pox
virus can lie dormant for
decades then reappear. The
rash usually occurs on one
side of the body and lasts for
two to four weeks. In about 20
percent of cases, extreme pain
can persist for weeks, months
or years after the virus reappears.
The vaccine is covered
as part of the BlueMedicare Rx
prescription drug plan.
MyRxAssistant is an enhanced
set of online tools to help you
manage your prescription drug
benefits. If you enjoy Medicare
Part D coverage through BlueMedicare, these tools are
for you.
“It’s a self-service tool that
empowers members to make
well-informed decisions about
their pharmacy benefits and
medication usage,” says
Charmaine McQueen-Carswell,
Pharm.D., our manager of
Pharmacy Operations.
MyRxAssistant includes:
- Rx locator: Use MapQuest®
to find your nearest pharmacies
and learn their hours
of operation.
- Formulary search: Search
the drugs on your plan’s
approved list by brand,
generic or both, or by
therapeutic category.
- Mail order: Request refills
and determine order status.
- Personal drug history:
Get a list of your prescriptions
for past years.
- Medication Guides: Get both
comprehensive and abridged
editions.
- Forms and brochures:
Check here for tip sheets
and forms for physicians to
send prescriptions by fax.
To access MyRxAsssistant
for the first time, go to
www.bcbsfl.com and click
on MyBlueServiceSM.
Once you sign on to
MyBlueService, you can
go directly to Prescription
Claim and Drug
Information to access
MyRxAssistant.com.
To help make quality and
pricing information more
available to consumers, the
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS)
website includes Medicare
payment information for
services commonly provided
in physicians’ offices, as well
as services performed in a
hospital outpatient department.
This information complements
the inpatient hospital and
ambulatory surgery center
data already posted on the
CMS website. The data enables
consumers to compare the
costs of procedures, which
may vary depending on the
place of service, and to select
the most appropriate setting
for the delivery of high-quality,
efficient care.
www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit
The products and services
described below are neither
offered nor guaranteed under
our contract with the Medicare
program. In addition, they are
not subject to the Medicare
appeals process. Any disputes
regarding these products and
services may be subject to
our plan’s grievance process.
Due to an acquisition of their
company, Cole Managed Vision,
our BlueComplementsSM* vision
care services vendor, has been
renamed EyeMed.
Despite the name change,
our members can continue to
receive discounts on eyeglasses,
frames, contact lenses and
laser vision correction through
major optical retailers, such as
LensCrafters®,
Target Optical®, Sears Optical®,
JCPenney Optical® and most Pearle
Vision® locations, as well as an
extensive network of private-practice
optometrists, ophthalmologists
and opticians.
Members pay $40 for eyeglass
exams and receive up to 40
percent off retail prices for
frames and lenses through the
Vision One program offered by
EyeMed Vision Care. Simply
show your health plan member
ID card at participating
providers.
www.enrollwitheyemed.com/select
Plan 9236621
(800) 793-8622
*The products, services and information
provided through the BlueComplements
program are made available as a
courtesy to our members and are not a
part of insurance coverage and are not
a substitute for medical advice. BCBSF
does not endorse and is not responsible
for the products, services or information
provided by the vendors that are a part
of the BlueComplements program.
Medicare has historically
covered exercise programs
for cardiac recovery. In 2006,
coverage for comprehensive
programs that include education
and counseling was
added. The 12- to 72-week
programs may be given in the
outpatient department of a
hospital or in doctor-directed
clinics. Your doctor must refer
you to a program, and you
must qualify for it to be
covered.
To qualify, you must have
had one of the following:
- A heart attack in the last
12 months
- Coronary bypass surgery
- Stable angina pectoris
- A heart-valve repair or
replacement
- Angioplasty or coronary
stenting
- A heart or heart-lung
transplant
Coverage is subject to your
annual deductible and other
requirements of Medicare.
