Are you a retired U.S. of A. Federal Employee, have Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal Employee health plan, with prescription benefits, and are of medicare age?

[radiochaser]

If you fit the title of this post and use the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)  Federal Employees Plan (FEP) health plan with the prescription plan associated with it. 

You are in Thailand, but you still use a U.S. of A. mailing address (does not matter why). 

You are also of Medicare age and are enrolled in Part A - Hospital and Part B Medical.
You use your BCBS prescription plan to cover your medications.  

If you have not received a notification letter (or post card) introducing the FEP Medicare Prescription Drug Program (MPDP), then you do not know if you are, or will be, automatically enrolled, into this plan.   From what I understand, after speaking with several people associated with BCBS and CVS Caremark prescription plan, and what I have read on the internet webpage related to this issue, you will not have drug coverage outside of the United States!

I became aware of the issue yesterday (my Tuesday 11/9/23) that BCBS FEP members with Medicare are automatically enrolled into the MPDP program and must opt out of it within 26 days of the letter notification of the automatic enrollment!   If BCBS FEP has you listed in their database as a Medicare recipient, but does not know you live outside of the United States, you are or will be enrolled.   The MPDP program starts January 1, 2024.   

Some medications from CVS Caremark mail order department, are not covered as a mail order medication, by MPDP.  I assume that those medications must then be purchased under the MPDP program at a local U.S. retail pharmacy.   One such medication I have, costs me $10.00 for a 90 day supply (1 pill a day) through CVS Caremark mail order department and at the local pharmacy a 30 day supply cost is, $5.00.  But MPDP will not pay for medications outside of the United States.   I had medical care in Thailand in July and the prescribed medicine was included in the co-pay for my visit.   

I believe BCBS FEP members can determine if they have been automatically enrolled in the MPDP plan by going to the website, fepblue.org/medicarerx . I think you can also unenroll from the plan there, if, you are within the 26 day opt out period.   If you missed that, you can still opt out but may or may not be covered for drug prescriptions if you are not enrolled, either in the U.S. or overseas.  I have been unable to determine, yet, what drug coverage, if any,  that you may have, if the 26 day opt out period has passed.   Opting out of the MPDP will allow you to continue with the current drug prescription program you currently have, covered through BCBS FEP. 

See the attached picture of the post card that I received regarding this issue.   I have not received a letter and was advised that I was not automatically enrolled in the MPDP program. 

 

OK, not really ok, I cannot upload the picture I made of the post card.   Use the fepblue.org/medicarerx website link for information. 

admin/moderators.  If this is in the wrong forum, please move.  

 

[EVENKEEL]

I'm all the above, I'll check into it. Try to get in my online account. Finally something worth reading.

[swm59nj]

I have  FEP, Caremark, and Medicare.  I no longer live in Thailand .  I’m back in the states.  You can’t use Medicare overseas.  And I’m guessing that also pertains to this supplement  Medicare prescription plan. 
According to what Caremark told me.  The Medicare prescription plan they are giving is really supplemental.  It’s a perk they are giving and you still would have the normal CVS Caremark Plan.  
When living in Bangkok I submitted prescriptions for any reimbursement to Caremark.  They basically treated the majority as brand names .  Which I was under the impression they were generic.  They seemed to be kind of confused on this. 
Anyway I didn’t bother claiming it anymore.  Because the money they did reimburse me was very little.  
 

[radiochaser]

5 hours ago, swm59nj said:

I have  FEP, Caremark, and Medicare.  I no longer live in Thailand .  I’m back in the states.  You can’t use Medicare overseas.  And I’m guessing that also pertains to this supplement  Medicare prescription plan. 
According to what Caremark told me.  The Medicare prescription plan they are giving is really supplemental.  It’s a perk they are giving and you still would have the normal CVS Caremark Plan.  
When living in Bangkok I submitted prescriptions for any reimbursement to Caremark.  They basically treated the majority as brand names .  Which I was under the impression they were generic.  They seemed to be kind of confused on this. 
Anyway I didn’t bother claiming it anymore.  Because the money they did reimburse me was very little.  
 

I was getting some contradictory information, from CVS Caremark employees then.   Except for the Medicare being not being available outside the U.S. of A., something I have known for years.   

I will have to call back and ask specifically if I would no longer have the CVS Caremark service that I have now, if I am enrolled in the Medicare plan, as one medication I have  is not available for mail order under the Medicare plan.  

It may be a moot issue right now for me.   I was advised by CVS Caremark that I was not found in their system of Medicare eligible participants.   They were surprised to hear that I have had part A since 2012 and part B since 2014.   

 

I am thinking that the 5 x8 inch post card I received in the mail may have been mass mailed to everyone who has CVS Caremark, without regard to whether you are a Medicare recipient or not.  

 

At this point, I also think that the important notification related to this issue, is the letter that, I think, is mentioned on the website and mentioned in my conversations with CVS Caremark and BCBS representatives is the notification of automatic enrollment, the post card is not.

[jas007]

For the original poster: I’m in the same boat.  I’m not entirely sure I remember correctly, but when I briefly looked into the issue a few weeks ago, I determined there was no real problem.  If you’re in Thailand and need meds, can’t you just go to a doctor at a recognized hospital, obtain whatever prescription you need, and submit a claim to Blue Cross once you’ve paid for the medication?  This would be outside the mail order drug plan.  That way of submitting a claim was always available in lieu of buying the medications through the mail order plan.  Maybe it’s still the same?

 

Anyway, I’m sorry if I’m wrong.  I never really take any expensive meds.

[lopburi3]

14 hours ago, jas007 said:

If you’re in Thailand and need meds, can’t you just go to a doctor at a recognized hospital, obtain whatever prescription you need, and submit a claim to Blue Cross once you’ve paid for the medication?

Yes you can as a normal doctor visit as medications from doctor are regarded as an out patient visit and paid at the plan amount (standard is 85%).  Medications not approved in USA are not covered (and there are some here in that category).

Note:  as with all claims make sure to include detailed receipt (we normally call it itemized receipt) and a medical certificate for diagnosis (Thai receipt do not include that information).

Edited November 25, 2023 by lopburi3