Your Health Benefit Offerings
Medical
For 2024, you will have three Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND and one Surest medical benefit options to choose from. The Surest PPO Health Plan Option is similar to the BCBS PPO plan, but will allow you to see upfront coverage and cost options so you can choose the most cost-effective treatment for any condition. California employees, depending on location, will have a choice between Kaiser and MediExcel plans. Keep in mind that the plan you select for the 2024 year cannot be switched without a qualified life event or until the next Annual Enrollment. Refer to the Summary Plan Description on the MyBenefits At Work site for specific details on the medical plan options.
Plan Comparison
The three Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND plans cover the same services and give you access to the same BCBS network of healthcare providers — the difference is how the services are paid. The Surest health plan utilizes the United Healthcare network and gives you upfront cost transparency prior to a medical service.
Note: California employees – see Kaiser and MediExcel insert (if applicable) for additional plan options.
BCBS PPO Plan
- Lower deductible
- Higher monthly premium
- Deductibles are typically ‘per individual’
- Office visits subject to copays
- Prescription drugs subject to coinsurance
- Preventive care often covered at 100%
Surest PPO Plan
- No deductibles or coinsurance
- Co-pays assessed based on quality of care
- Search ahead of time so you know what you will pay in advance
- Preventive care often covered at 100%
Kaiser Plan*
- No deductibles
- Higher monthly premium
- Lower copays for office visits and services
- Preventive care often covered at 100%
- Low copays for 100 day supplies of prescription drugs
* All CA locations with the exception of Imperial and Brawley
MediExcel Plan**
- Coverage for care in Mexico
- Low premiums
- No deductibles
- Co-pays and co-insurance go towards annual out-of-pocket maximum
- Preventive care often covered at 100%
** Imperial, Brawley and Lakeside only
High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP Option 1 and HDHP Option 2) with a Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Higher deductible
- Lower monthly premium
- Deductibles are typically ‘per family’
- Prescription drugs and office visits paid by employee until the deductible is met with the exception of the Preventive Drug List
- Preventive care often covered at 100%
Not sure which medical plan will be right for you? Goldman Sachs Ayco financial coaches are well-versed in the specific plans available to you and can walk you through your options. Your sessions with your coach are personal and kept confidential. Visit http://www.ayco.com/login/rdo or call 1-888-741-2474.
BCBS Prescription Drug or Medication Coverage
This benefit is part of the medical benefit plan you select through Blue Cross Blue Shield and will help pay for prescription drugs and medications that are dispensed according to federal laws. There are different types of prescription drugs which are described below:
- Generic Prescription (Rx): Drugs that are chemically identical to brand-name drugs in dosage form, safety, strength and quality and they cost significantly less.
- Formulary Prescription (Rx): A brand name or generic prescription medication or drug that is safe, therapeutically effective, high quality and cost effective drug as determined by a committee of Physicians and Pharmacists.
- Non-Formulary Prescription (Rx): Drugs that are not included in the list of preferred medications that a committee of pharmacists and doctors deems to be the safest, most effective and most economical. The cost is higher than a Formulary Prescription.
MedsYourWay™, Your Home Delivery from Amazon Pharmacy
Home delivery through MedsYourWay is a safe, convenient way to get your long-term medicines delivered right to your door. It may even help you save money. Plus, MedsYourWay offers:
- 24/7 access to a team of knowledgeable pharmacists
- Free, fast delivery: Amazon Prime members get 2-day free shipping on most orders; standard free shipping for non-Amazon Prime members is 5-day but can be expedited to 2-day delivery for $5.99
- MedsYourWay discount card pricing built right into the Amazon Pharmacy experience
- Option for 90-day refills
- And more
It’s easy to get started. You can sign up or learn more by going to http://www.amazon.com/bcbsndmeds and click on Get Started. For questions, call Amazon Pharmacy Customer Care at 1-855-206-0372, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. CT, and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT. For additional questions, please call the number on the back of your member ID card. If you previously used Express Scripts for your mail-order prescriptions you will need to switch these to MedsYour Way.
Prescription (Rx) Coverage Comparison on the BCBS PPO Plan
Note: For formulary and non-formulary drugs, if the full cost of the prescription, before insurance, is less than the minimum coinsurance amount, you will only pay the cost of the prescription. Copays and coinsurance amounts applied will not accumulate towards any deductibles, but coinsurance will contribute to the out-of-pocket maximums.
Preventive Drug List (applicable to HDHP Option 1 and HDHP Option 2 with HSA)
Prescription (Rx) Coverage Comparison on HDHP Option 1 and HDHP Option 2 with (HSA)
Surest Prescription Drug or Medication Coverage
This benefit is part of the medical benefit plan you select through Surest and will help pay for prescription drugs and medications that are dispensed according to federal laws. Surest identifies different types of prescription drugs as the following:
- Preventive: Drugs used to help avoid disease and maintain health.
- Tier 1: Generic drugs that are chemically identical to brand-name drugs in dosage form, safety, strength and quality and they cost significantly less.
- Tier 2: A brand name or generic prescription medication or drug that is safe, therapeutically effective, high quality and cost effective drug as determined by a committee of Physicians and Pharmacists.
- Tier 3: Drugs that are not included in the list of preferred medications that a committee of pharmacists and doctors deems to be the safest, most effective and most economical. The cost is higher than a Formulary Prescription.
Easily Search and Compare Costs Surest makes it easy to find prescription drugs at a price that fits your budget. Before you purchase prescription drugs and medication, check and compare costs. Visit Join.Surest.com/RDO (access code: rdo2024) Questions? Call 1-866-683-6440
Note: The copay listed above is the amount you must pay out of pocket for health services, as defined by the Surest PPO Plan, until you hit your out-of-pocket limit.
Kaiser Permanente Prescription Drug or Medication Coverage
This benefit is part of the medical benefit plan you select through Kaiser Permanente and will help pay for prescription drugs and medications that are dispensed according to federal laws. Surest identifies different types of prescription drugs as the following:
- Tier 1: Generic drugs that are chemically identical to brand-name drugs in dosage form, safety, strength and quality and they cost significantly less.
- Tier 2: A brand name or generic prescription medication or drug that is safe, therapeutically effective, high quality and cost effective drug as determined by a committee of Physicians and Pharmacists.
- Tier 4: Specialty Rx, or specialty pharmaceuticals, refers to a category of prescription drugs used for complex, chronic, or rare medical conditions like cancer and autoimmune disorders. These drugs are known for their complexity, high cost, and often require specialized handling and support services for patients.
Easily Search and Compare Costs Before you purchase prescription drugs and medication, check and compare costs. Visit www.kaiserpermanente.org Questions? Call 1-800-464-4000
Note: The copay listed above is the amount you must pay out of pocket for health services, as defined by the Kaiser Permanente Traditional HMO Plan, until you hit your out-of-pocket limit.
MediExcel Prescription Drug or Medication Coverage
This benefit is part of the medical benefit plan you select through MediExcel and will help pay for prescription drugs and medications that are dispensed according to federal laws. MediExcel identifies different types of prescription drugs as the following:
- Tier 1: Most generic drugs and low-cost preferred brands.
- Tier 2: 1) Non-preferred generic drugs or 2) Preferred brand name drugs or 3) Recommended by the Plan's Pharmaceutical & Therapeutics (P&T) committee based on drug safety, efficacy and cost.
- Tier 3: 1) Non-preferred brand name drugs or 2) Recommended by P&T committee based on drug safety, efficacy, and cost or 3) Generally have a preferred and often less costly therapeutic alternative at a lower rate.
- Tier 4: 1) Food & Drug Administration (FDA) or drug manufacturer limits distribution to specialty pharmacies or 2) Self-administration requires training, and clinical monitoring or 3) Drug was manufactured using biotechnology, or 4) Plan cost (net of rebates) is >$600. More information about prescription drug coverage available at www.mediexcel.com
Dental
Dental services are offered through Delta Dental. You have two dental plan options to choose from, which will allow employees to pick the plan that best fits their needs. As a member enrolled in one of the dental plans, you can choose a participating dentist who is part of the Delta Dental Network.
To confirm whether your dentist is part of the network:
- Inquire with your dentist on whether they accept Delta Dental Insurance.
- Call Delta Dental at 1-800-553-9536.
- Visit www.deltadentalmn.org and choose Find a Dentist at the very top of the page.
If your dentist is not part of the network you can still use them, but they may require you to pay up-front and file the claim yourself.
Vision
Vision services are offered through VSP. As a member, you have access to a network of vision providers that offer preferred pricing on services and hardware. There is no need for a vision membership card; once you find an in-network provider you can just make an appointment and get your eye care needs taken care of. To find a provider network you can search www.VSP.com or call 1-800-877-7195.
If you don’t have a provider near you and you use an out-of-network provider, you would need to pay the provider in full at the time of service and submit a claim to VSP for reimbursement. Claim forms can be found on VSP’s website or by calling the number above. You will not receive a vision card, but you can log into VSP’s website, create an account and print a card, or just simply choose a network provider. All of your benefits information will be on file to process the claim.
VSP Vision Care members also have access to exclusive savings with the following:
- Eyeconic, the VSP preferred online glasses retailer.
- TruHearing hearing aids.
Learn more at https://www.truhearing.com/vsp and https://www.eyeconic.com/