Members affected by the Southern California Wildfires

Please see information below from Alcatel-Lucent regarding Emergency Access to Pharmacy Benefit and Cost Share Waiver Program for Members affected by the Southern California Wildfires.

In Unity,
Ralph V. Maly Jr.

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Mr. R. V. Maly, Jr., Vice President – CWA
Mr. T. A. Johnson, International Representative – IBEW

Gentlemen:

In an effort to help members affected by the southern California wildfires get access to necessary medicines, Alcatel-Lucent would like to offer Medco's Emergency Access to Pharmacy Benefit and Cost Share Waiver program to all members residing in the impacted areas. This program ensures access to a pharmacy benefit during an emergency and temporarily suspends the prescription drug program's cost-sharing feature(s) for impacted members residing in certain ZIP codes within an area officially declared to be under a state of emergency. There are approximately 12 represented employees and 297 formerly represented retirees living in the affected zip codes.

Medco, our pharmacy benefit manager, will administer this program on our behalf. The program will end on November 9, 2007 (See information below).

David Birdsong
Senior Manager - Labor Benefits Provisions
Corporate Workforce Relations

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Alcatel-Lucent's medical plan and prescription drug program vendors, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and Medco, have stepped in to provide support to those impacted by the recent wildfires in southern California. 

Aetna's members can seek urgent or emergent care anywhere, as needed. For members in San Diego County, where the fire has caused the closure of hospitals and physician offices, Aetna is also approving non-emergency care for members at out-of-network providers as needed. This allows members who can’t access their normal providers to receive the care they need at an in-network coverage level. Members can always call Aetna Member Services to locate another provider.

Aetna Behavioral Health is offering its Employee Assistance Program resources to all Aetna plan members during this time of need. Aetna members can contact Aetna EAP at 1-888-AETNA-EAP (1-888-238-6232) for telephonic consultation, referrals, or general information such as areas affected by the fires, shelters, government resources, and how to locate loved ones. The EAP will remain available to members after the fires have been contained to support them as they return to their homes and begin the rebuilding process.

Aetna's EAP professionals have experience dealing with traumatic events and staff is actively engaged on site in California to provide specific interventions as needed.

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is providing a free Help Line staffed by experienced master’s-level specialists to individuals trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the Southern California wildfires. These specialists, from OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions, can assist callers with a broad range of personal concerns.

• The toll-free Help Line number is (866) 342-6892.  It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for as long as necessary.  Service is free of charge to all employees and retirees.
• In addition to the toll free Help Line, UHC will extend the following benefits to UnitedHealthcare/PacifiCare customers: 

·         If customers need health care and cannot determine the network status of the physician or hospital, there will be no benefit reduction for seeing an out-of-network provider.  

·         Replacement of lost durable medical equipment (DME).  UHC will waive DME limits when necessary.  

Alcatel-Lucent has authorized Medco to offer an Emergency Access to Pharmacy Benefit and Cost Share Waiver program to all members residing in the impacted areas.  This program ensures access to a pharmacy benefit during an emergency and temporarily suspends the prescription drug program's cost-sharing feature(s) for impacted members residing in certain ZIP codes within an area officially declared to be under a state of emergency. The program is currently scheduled to end on November 9, 2007.

Medco automatically takes the following actions during an emergency situation:

• Medco By Mail holds shipments of temperature-sensitive, narcotic, expedited and/or regular medications into impacted areas, depending upon the severity of the event.
• Medco replaces lost or damaged mail-order delivery prescriptions. Members are not charged a copay or shipping costs for the replacement prescription upon confirmation by Medco that the order was lost or damaged.
• Mail orders can be shipped to a temporary alternate address. Members are directed to call Medco customer service (the telephone number on the back of their member identification card) and request that their order be mailed to a temporary address. This applies to new orders, refills of existing prescriptions on file with Medco and, in some instances, orders already placed.
• If a member is unable to receive his/her order by mail, Medco can transfer the prescription to a retail pharmacy for dispensing. The Medco Pharmacy Services Help Desk (800-922-1557) can assist the local pharmacy in processing the prescription if necessary.
• Medco continues to make doctor calls and drug utilization review (DUR) calls and every effort is made to complete these calls. Orders will not be cancelled and returned unfilled to the member. Medco pharmacies hold these orders in-house until the member/prescriber has been reached.
• Medco has a standing emergency process in place with retail pharmacies to address access to a pharmacy benefit during an emergency. Where possible, Medco provides communications to retail pharmacies on a regular basis to remind them of the online POS Refill-Too-Soon override during emergencies. Retail pharmacies are advised to call the Medco Pharmacy Help Desk for an override if the online POS override is not in place for the client's benefit design and the member is in need of medication during an emergency.