January 2020 Anthem Updates
Drug List Changes Coming April 1
As part of Anthem’s routine formulary review process, changes to the National, Essential and Traditional Open Drug Lists take effect April 1, 2020. Most are multi-source brand drugs (those with generic equivalents) that will be removed from the lists or moved to a higher benefit tier. Generic or brand-name alternatives will be covered in their place.
The Food and Drug Administration follows a rigorous review process for approving generics to make sure they work just as well or better than their brand-name equivalent.
Anthem will notify impacted members by mail starting January 31, 2020. The letters will tell members about other options they have for lower-cost alternative drugs that are covered.
Retail Stores Leaving Blue View Vision Feb. 1
National optical retail stores Sears Optical, JCPenney Optical and Stanton Optical will no longer be in Anthem’s Blue View VisionSM eye care plans as of February 1, 2020.
Anthem will send a mailer to impacted members who visited these optical stores in the past two years to let them know about the change. The mailer will list alternative eye-care professionals in their area. Members can also go to anthem.com and click on Find a Doctor to search for eye-care professionals in their area.
Clients with Blue View Vision still have access to more than 38,000 eye doctors at more than 27,000 locations nationwide. That includes local independent eye doctors, regional optical stores and national brand stores – Glasses.com, ContactsDirect, 1-800 CONTACTS, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Target Optical, Eyemart Express and America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses. Anthem will continue to add new ones to their vision plans throughout the year.
SOCA Benefit Plan Members Move to New System
Starting at renewal, Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA) Benefit Plan Small Group clients will move to another Anthem system for their benefit administration. Learn more about the new system. Plan now to join a webinar.
Click on the link below to join the webinar of your choice.
Use password PW1234 for all webinar dates.
