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.

• Date: Thursday, January 30 9:00-10:00 a.m. EST
• Date: Thursday, January 30 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST
• Date: Tuesday, February 4 9:00-10:00 a.m. EST
• Date: Tuesday, February 4 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST
• Date: Thursday, February 6 9:00-10:00 a.m. EST
• Date: Thursday, February 6 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST

Anthem recently communicated to clients that Sydney Health is replacing the Anthem Anywhere mobile app. Members won’t be able to access Anthem Anywhere after January 20, 2020. If they try to open it, they’ll get a message to download Sydney Health from the app store.
In one click, Sydney lets members:

• Find care and check costs
• See all benefits and view claims
• Use the interactive chat feature to get answers quickly
• Build an action plan for health goals
• Sync fitness trackers and earn points for progress

For questions please call your Cornerstone Broker Advisor!

Anthem has provided a list of groups with delinquent SOCA BP product dues that need to be paid by January 15, 2020, or the employer will not receive a May 1, 2020, renewal. The group has already been notified by SOCA BP of the dues owed, but have neglected to send in the due amount.

The following information can be used in a letter or email your groups:

Please be advised you are receiving this email because the below Anthem SOCA MEWA group, which is managed through your brokerage, has overdue product dues that need to be remitted as quickly as possible. Employers who do not respond by 12/15/19 will not be eligible for renewal in 2020. The Anthem Small Group Sales Office requests that your agency assist in encouraging the group to remit payment as soon as possible. Brokers can retrieve signed copies of the “Participating Business Acknowledgment” for each client via FormFire. If you have further questions, please call SOCA at 866-486-9482 or email SOCA at info@joinsoca.com. Please ensure the group name and number are included in the subject line of your email inquiry.

Employers are encouraged to pay product dues online at https://www.joinsoca.com/dues/. Alternatively, checks may be mailed to the address below. If mailing, please notify SOCA at the email address above.

Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance

P.O. Box 49358

Dayton, OH 45449