Members: A friendly reminder to schedule your flu shot if you have not already done so. Call your doctor to make an appointment.
The contents of the following pages describe the rules you must follow when you get Part D drugs as part of the Plan benefit.
For an updated listing of pharmacies go to the Pharmacy Finder.
For an updated listing of providers go to the Provider Look Up tool.
In order to help you see which drugs are covered by your plan, click on one of the links below
In order to help you see which drug are covered by your plan, click on one of the links below
Coverage Determinations
A coverage determination means that the Plan would be making a decision about whether prescription drugs are covered in order to be covered, the drug must be used for a medically accepted indication. If you want to find out whether our plan will cover a certain drug you can request a Coverage Determination. If your health requires a quick response, you can ask us to make a “fast coverage decision.” You cannot ask for a fast coverage decision if you are asking us to pay you back for a drug you already bought.
Exceptions
What is a Part D/Prescription exception? If a drug is not covered in the way you would like it to be covered, you can ask the plan to make an “exception.” An exception is a type of coverage decision. If we turn down your request for an exception, you can appeal our coverage decision.
When you ask for an exception, your doctor or other prescriber will need to explain the medical reasons why you need the exception to be approved. We will then consider your request. Here are three examples of exceptions that you or your doctor/other prescriber can ask us to make:
Important things to know about asking for exceptions.
When you ask for an exception, your doctor or other prescriber must give us a written request for exception that explains the medical reasons for requesting the exception. If your health requires a quick response, you can ask us to make a “fast decision.” For a faster decision, include this medical information from your doctor or other prescriber when you ask for the exception. Typically, our Drug List includes more than one drug for treating a certain condition. These different possibilities are called “alternative” drugs. If an alternative drug would be just as effective as the drug you are requesting and would not cause more side effects or other health problems, we will generally not approve your request for an exception.
What to do
You, your representative, doctor, or other prescriber may use the form below to submit your request for a Part D coverage determination and/or an exception.
If you do not use this form, you will need to provide the same information indicated in the form so that we can process your request in a timely manner.
You can also ask for a coverage decision and/or exception by:
To find out more about the Part D Coverage Determination process, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) — see chapter 9, Section 6: “How to ask for a coverage decision or make an appeal.” Or call Member Services at 1-800-838-8271, TTY: 711.
If the Plan says no to your Coverage Determination or Exceptions request, you have the right to request an appeal (redetermination).
There are two options for handling problems and concerns about prescription drugs, the Appeals Process and the Grievance Process:
You can request an Appeal (Redetermination) when a prescription drug was denied by the plan that the member believes he or she is entitled to receive. You have the right to ask us for a redetermination (appeal) of our coverage decision, this is considered a Level 1 Appeal. If requested by a representative, there are additional steps necessary before the request can be processed (please see the AOR process below). You have 60 days from the date of our Notice of Denial of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage to ask us for a redetermination. If you miss this deadline and have a good reason for missing it, we may give you more time to make your appeal. The plan will provide a response to your request no later than 7 calendar days from receipt date of your appeal request.
Expedited (Fast) Appeal
If you or your prescriber believe that waiting 7 days for a standard decision could seriously harm your life, health, or ability to regain maximum function, you can ask for an expedited (fast) decision. If your prescriber indicates that waiting 7 days could seriously harm your health, we will automatically give you a decision within 72 hours. If you do not obtain your prescriber’s support for an expedited appeal, we will decide if your case requires a fast decision. You cannot request an expedited appeal if you are asking us to pay you back for a drug you already received.
Request For Redetermination of Medicare Prescription Drug Denial
You can ask for a Redetermination by:
Attn: Appeals & Grievances
PO Box 60874
Pasadena, CA 91116
Independent Review Organizations; also known as Independent Review Entity (IRE)
The IRE, MAXIMUS Federal Services, is an independent organization that is hired by Medicare (not the plan). If our plan denies your Level 1 Appeal, you then can choose whether to accept this decision or continue making another appeal. If you decide to go on to a Level 2 appeal, the IRE will review the plan’s decision when we said no to your first appeal. The IRE decides whether the decision we made should be changed.
Standard Grievance
If you have a complaint related to Part D you can file a standard grievance, this would include a complaint or dispute about a non-covered prescription drug or an excluded drug, you can request this in any of the ways listed above. The plan will provide a response to you no later than 30 calendar days from receipt date of your grievance.
Expedited (Fast) Grievance
A fast complaint can be requested for the following reasons:
If you have a “fast complaint” which meets the above criteria we will give you an answer within 24 hours.
Appointment of Representative Form
This form confirms your request for a person, other than yourself, to act as your representative in connection with an appeal of grievance (complaint) request and must be completed and received before the plan can process your request.
You can download the Appointment of Representative Form by clicking on your preferred language below.
Please complete your form and mail to: Imperial Health Plan of California, Inc
Attn: Appeals & Grievances
PO Box 60874
Pasadena, CA 91116
You may also fax your form to: 1-626-380-9049
If you would like information on how to obtain information about the total number of grievances, appeals, and exceptions filed with our plan, contact us for more information.
You can also refer to Chapter 9 What to do if you have a problem of complaint (coverage decisions, appeals, complaints) in your Evidence of Coverage for more information about appeals and grievances.
Or visit the following Medicare websites for additional information on coverage determinations, exceptions and redeterminations.
You can also file a complaint about the plan by going directly to Medicare and calling 1-800-Medicare or going to https://www.Medicare.gov/MedicareComplaintForm/home.aspx
The Low Income Subsidy (LIS) PDFs below will tell you how much help you will get next year towards your drug premium, deductible or co-payments.
The contents of the following pages describe the rules you must follow when you get Part D drugs as part of the Plan benefit.
For an updated listing of pharmacies go to the Pharmacy Finder.
For an updated listing of providers go to the Provider Look Up tool.
In order to help you see which drugs are covered by your plan, click on one of the links below
In order to help you see which drug are covered by your plan, click on one of the links below
Coverage Determinations
A coverage determination means that the Plan would be making a decision about whether prescription drugs are covered in order to be covered, the drug must be used for a medically accepted indication. If you want to find out whether our plan will cover a certain drug you can request a Coverage Determination. If your health requires a quick response, you can ask us to make a “fast coverage decision.” You cannot ask for a fast coverage decision if you are asking us to pay you back for a drug you already bought.
Exceptions
What is a Part D/Prescription exception? If a drug is not covered in the way you would like it to be covered, you can ask the plan to make an “exception.” An exception is a type of coverage decision. If we turn down your request for an exception, you can appeal our coverage decision.
When you ask for an exception, your doctor or other prescriber will need to explain the medical reasons why you need the exception to be approved. We will then consider your request. Here are three examples of exceptions that you or your doctor/other prescriber can ask us to make:
Important things to know about asking for exceptions.
When you ask for an exception, your doctor or other prescriber must give us a written request for exception that explains the medical reasons for requesting the exception. If your health requires a quick response, you can ask us to make a “fast decision.” For a faster decision, include this medical information from your doctor or other prescriber when you ask for the exception. Typically, our Drug List includes more than one drug for treating a certain condition. These different possibilities are called “alternative” drugs. If an alternative drug would be just as effective as the drug you are requesting and would not cause more side effects or other health problems, we will generally not approve your request for an exception.
What to do
You, your representative, doctor, or other prescriber may use the form below to submit your request for a Part D coverage determination and/or an exception.
If you do not use this form, you will need to provide the same information indicated in the form so that we can process your request in a timely manner.
You can also ask for a coverage decision and/or exception by:
To find out more about the Part D Coverage Determination process, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) — see chapter 9, Section 6: “How to ask for a coverage decision or make an appeal.” Or call Member Services at 1-800-838-8271, TTY: 711.
If the Plan says no to your Coverage Determination or Exceptions request, you have the right to request an appeal (redetermination) or a grievance.
There are two types of formal process for handling problems and concerns about prescription drugs, the Appeals Process and the Grievance Process:
You can request an Appeal (Redetermination) when a prescription drug was denied by the plan that the member believes he or she is entitled to receive. You have the right to ask us for a redetermination (appeal) of our coverage decision, this is considered a Level 1 Appeal. You or your representative must ask for an appeal in writing. If requested by a representative, there are additional steps necessary before the request can be processed (please see the AOR process below). You have 60 days from the date of our Notice of Denial of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage to ask us for a redetermination. If you miss this deadline and have a good reason for missing it, we may give you more time to make your appeal. The plan will provide a response to your request no later than 7 calendar days from receipt date of your appeal request.
Expedited (Fast) Appeal
If you or your prescriber believe that waiting 7 days for a standard decision could seriously harm your life, health, or ability to regain maximum function, you can ask for an expedited (fast) decision. If your prescriber indicates that waiting 7 days could seriously harm your health, we will automatically give you a decision within 72 hours. If you do not obtain your prescriber’s support for an expedited appeal, we will decide if your case requires a fast decision. You cannot request an expedited appeal if you are asking us to pay you back for a drug you already received.
Request For Redetermination of Medicare Prescription Drug Denial
You can ask for a Redetermination by:
Attn: Appeals & Grievances
PO Box 60874
Pasadena, CA 91116
Independent Review Organizations; also known as Independent Review Entity (IRE)
The IRE, MAXIMUS Federal Services, is an independent organization that is hired by Medicare (not the plan). If our plan denies your Level 1 Appeal, you then can choose whether to accept this decision or continue making another appeal. If you decide to go on to a Level 2 appeal, the IRE will review the plan’s decision when we said no to your first appeal. The IRE decides whether the decision we made should be changed.
Standard Grievance
If you are asking for a standard grievance regarding a complaint or dispute about a non-covered prescription drug or an excluded drug you can request this in any of the ways listed below. The plan will provide a response to you no later than 30 calendar days from receipt date of your grievance.
Expedited (Fast) Grievance
A fast complaint can be requested for the following reasons:
If you have a “fast complaint” which meets the above criteria we will give you an answer within 24 hours.
Appointment of Representative Form
This form confirms your request for a person, other than yourself, to act as your representative in connection with an appeal of grievance (complaint) request and must be completed and received before the plan can process your request.
You can download the Appointment of Representative Form by clicking on your preferred language below.
Please complete your form and mail to: Imperial Health Plan of California, Inc
Attn: Appeals & Grievances
PO Box 60874
Pasadena, CA 91116
You may also fax your form to: 1-626-380-9049
If you or your providers have any questions regarding this process, while completing this form, or would like to get the status of an open case, please call our Member Services at: 1-800-838-8271.
You can also refer to Chapter 9 What to do if you have a problem of complaint (coverage decisions, appeals, complaints) in your Evidence of Coverage for more information about appeals and grievances.
Or visit the following Medicare websites for additional information on coverage determinations, exceptions and redeterminations.
If you or your providers have any questions regarding this process, while completing this form, or would like to get the status of an open case, please call our Member Services at: 1-800-838-8271.
The Low Income Subsidy (LIS) PDFs below will tell you how much help you will get next year towards your drug premium, deductible or co-payments.
To read PDFs, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can download here.
Member service hours:
April 1 – September 30 8:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. PST
Monday – Friday (except holidays)
October 1 – March 31 8:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M. PST
Monday – Sunday (except holidays)
ADDRESS
Imperial Health Plan of California, Inc.
PO BOX 60874
Pasadena, CA 91116
PHONE
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