If you are quarantined or asked by your doctor to get an additional supply of prescription drugs during the COVID-19 crisis, you can get a single refill before the normal refill date by calling Anthem Health Guide at (844) 437-0486. Your request will usually be approved within 24 hours. Pharmacy help is available 24/7.
How the Plan Works What's Covered and What You Pay for Prescription Drugs Filling Prescriptions Money-Saving Options Rules and Restrictions
How the Plan Works
Prescription drugs are managed through Anthem's pharmacy benefit manager, IngenioRx. Log in to Anthem (select Pharmacy) to access a variety of tools—from viewing the Anthem Essential Drug List and finding local in-network pharmacies, to accessing tools to price a medication, find low-cost medication options, getting forms and information about home delivery.
Anthem provides resources for managing your prescription drug coverage. Visit Anthem (select Pharmacy) to access a variety of tools to find local in-network pharmacies, choose the lowest-cost medication option, access forms and get information about home delivery.
What’s Covered and What You Pay for Prescription Drugs
What’s Covered
The drug list—also called a formulary—is composed of drugs approved for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including brand-name and generic drugs. Medications on the list are grouped into four tiers.
- Tier 1: These are typically generic drugs that offer the lowest-out-of-pocket costs and greatest value compared to other medications that treat the same condition.
- Tier 2: These may be preferred or brand-name drugs or more expensive generic medications.
- Tier 3: These are typically non-preferred and some specialty drugs, which could include those recently approved by the FDA.
- Tier 4: These are typically specialty drugs used to treat complex, chronic conditions. Tier 4 drugs typically have the highest out-of-pocket costs.
For questions about what's covered and your costs, call Anthem Health Guide at (844) 437-0486, Monday through Friday, 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Pacific). Pharmacy representatives are available 24/7.
What You Pay
|
In-Network UC Pharmacies & Participating Anthem Pharmacies |
Out-of-Network Non-Participating Pharmacies |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Calendar-Year Deductible (Combined with Medical/Behavioral Health Out-of-Pocket expenses) |
$3,000 per individual |
$3,000 per individual |
|
Out-of-Pocket Maximum (Includes Pharmacy, Medical and Behavioral Health Out-of-Pocket Expenses) The most you’ll pay for covered services in a calendar year. |
Individual: $6,350 Family: $12,700 The out-of-pocket maximum does not include the deductible. |
Individual: $6,350 Family: $12,700 The out-of-pocket maximum does not include the deductible. |
|
Contraceptive Drugs and Devices |
No charge | Not covered |
|
Formulary Generic Drugs |
After deductible: Retail (30-day supply): 20% Mail Service (up to a 90-day supply): 20% |
After deductible: Retail (30-day supply): 20% Mail Service (up to a 90-day supply): Not covered |
| Formulary Brand Name Drugs |
After deductible: Retail (30-day supply): 20% Mail Service (up to a 90-day supply): 20% |
Retail (30-day supply): 20% Mail Service (up to a 90-day supply): Not covered |
| Non-Formulary Brand Name Drugs |
After deductible: Retail (30-day supply): 20% Mail Service (up to a 90-day supply): 20% |
Retail (30-day supply): 20% Mail Service (up to a 90-day supply): Not covered |
| Specialty Drugs | IngenioRx and select UC Pharmacies (30-day supply): 20% (up to $200 maximum per prescription) | Not covered |
| Smoking Cessation—Over-the-Counter and Prescription Drugs (prescription required) | Retail (30-day supply): No charge | Not covered |
| Diabetic Supplies (excluding syringes, needles, and non-formulary test strips) | Retail (30-day supply): No charge (after deductible) | Not covered |
Filling Prescriptions
At a Retail Pharmacy
You can fill up to a 30-day supply through Anthem’s national network of over 69,000 retail pharmacies, or at a UCMC pharmacy. You can also get up to a 90-day supply at a Retail90 Pharmacy. (Retail90 pharmacies are identified with asterisks on the PDF.)
UCMC Pharmacies
Prescription drug fills and refills are available at many UC Medical Center pharmacies.
Mail-Service Prescriptions
Get up to a 90-day supply of medication without leaving home. Use the Anthem mail service for maintenance medications, such as those taken on an ongoing basis to treat chronic conditions like asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Home delivery makes it quick and convenient to fill. Start a new prescription and request refills online through Anthem (select Pharmacy), and your prescription is delivered to you by mail. Log on to Anthem.
Specialty Medication Prescriptions
For prescription drugs used to treat complex conditions, Anthem offers members access to a specialty pharmacy. Log in to Anthem (select Pharmacy) for more information or call the Care Team at (833) 255‐0645.
Specialty prescription medications administered in your doctor's office (e.g., Botox) may be covered under your medical benefit (through CVS Specialty Pharmacy), not your prescription drug benefit. (CVS Specialty Pharmacy is different from the CVS retail pharmacy.) If you're having a specialty administered by your doctor, call Anthem Health Guide toll-free at (844) 437-0486 for information about actions you or your doctor need to take.
Money-Saving Options
Preferred Generics
Save money when you choose therapeutically equivalent generic equivalent medications over more expensive brand-name drugs. When your physician prescribes a brand name drug, ask if a generic equivalent is suitable for your condition. If a generic equivalent is available—and your doctor requests the brand-name instead—you’ll pay the cost of the generic drug plus the difference between the cost of the brand name drug and the generic equivalent.
Half Tablet
For medications that can be easily cut in half without compromising efficacy, you can save money by having your doctor write a prescription for double the strength (e.g., 20mg. vs. 10 mg). You’ll get the same dosage at half the out-of-pocket cost. Medications included in this program include Accupril, Crestor®, DiovanHCT®, Lexapro®, Losartan, Lovastatin, Paxil, Pravachol, Simvastatin, and Zoloft.
Specialty Split Fill
Many people stop taking newly prescribed specialty drugs (such as for oral oncology and iron toxicity) within the first 30 days of treatment because of side effects. This program gives you time to discover whether a certain class of drugs will work for you, without wasting money on unused medications or risking complications caused by discontinued use. Here’s how it works: When you receive a 30-day prescription, you’ll receive one 15-day supply at a prorated cost. This gives you two weeks to see how well you tolerate the drug or talk to your doctor about switching to a different medication.
Restrictions and Rules
Prior Authorization
Some drugs, and certain amounts of some drugs, require an approval by Anthem before they can be filled. Generally, your doctor must show that a particular drug is medically necessary.
Quantity Limits
Taking too much medication or using it too often isn’t safe, and may even increase your costs. If you refill a prescription too soon or your doctor prescribes an amount higher than recommended guidelines, Anthem’s pharmacy system will reject your claim. If your doctor believes your situation requires an exception, he or she may request prior authorization review. To avoid disrupting your treatment, you’ll be covered for the approved amount while review takes place.
Step Therapy
If your doctor prescribes a more expensive drug when a lower-cost alternative is available, you may be required to first try the less expensive drug that’s been proven to be effective before you can “step” up to the more expensive medication. Drugs that require step therapy include those used to treat ADHD, diabetes, high cholesterol, and multiple sclerosis.