Blueprint magazine -- AUTUMN 2020

A publication for the policyholders of the Arkansas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield family of companies AUTUMN 2020
New and Blue
and right
for you!
PAGE 8
Face-to-face
service makes
a comeback
PAGE 4
Enrollment
season is here
once again
PAGE 6
Blue & You
grant saves
officer’s life
PAGE 13

a
Word
with Curtis Barnett
Our President and
Chief Executive Officer
Medicare Your Way
If there is one thing we can
say about baby boomers, it’s
that one size certainly doesn’t
fit all. This generation (born
1946-1964) started entering
Medicare in 2011, and at a
rate of about 10,000 per day,
Medicare’s rolls are expected to
top the 80 million-beneficiary
mark by 2030.
Since the inception of Medicare
in the 1960s, products that
supplement Medicare coverage
or, more recently, replace
Medicare coverage altogether,
have been an important part of
our benefit portfolio. Boomers
are a diverse group, and they
deserve Medicare plans that
fit their lifestyles and budgets.
With that in mind, we went back
to the drawing board.
In the past year, Arkansas Blue
Cross and Blue Shield has
dedicated more resources than
ever before to our Medicare
coverage options, creating
products with more options to
choose from and features that
promote wellness, condition
management and quality
healthcare … and, yes, help
make our plans more affordable.
(You can read about those
exciting, new plans on page 8).
Not only are our new Medicare
plans consumer-friendly, they
have features that promote
wellness and help you manage
chronic health conditions and
better coordinate all the care
you receive. We believe these
features, while keeping you
healthier, will also help make
healthcare more affordable for
our senior population.
And this is only the beginning.
We have a multi-year plan to
continue to grow and develop
our Medicare offerings to
respond to what senior
Arkansans need and want.
At Arkansas Blue Cross, we
see our Medicare members
for who they are ... real people
with real health needs. One size
doesn’t fit all. Come visit an
ArkansasBlue welcome center
to see what we have to offer.
Not only are our new
Medicare plans consumerfriendly,
they have features
that promote wellness and
help you manage chronic
health conditions and
better coordinate all the
care you receive.
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its family of affiliates comply with applicable
federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, age, disability or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios
gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 844-662-2276. CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng
Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 844-662-2276.
AUTUMN 2020
EDITOR
Greg Russell
Editor@arkbluecross.com
DESIGNER
Ryan Kravitz
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Chip Bayer
David Lewis
CONTRIBUTORS
Chip Bayer
Jennifer Bridgeman
Katie Eisenhower
Suzi Parker
Marie Trotter
Kimberly Walker
VICE PRESIDENT of
CORPORATE MARKETING
Alison Melson
ON THE COVER:
Julie and Bill Bridgforth
of Pine Bluff enjoy
the convenience and
excellent service they
experience when
they visit their local
ArkansasBlue
welcome center.
2
AUTUMN 2020

BlueNEWS
Arkansas Blue Cross
honored as Hunger Hero
Healthy food is an important
part of good health. And
addressing social determinants
such as nutrition is an
important focus of Arkansas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s
mission to improve the health
of all Arkansans. In September,
the Arkansas Hunger Relief
Alliance recognized Arkansas
Blue Cross as a Corporate
Hunger Hero and presented
Curtis Barnett, our president
and CEO, the Acting Out
Against Hunger award for
•
FEARLESS
•
the company’s dedication to
addressing food insecurity in
the state. The Alliance provides
programs, food resources,
education and advocacy to
reduce hunger in Arkansas. To
find out more about the great
work of Arkansas Hunger Relief
Alliance and how you can help,
visit arhungeralliance.org.
Barnett helps out at a meal-packing event.
“Whether packing more than 2
million meals during the past
few years, investing more than
$2.3 million dollars toward food
insecurity since 2005, helping
harvest fields, or funding food
for those made even more
vulnerable during the pandemic,
our employees, our board and
our leadership are committed to
Arkansans,” said Curtis.
Blue packs 2 million meals
for Arkansas!
In 2018, Arkansas Blue Cross
committed to packing 700,000
meals to help fight food insecurity
in Arkansas as part of its 70 th
anniversary celebration. We
partnered with The Pack Shack,
a nonprofit focused on food
insecurity, to hold high-energy
community rallies throughout the
state where scores of volunteers
packed nutritious meals for local
food pantries. We beat our goal
that year, packing more than 1
million meals, then added hundreds
of thousands more meals to the
total in 2019, and during 2020,
exceeded the 2 million meals mark!
When the pandemic hit this spring,
we knew the need for healthy food
would increase exponentially.
Thanks to a donation from our
Blue & You Foundation for a
Healthier Arkansas, The Pack
Shack mobilized small groups
of volunteers at its warehouse,
masked and appropriately
distanced, to pack more than
140,000 meals on behalf of
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue
Shield, bringing the grand total
to 2,145,310 meals, thanks to
funding or hands-on packing.
Community food banks and
local food pantries throughout
Arkansas were able to distribute
these meals to feed the hungry in
their locations. Together, we can
meet and beat food insecurity.
Fearless Food Fights are parties with a purpose.
AUTUMN 2020
3

welcome back!
Your local ArkansasBlue welcome centers are ready to serve you safely
e’re back and ready to help … safely.
After being closed for five months
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local
ArkansasBlue welcome centers
throughout the state reopened
September 8, 2020, on an
appointment-only basis.
“Sometimes meeting with someone face
to face is the best way to understand
your health insurance situation, and
the ArkansasBlue welcome centers are
the places where you can go to speak
in person to licensed experts who
can help you find practical, affordable
solutions that meet your specific health
insurance needs,” said Dwayne Pierce,
senior lead executive for regional and
sales operations. “We are taking every
precaution we can to protect your
health, so you’ll be comfortable coming
in to speak with us.”
For your safety, here are some guidelines for visiting your local ArkansasBlue welcome center:
Customer visits are by
appointment only.
If you have a cough or fever,
please reschedule. People
who have symptoms like that
won’t be allowed to enter.
Remain in your vehicle until
your appointment time. A
representative will notify you when
it is time to enter the building.
You’ll be asked some health
questions related to COVID-19 risks
and have your temperature checked.
You will be required to wear
a mask. If you don’t have a
mask, we’ll give you one.
You will be required to apply
hand sanitizer when you enter
the building.
If you need to bring us a payment,
just leave it in the mailbox outside
the front door. There’s no need to
come inside. To increase safety,
we are not taking payments in
person. And if you want to save
yourself a trip, just use any of our
other convenient payment options.
You can find them on our website.
No more than 10 customers can be
in the building at any given time.
No more than three people
(including the representative)
can be in a representative’s
office at any given time.
Protective shields will be in
place on each desk.
Social-distancing protocols
will be observed at all times.
We will sanitize after every
consultation, and every facility
will be thoroughly cleaned and
sanitized every evening.
4 AUTUMN 2020

nd now we have more places to serve
you. In September, we opened two brandnew
ArkansasBlue welcome centers – one
in Rogers and one in midtown Little Rock –
bringing the statewide number to 10.
“We are an Arkansas company, and we
want to serve Arkansans,” Pierce said.
“By expanding our locations, we can better
serve our customers right where they live.”
6.
1.
1.
ArkansasBlue welcome centers
2.
8.
Fayetteville
2. Fort Smith
ROGERS
3. Hot Springs
4. Jonesboro
4602 West Walnut Street
Rogers, AR 72756
479-973-6675
3.
5.
LITTLE ROCK (Midtown)
416 South University Avenue
Suite 110
Little Rock, AR 72204
501-396-8675
5.
6.
7.
8.
Little Rock (West)
Lowell
Pine Bluff
Texarkana
The Bridgforths describe their positive experiences
at the Pine Bluff ArkansasBlue welcome center.
7.
4.
In person
andpersonal
Visit an ArkansasBlue welcome
center for a face-to-face visit
Maybe you’re not comfortable with technology.
Or maybe you’re just confused or overwhelmed
when making a choice about your health coverage.
These are common sentiments among Medicareage
customers. People with coverage through their
employer may not have to make decisions about
health plans. But at retirement, there are numerous
decisions to make and a wide array of options to
choose from. It can be a daunting process.
Fortunately, our local ArkansasBlue welcome
centers are there to help.
“There is kind of a maze to work through when you
first start trying to decide what you need and what
you don’t need,” said Julie Bridgforth of Pine Bluff,
who went through the process with her husband,
Bill, at their local ArkansasBlue welcome center.
“They could not have been nicer and more helpful,”
Bill recalled. “The minute we walked in, we felt
welcome and more at ease. They helped us find
answers to questions we didn’t even know to ask.”
“Without a local office like this, it would have been
so much harder to get all of that figured out,” Julie
said. “And they don’t treat you like you’re asking a
dumb question. They are very patient.”
Bobbie Kemp of Monticello agrees. “I do some of
my business online, so it’s not that I don’t know
how. But for me, with my health insurance, having
that person sitting across from you makes all the
difference in the world. I live 47 miles away (from
Pine Bluff), but the service I get there makes it
worth the drive. Bambi (Wilson) has gone above
and beyond for me. I had a pharmacy problem,
and she researched it and told me how to fix it.
It was a great experience. We laughed a lot. It’s
great to have that kind of interaction, especially
when you’re stressed.”
AUTUMN 2020
5

Open Enrollment 2020
November 1 - December 15
Choosing a health plan is
an important decision. But
fortunately, Arkansas Blue
Cross and Blue Shield has
friendly experts who are
here to help.
If you need an individual
or family health plan, the
open enrollment period
(OEP) begins November 1
and ends December 15 .
You will be able to review
your information and
decide if you want to keep
your plan the way it is or
make a change.
Watch your mail for your
annual benefit update
letter, which will explain
your options in detail.
If you need to choose
a new health plan, our
knowledgeable customer
service representatives –
or your insurance agent/
broker – can help you pick
a great option. Just call
800-392-2583 during the
OEP period. Or make an
appointment at one of
our ArkansasBlue
welcome centers (see
arkbluecross.com/locations ).
During open enrollment,
some locations will even
be open on Saturdays.
Avoid the December
rush and get your health
plan shopping done in
November. You’ll have
more time – and more
peace of mind – to enjoy
the holidays.
(Pro tip: New enrollees do not need to wait for Arkansas Blue
Cross to send a premium statement. Payment options are
immediately available on our website or via payment kiosks
at any of our Arkansas Blue welcome centers.)
Open enrollment for
Arkansas State
and
Public School
Employees
OPEN ENROLLMENT:
OCTOBER 1-31
Arkansas State Employee and Public
School Employee (ASE/PSE) open
enrollment is here (October 1-31).
ASE/PSE members may choose a
health plan or make changes to their
existing coverage for the next plan
year, which starts January 1, 2021.
Rates and benefits have been approved
by the State and Public School Life
and Health Insurance Board. Plan
options and premium information for
ASE/PSE members have been posted
on arbenefits.org. For questions and
additional information, contact the
Employee Benefits Division at
877-815-1017.
You also can visit the Health Advantage
website, healthadvantage-hmo.com,
for featured plan information, health
resources and our member self-service
portal, My Blueprint (which lets you
access valuable benefits and services
wherever you are). Find a doctor …
access your electronic member ID card
… check claims, coverage and benefit
info … contact customer service …
estimate treatment costs … fill out
a personal health record … all with
just a click or touch.
6 AUTUMN 2020

October 15 – December 7
Got Medicare? Need it? Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is your opportunity to purchase
a Medicare Advantage plan or upgrade your existing plan. And this year, Arkansas Blue Medicare and
Health Advantage have some exciting, new options. (See page 8 for details).
The Annual Enrollment Period is October 15 through December 7. New benefits will be effective January 1, 2021.
Here’s a little more about our
Medicare
Advantage plans
• HMO and PPO plans with $0 premiums and low copays
• Comprehensive dental, vision, hearing and prescription drug coverage
• A large network of doctors you know and hospitals you trust
Want to learn more about our Medicare Advantage plans?
Call your local licensed agent or 800-392-2583 to learn more
or visit arkbluemedicare.com. We’d love to hear from you. If you
have a friend or family member who is looking for a Medicare
Advantage plan, we hope you’ll recommend Arkansas Blue
Cross and Health Advantage.
AUTUMN 2020
7

Introducing a new ... and better
Ready for something exciting in Medicare Advantage?
In 2021 we are raising the bar on Medicare Advantage plan options. We’ve reimagined
existing plans and designed several new ones to better meet your needs and budget.
Blue is
Our 2021 Medicare Advantage plans offer more
and better choices. And with better choices, you
can get a plan that delivers what you need most
from your healthcare coverage.
Our Medicare Advantage options feature:
• HMO and PPO plans with $0
premiums and low copays
more
• Comprehensive dental, vision, hearing
and prescription drug coverage
• Quarterly allowances for Medicareapproved
over-the-counter products
• PPO in-network coverage that travels with you
Blue is
value
Arkansas Blue Medicare Advantage
plans include valuable extras
designed to help you stay your
healthiest. You’ll have $0 copays
on many preventive screenings, a
SilverSneakers ® fitness program
membership and gift card rewards
for simply getting Medicare-approved
screenings and tests. You take care
of your health, and we take care of
you. It’s our promise.
8 AUTUMN 2020

Blue is
confidence
Blue is
your plan
We’ve served Arkansans like you for
more than 70 years. When you choose an
Arkansas Blue Medicare Advantage plan,
you get the peace of mind that we’ll be
there when and where you need it. With our
plans, you get a large network of doctors
you know and hospitals you trust.
The Annual Enrollment Period begins October
15 and runs through December 7. If you’re
getting ready to age in to Medicare, or you are
already a Medicare Advantage member, now
is the time to take a look at Arkansas Blue
Medicare. We’ve designed our plans to meet
your changing needs. Our Medicare experts
will help you find the right plan for you.
Want to learn more?
If you have questions or want to know what Medicare Advantage
plans are available in your area:
Call 800-392-2583
Visit arkbluemedicare.com
Make an appointment at your nearby ArkansasBlue
welcome center (see page 4 for details)
Speak to your local licensed agent
SilverSneakers ®
SilverSneakers is one of the nation’s leading
exercise programs for senior adults. It’s a no-cost
gym membership for eligible seniors with access to
more than 13,000 locations. SilverSneakers aims
to keep adults active and healthy. It’s available to all
Arkansas Blue Medicare Advantage members.
AUTUMN 2020
9

accine
Volunteer
One of 30,000
Chief Medical
Officer’s
reasons for
participating
are personal
and professional
On August 14, 2020, Mark Jansen, M.D.,
was given a shot in his left arm.
The injection was either a potential coronavirus
vaccine or a placebo – a harmless starch or
sugar solution.
As Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s
chief medical officer, a veteran primary care
physician and a son who lost his mother to
COVID-19, he’s invested in seeing the outcome.
Whichever it turns out to be, Jansen hopes his
contribution to this clinical trial will help scientists
counter the virus that has cost our society, and
his own family, so dearly.
Dr. Jansen is one of 30,000 American adults
expected to participate in a double-blind, placebocontrolled
coronavirus vaccine study conducted
by Moderna, Inc., a Massachusetts biotechnology
company, in collaboration with the National
Institutes of Health.
This type of study is the “gold standard” of clinical
trials. Neither the people getting the shots nor the
clinicians giving the shots know who gets a placebo
and who gets the real treatment. Only the data
analysts who interpret the results at the study’s
end can tell who was in which group.
“The weird part is, if I get the placebo, yes, they’re
hoping that I get COVID-19,” Jansen said. That
way, Moderna can compare rates of infection
among people who received the vaccine and
those who got the placebo. “If the ones who
get the actual vaccine stay well, it demonstrates
the effectiveness of the vaccine,” he added.
Across the country, Moderna has roughly 89
clinical research sites involved in this third phase
of its vaccine trial. The study is recruiting people
who are at least age 18 years old and have never
tested positive for coronavirus. Participants get
periodic blood tests and are closely monitored
throughout the trial, which could last 25 months.
Clinical trial
phases 1, 2, 3
Vaccine clinical trials like Moderna’s have three primary phases, each
designed to answer different questions about a potential treatment. Phase
1 investigates the safety of a treatment in humans. Phase 2 examines
whether a treatment works. Phase 3 compares a new treatment with
standard treatments to see if it works better, has fewer side effects, etc.
“Operation
Warp Speed”
The federal government launched “Operation Warp Speed” as a publicprivate
partnership with drugmakers to produce and deliver 300 million
doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Americans by January 2021. On August 11,
Moderna signed an agreement with the White House to produce
100 million doses of its anticipated COVID-19 vaccine.
10 AUTUMN 2020

Jansen on COVID-19 and the flu
The symptoms of the coronavirus and the flu are similar, so we’re going to see an increase in the
push for people to get the flu vaccine this year. We don’t have any extra capacity in the care delivery
system to handle a spike in both. For instance, if people get a bad case of the flu and then contract
pneumonia … there might not be an available hospital bed if we’re also dealing with the coronavirus.
So, we really have to be good this year about getting flu shots.
– Mark Jansen, M.D.
Chasing a vaccine
But if Moderna expects trials to last two years,
how could the country possibly have a safe
vaccine early next year? “If the researchers see
really good results, they can stop the trial early,”
Jansen said. “That’s called ‘un-blinding’ the study.”
If that happens, Moderna would offer everyone
who received the placebo the real vaccine.
Moderna is the front-runner among dozens
of established and “startup” drug developers
currently working on coronavirus treatments.
Other drug companies in the race, which the
United States government calls “Operation Warp
Speed,” include AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline,
Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.
COVID-19 hits close to home
Frances Bovick Jansen was the 11 th person in
Arkansas to die from COVID-19 complications. She
was 94 years old and had lived an exciting, full life.
She was a singer who landed a big band recording
contract in Hollywood. However, she left that life
behind when she met and married Gerald Thomas
Jansen, M.D., her husband of 58 years. Together,
they had three sons, two daughters and a host
of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. On
April 1, Mrs. Jansen, who had some dementia,
died at Briarwood Nursing & Rehab in Little Rock.
“You don’t get over your mother’s death, but I’m
dealing with it,” Jansen said. “Now that I have this
chance to be a part of the solution to help eliminate
the virus that ended her life … it’s personal.”
As a physician, Jansen is excited to be part of
medical research for a coronavirus treatment.
“Once you’re a doctor you’re always a doctor,
and if you went into medicine for the right
reason, you realize how remarkable this is.”
The loss of his mother to COVID-19 gives Jansen added
motivation to assist in the search for a vaccine.
AUTUMN 2020
11

:
Bringing healthcare to you
If you have a computer,
electronic tablet, smartphone
or even a home telephone,
you have access to thousands
of doctors, therapists and
more through virtual health
(also known as telehealth
or telemedicine).
What is virtual health?
Virtual health is a way of
connecting with medical
professionals and behavioral
health professionals from your
home or on the go. It’s as easy
as picking up the phone and
talking or having a video call
with a friend. It’s convenient
and safe to use.
Pandemic benefits
During the COVID-19 pandemic,
we have expanded access to
virtual health services:
• Medical care – Our members
can seek medical virtual
healthcare from in-network
providers (at no cost to the
member). This includes videoconferencing
as well as visits
by telephone.
• Behavioral health – Our
members can get counseling
(again, at no cost to the
member) from almost 2,300
in-network behavioral health
professionals including
psychiatrists, psychologists,
advanced practice
nurse practitioners,
licensed clinical
social workers and
licensed professional
counselors.
• Therapy specialists –
We also have expanded
virtual health access
to include specific
services from physical
therapists, occupational
therapists, speech and
language therapists,
chiropractors,
podiatrists, registered
dieticians and boardcertified
behavioral
analysts. Deductibles,
copays and coinsurances
apply to these specialists.
An option for the future
Even before the COVID-19
pandemic, Arkansas Blue
Cross was looking to the
connectivity and convenience
of virtual health as a way to
improve access to medical
care in underserved areas and
improve patient engagement.
In April 2020, only a few
weeks into the public health
emergency, more than 97,800
virtual health visits were
made by our members. Those
numbers have dropped in
recent months, but people
are still using virtual health
for follow-up visits and
behavioral health. The big
takeaway? Many members –
and their doctors – seem to like
the option of virtual visits.
Sign up today
Learn about your virtual health
options before you need them.
Ask your doctor’s office about
virtual health and how you can
get connected. You can also go
to MyVirtualHealth.com for
many nonemergency conditions.
State-licensed, board-certified
physicians are ready and waiting
to help you 24/7, 365 days a
year. Register today so you
can easily access medical
help when you need it.*
* Copyright © 2020 MDLIVE Inc. All Rights Reserved. MDLIVE does not replace the primary care physician and is not an insurance product. MDLIVE may not be available in certain states and is
subject to state regulations. MDLIVE does not prescribe DEA controlled substances and may not prescribe non-therapeutic drugs and certain other drugs, which may be harmful because of their
potential for abuse. MDLIVE does not guarantee patients will receive a prescription. Healthcare professionals using the platform have the right to deny care if based on professional judgment
a case is inappropriate for telehealth or for misuse of services. MDLIVE and the MDLIVE logo are registered trademarks of MDLIVE, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. For
complete terms of use visit https://welcome.mdlive.com/terms-of-use/. MDLIVE is an independent company that provides telehealth services on behalf of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Virtual health is for members with medical coverage but is not available to all health plans at this time. Members whose coverages include virtual health should be able to successfully register
online. A check of your benefit summary will indicate whether virtual health is available to you.
12 AUTUMN 2020

Officer down ...
Blue & You Foundation grant saves lawman’s life
The chase was over. The subject
was cuffed and in custody. But
something wasn’t right.
Officer Darrin Chase of the West
Memphis Police Department made
his way back to his vehicle, but
suddenly, he felt dizzy and
sensed he was in trouble. “I
went to put the car in park,
but I started touching the
radio,” he said. He called Sgt.
Jennifer Jordan for help.
Sgt. Jordan’s patrol car was only about
20 yards away, but before she could
get to him, Officer Chase’s eyes rolled
back, and he went limp. Officer down.
Sgt. Jordan first suspected heat
exhaustion, but when he failed to
respond, she quickly guessed that
Officer Chase may have been exposed
to a drug during the arrest. Fentanyl,
an incredibly potent (even deadly)
opioid, can be absorbed through the
skin. Law enforcement officers and
other first responders risk potentially
fatal fentanyl exposure daily. Later,
they learned that Officer Chase
had unwittingly come in contact
with fentanyl when he reached into
the suspect’s pocket looking for
identification. The suspect, who was
driving a stolen car, had a vial of the
drug in his pocket, and it had broken
during his apprehension.
Fortunately, Sgt. Jordan remembered
the naloxone (Narcan) kit that is in
every patrol car. Naloxone quickly
counteracts the effects of an opioid
overdose. The kits were supplied
to 2,720 Arkansas officers and
deputies through $150,000 in grants
from Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue
Shield’s Blue & You Foundation for a
Healthier Arkansas to the University
of Arkansas System’s Criminal
Justice Institute in Little Rock.
Sgt. Jordan quickly gave Officer Chase
two doses. The drug worked its magic,
and Officer Chase began to awaken.
Within 4 minutes, an ambulance
arrived. But his exposure was so
severe that he lost consciousness
several more times and had to receive
several more doses of naloxone.
He spent three days in the hospital,
including two in the intensive care unit.
Doctors later said he would not have
survived had he not quickly received
the naloxone so quickly.
While naloxone kits have been
used to save the lives of people
experiencing an opioid overdose
(as reported in past issues of
this magazine), this was the first
time a kit was used to save a law
enforcement officer.
“I feel like if we had not gotten that
grant that put the Narcan kits in our
cars, I probably wouldn’t be here today,”
Officer Chase said. “I am grateful Sgt.
Jordan had the Narcan right there and
was able to think on her feet so fast.”
“As a shift supervisor, I feel an
enormous responsibility to keep all
my officers safe,” said Sgt. Jordan.
“So to have the ability to save them
and get them back to their families
is a great feeling. I’ve had plenty
of scary moments in 11 years of
Officer Chase (right) says he owes his life to the Blue & You
Foundation’s naloxone grant and the quick response of
Sgt. Jordan (left and below).
policing, but this one is up there near
the top. And honestly, I probably owe
the rest of my career to that grant.
I really don’t know if I could have
come back from losing one of my
people like that – right in front of my
eyes. I can’t imagine a life in policing
without having these tools available.”
In a fitting twist, just a few weeks
after returning to duty, Officer
Chase used the same tool to
revive an overdose victim.
AUTUMN 2020 13

ANNUAL NOTICE
As required by the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care
Act (PPACA), the Summary
of Benefits and Coverage
(SBC) (OMB Control Numbers
1545- 2229, 1210-0147
and 0938-1146) provides
information regarding coverage
specifications and limitations
that apply to the health insurance
plan you have selected.
Before the end of each year,
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue
Shield provides members who
have individual/family health
insurance policies* (but do
not have Medicare policies)
with an SBC.
This official communication
includes information about
2020 Summary of Benefits and Coverage – available
November 15 for individual/family policyholders
the coverage provided by
your health insurance plan
in a summary format for the
upcoming year. Beginning
November 15, 2020, you may
access this information:
Online in the “Benefits”
section of the Arkansas Blue
Cross secure member selfservice
center, My Blueprint,
at arkbluecross.com
By calling Arkansas Blue
Cross customer service
at 800-800-4298 to receive
a printed version
After that date, you also may
go to arkbluecross.com/sbc
and enter your member number
(found on your member ID card)
into the SBC locator tool to review
the document online and print it.
If you make changes to your
Arkansas Blue Cross health
plan benefits that differ from
your current coverage, a new
summary will be created for you
within seven work days of our
receipt of your change request.
It will be available to you in the
same manner described above.
Arkansas Blue Cross, Health
Advantage and BlueAdvantage
Administrators of Arkansas
members who receive health
coverage through an employer
group will get their SBC from their
employer group plan administrator
at the appropriate time.
* These are members who do not have health insurance through an employer, a Medicare health plan
or short-term, limited-duration Blue policies.
14 AUTUMN 2020
Women’s Health and
Cancer Rights Act
The Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 introduced
changes in insurance coverage for a mastectomy.
In accordance with the law, all group and individual health plans
that provide medical and surgical benefits for mastectomy will
cover reconstructive breast surgery, including:
Reconstructive
surgery on the
breast on which
the mastectomy
was performed
Reconstructive
surgery on the
unaffected
breast to
“produce a
symmetrical
appearance”
Prostheses and
treatment of
complications of
any stage of a
mastectomy, including
lymphedema (postsurgical
fluid buildup)
These provisions apply to all policies issued by Arkansas Blue Cross
and Blue Shield, Health Advantage and BlueAdvantage Administrators
of Arkansas and are subject to the applicable copayments,
coinsurance, benefit limitations, exclusions and benefit maximums.
If you have questions about your insurance coverage, contact your
group benefits administrator or a customer service representative.

Notice of
Privacy
Practices
Availability
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Health Advantage
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliated company,
HMO Partners, Inc., d/b/a Health Advantage, are required by law to
secure your protected health information (PHI) and to explain how
we may use and release (disclose) your PHI. Our Notice of Privacy
Practices is posted on our websites and includes:
• How we may use your PHI
• Circumstances when your PHI may be released to other entities
• Your rights regarding your PHI
• How to exercise your rights
• How to file a complaint
To view the Notice of Privacy Practices, please go to arkbluecross.com
or healthadvantage-hmo.com. You can obtain a paper copy of
the notice by contacting the customer service number on your member
ID card (see below for a complete list of customer service numbers).
Customer Service
N U M B E R S
May we help?
For customer service, please call:
TOLL-FREE Number
Medi-Pak ® members 800-338-2312
Medi-Pak ® Advantage members 877-233-7022
Medi-Pak ® Rx members 866-390-3369
Arkansas Blue Cross members 800-238-8379
Pharmacy questions 800-863-5561
Specialty Rx pharmacy questions 866-295-2779
Arkansas Blue Cross Metallic members
(Gold, Silver, Bronze, Catastrophic) 800-800-4298
Pharmacy questions 800-969-3983
Health Advantage members 800-843-1329
Pharmacy questions 800-863-5567
BlueAdvantage members 888-872-2531
Pharmacy questions 888-293-3748
Federal Employee members 800-482-6655
Arkansas State Employees /
Public School Employees 800-482-8416
Looking for health or dental insurance? We can help!
For individuals, families 800-392-2583
For employer groups* 800-421-1112
PAYING
YOUR
bill
To pay by phone * ,
please call
800-354-9904
Prefer to speak with someone close to home?
Call or visit one of our offices near you:
Fayetteville
516 East Millsap Rd., Suite 103 800-299-4109
Fort Smith
3501 Old Greenwood Rd., Suite 3 800-299-4060
Hot Springs
1635 Higdon Ferry Rd. – Suite J 800-588-5733
Jonesboro
2110 Fair Park Blvd. – Suite I 800-299-4124
Little Rock (MIDTOWN)
416 S. University Ave. – Suite 110 501-396-8675
Little Rock (WEST)
2612 S. Shackleford Rd., Suite J 501-378-2222
Lowell
507 W. Monroe Ave. – Suite B 888-872-2539
Pine Bluff
509 Mallard Loop Dr. 800-236-0369
Rogers
4602 W. Walnut St. 479-973-6675
Texarkana
1710 Arkansas Blvd. 800-470-9621
*Arkansas Blue Cross, Health Advantage and BlueAdvantage Administrators of Arkansas
Visit our websites for more information:
• arkbluecross.com
• hub.arkansasbluecross.com
• healthadvantage-hmo.com
• blueadvantagearkansas.com
• blueandyoufoundationarkansas.org
* Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan product
members must call Customer Service to discuss available
payment options. Health Advantage conversion plans are not
eligible for online, mobile or pay-by-phone payment options.
AUTUMN 2020 15

Avoid the
Get a flu shot!
This year, more than ever, it is critical that
you and your loved ones get the flu vaccine.
Why? Because the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is still not
under control in the United States. With flu season starting,
many doctors are concerned the “twindemic” of two serious
viruses circulating at once will be extremely dangerous.
There currently isn’t an approved vaccine for COVID-19, but
there is for the flu.
And, we’re making it easy for many members. You and
your family members who are older than age 7 may be
able to get a flu shot at your pharmacy without even
paying a copay. Some pharmacists who have been
specially trained can even give flu shots to kids as young
as age 3. Check with your pharmacy to see if you and
your family are eligible for the flu shot at no cost to you.
* A small percentage of people should not get a flu shot because
of underlying health conditions. You can learn more at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (cdc.gov/flu).
9687 9/20
It's that easy. Those are some pretty good
reasons to get a flu shot. But in case you need
more motivation, consider that:
Hospitals and healthcare professionals will
have their plates full with COVID-19-related
illness this fall and winter, and an influx of flu patients
could put even more strain on our overburdened
healthcare system.
It is possible to have COVID-19 and the flu at the same
time, and having both of these illnesses simultaneously
dramatically increases the likelihood that you might
experience potentially life-threatening complications.
You cannot get the flu from the vaccine. And while the
vaccine is not a 100% guarantee that you will not get sick,
if you do get the flu, having the vaccine could turn a bad
case into a mild one.
Make a plan for everyone in your family * to get a flu shot this
year. And continue to wash your hands frequently, maintain
proper distance in public and wear face coverings. Do it for
yourself and those you love!