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What do I do if I have a medical emergency when I’m traveling out of the area?
You are covered for emergency care worldwide. If you have a medical emergency,
call 911— this applies whether you’re out of the area or at home. In a true
emergency, when your health is in serious danger, your first step is to get
medical attention and the care will be covered.
If, however, it’s not an emergency but is urgent – a sudden illness or injury,
for example – call your doctor’s office. The number on your SCAN membership ID
card lists the number for your doctor’s office or medical group. You can also
call SCAN On Call®, a Nurse Advice Line 24 hours a day. This connects you to a
medical professional who can direct you to the appropriate care. They may
suggest you go to the nearest urgent care facility and will recommend how soon
you should seek care.
For a more detailed explanation of urgent and emergency care, this information
begins on page 67 of your SCAN Evidence of Coverage, or on page 69 if you have
both Medi-Cal and Medicare.
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The Medicare Part D messages continue. We all see the television ads and we know
our members and other Medicare beneficiaries are likely receiving mailboxes full
of direct mail offers and “explanations” related to Part D and prescription drug
coverage. Many of these ads and mailers have messages that revolve around
the date of May 15. So I wanted to address this issue head-on. First, realize
that Medicare is imposing these deadlines and the “lock-in” feature. The first
deadline is May 15. You must have chosen a plan with Part D coverage by this date.
As a SCAN member, you have done this. You don’t need to do anything more by
May 15. But if you know of family members or friends who have not yet selected a
plan that offers Part D prescription drug coverage, make sure they’re aware of this
date. If they don’t select a plan by May 15, they may be out of luck for 2006.
The next deadline is June 30. This date applies to those Medicare beneficiaries who
do have Plan D coverage. If you wish to switch to a different plan you must do so
by June 30 or you are “locked in” to your current plan until the end of the year. This
date does apply to SCAN members and we are telling you not because we want
you to change plans – obviously we think SCAN is your best choice — but because
we want our members to be aware and informed of their options.
If another plan sounds tempting, we encourage you to call SCAN Member Services
at 1-800-559-3500. You need to understand that if you select another Part D plan,
you will be automatically disenrolled from SCAN and lose all your SCAN
coverage — prescription, medical and in-home services.
SCAN has one of the most generous prescription benefits around – if you
haven’t already compared it, we encourage you to do so.When you add in our
comprehensive health care coverage, we’re confident you’ll recognize the full value
SCAN provides. Every member is important to us, so please let us know how we
can help you. If you have internet access, our web site is full of information. And our
Member Service representatives are waiting to assist you in any way they can.
Best regards,
David G. Schmidt
CEO
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