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FourFront Prior Service Information

Q: What happens when an existing RBS group moves from their current RBS plan to FourFront at any time of the year other than January?
   
A:

All RBS contracts contain a prior service clause, which credit prior amounts from previous Regence contracts (such as deductible, stoploss or benefit maximums). RBS deductibles, stoploss amounts and benefit maximums are based on a calendar year.

For example: Member used $500 for outpatient rehabilitation therapy services under a prior contract underwritten or administered by Regence and then transfers to a new Regence contract with a $1,500 per year maximum for outpatient rehabilitation therapy services. Member would be allowed the balance of $1,000 under the new contract for any additional benefit used during that year for outpatient rehabilitation therapy.

This same prior service clause applies to the FourFront plan.

Scenario 1 – Moving from a PPO plan

On Previous PPO Plan
A member is covered under a previous Regence contract with a $500 deductible and has seen their physician twice so far that year. The total allowed amount for both office calls was two hundred dollars and went towards meeting their deductible amount.

On FourFront Plan
In June the member’s group moves to FourFront with a $500 deductible.

  • The two hundred dollars that they had previously met towards their deductible will be credited to their new contract (meaning they have three hundred dollars more to accumulate to their deductible before the deductible is met).

    The member then goes to see the physician again in July and the physician bills an office call.


  • Since the previous office calls had accumulated to the deductible and Regence had not actually paid for any office calls under the prior contract, this office call will fall into tier one and count as one of the first four office calls under FourFront and will be paid at 100% after the $15 copay and will not be subject to the deductible.

Scenario 2 – Moving from a Selections Plan

On Previous Selections Plan
A member is covered under a previous Regence contract with no deductible (if seen inside the network) and has seen their physician five times so far that year. Since there is no deductible to meet, Regence has paid for five office calls.

On FourFront Plan
In October, the member’s group then moves to FourFront with a $500 deductible. The member then goes to see the physician again in November and the physician bills an office call. Since Regence has already paid for five office calls this year for this member, this office call will fall into tier two and be subject to the $15 copay and deductible and then paid at 80%.