Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Medical Supplies Prosthetic Devices, Enteral Formula or Food, and Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) • Items typically found in the home that do not need a prescription and are easily obtainable such as, but not limited to: o adhesive bandages; o elastic bandages; o gauze pads; and o alcohol swabs. • DME and medical supplies prescribed primarily for the convenience of the member or the member’s family, including but not limited to, duplicate DME or medical supplies for use in multiple locations or any DME or medical supplies used primarily to assist a caregiver. • Non-wearable automatic external defibrillators. • Replacement of durable medical equipment and prosthetic devices prescribed because of a desire for new equipment or new technology. • Equipment that does not meet the basic functional need of the average person. • DME that does not directly improve the function of the member. • Medical supplies provided during an office visit. • Pillows or batteries, except when used for the operation of a covered prosthetic device, or items for which the sole function is to improve the quality of life or mental wellbeing. • Repair or replacement of DME when the equipment is under warranty, covered by the manufacturer, or during the rental period. • Infant formula, nutritional supplements and food, or food products, whether or not prescribed, unless required by R.I. Law §27-20-56 for Enteral Nutrition Products, or delivered through a feeding tube as the sole source of nutrition. • Corrective or orthopedic shoes and orthotic devices used in connection with footwear, unless for the treatment of diabetes. Experimental or Investigational Services • Treatments, procedures, facilities, equipment, drugs, devices, supplies, or services that are experimental or investigational except as described in Section 3. Gender Reassignment Services • Reversal of gender reassignment surgery.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Medical Supplies, Prosthetic Devices, Enteral Formula or Food, and Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) This plan covers durable medical equipment and supplies, prosthetic devices and enteral formula or food as described in this section. Durable Medical Equipment (DME) DME is equipment which: • can withstand repeated use; • is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; • is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury; and • is for use in the home. DME includes supplies necessary for the effective use of the equipment. This plan covers the following DME: • wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other DME items used only for medical treatment; and • replacement of purchased equipment which is needed due to a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty, or cannot be repaired. DME may be classified as a rental item or a purchased item. In most cases, this plan only pays for a rental DME up to our allowance for a purchased DME. Repairs and supplies for rental DME are included in the rental allowance. Preauthorization may be required for certain DME and replacement or repairs of DME. Medical Supplies Medical supplies are consumable supplies that are disposable and not intended for re- use. Medical supplies require an order by a physician and must be essential for the care or treatment of an illness, injury, or congenital defect. Covered medical supplies include: • essential accessories such as hoses, tubes and mouthpieces for use with medically necessary DME (these accessories are included as part of the rental allowance for rented DME); • catheters, colostomy and ileostomy supplies, irrigation trays and surgical dressings; and • respiratory therapy equipment. Diabetic Equipment and Supplies This plan covers diabetic equipment and supplies for the treatment of diabetes in accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-30. Covered diabetic equipment and supplies include: • therapeutic or molded shoes and inserts for custom-molded shoes for the prevention of amputation; • blood glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, external insulin infusion pumps and accessories, insulin infusion devices and injection aids; and • lancets and test strips for glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, and infusion sets for external insulin pumps. The amount you pay differs based on whether the equipment and supplies are bought from a durable medical equipment provider or from a pharmacy. See the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits and the Summary of Medical Benefits for details. Coverage for some diabetic equipment and supplies may only be available from either a DME provider or from a pharmacy. Visit our website to determine if this is applicable or call our Customer Service Department. Prosthetic Devices Prosthetic devices replace or substitute all or part of an internal body part, including contiguous tissue, or replace all or part of the function of a permanently inoperative or malfunctioning body part and alleviate functional loss or impairment due to an illness, injury or congenital defect. Prosthetic devices do not include dental prosthetics. This plan covers the following prosthetic devices as required under R.I. General Law § 27-20-52: • prosthetic appliances such as artificial limbs, breasts, larynxes and eyes; • replacement or adjustment of prosthetic appliances if there is a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty and cannot be repaired; • devices, accessories, batteries and supplies necessary for prosthetic devices; • orthopedic braces except corrective shoes and orthotic devices used in connection with footwear; and • breast prosthesis following a mastectomy, in accordance with the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 and R.I. General Law 27-20-29. The prosthetic device must be ordered or provided by a physician, or by a provider under the direction of a physician. When you are prescribed a prosthetic device as an inpatient and it is billed by a provider other than the hospital where you are an inpatient, the outpatient benefit limit will apply. Enteral Formulas or Food (Enteral Nutrition) Enteral formula or food is nutrition that is absorbed through the intestinal tract, whether delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. Enteral nutrition is covered when it is the sole source of nutrition and prescribed by the physician for home use. In accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-56, this plan covers enteral formula taken orally for the treatment of: • malabsorption caused by Crohn’s Disease; • ulcerative colitis; • gastroesophageal reflux; • chronic intestinal pseudo obstruction; and • inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Food products modified to be low protein are covered for the treatment of inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Preauthorization may be required. The amount that you pay may differ depending on whether the nutrition is delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. When enteral formula is delivered through a feeding tube, associated supplies are also covered. Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) This plan covers hair prosthetics (wigs) worn for hair loss suffered as a result of cancer treatment in accordance with R.I. General Law § 27-20-54 and subject to the benefit limit and copayment listed in the Summary of Medical Benefits. This plan will reimburse the lesser of the provider’s charge or the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. If the provider’s charge is more than the benefit limit, you are responsible for paying any difference. Early Intervention Services (EIS) This plan covers Early Intervention Services in accordance with R.I. General Law §27- 20-50. Early Intervention Services are educational, developmental, health, and social services provided to children from birth to thirty-six (36) months. The child must be certified by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) to enroll in an approved Early Intervention Services program. Services must be provided by a licensed Early Intervention provider and rendered to a Rhode Island resident. Members not living in Rhode Island may seek services from the state in which they reside; however, those services are not covered under this plan. Early Intervention Services as defined by DHS include but are not limited to the following: • speech and language therapy; • physical and occupational therapy; • evaluation; • case management; • nutrition; • service plan development and review; • nursing services; and • assistive technology services and devices.
Durable Medical Equipment Durable Medical Equipment is equipment that is Medically Necessary for treatment of an illness or Accidental Injury or to prevent further deterioration. This equipment is designed for repeated use and used to treat a medical condition or illness, and includes items such as oxygen equipment, functional wheelchairs, and crutches. Durable Medical Equipment may require Prior Authorization. Only Durable Medical Equipment considered standard and/or basic as defined by nationally recognized guidelines are Covered.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME a. Coverage includes purchase or rental, when Medically Necessary, of such DME that:
Pharmacy Benefits - Prescription Drugs and Diabetic Equipment or Supplies from a Pharmacy This plan covers prescription drugs listed on our formulary and diabetic equipment or supplies bought from a pharmacy as a pharmacy benefit. These benefits are administered by our Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). Our formulary includes a tiered copayment structure and indicates that certain prescription drugs require preauthorization. If a prescription drug is not on our formulary, it is not covered. For specific coverage information or a copy of the most current formulary, please visit our website or call our Customer Service Department. Prescription drugs and diabetic equipment or supplies are covered when dispensed using the following guidelines: • the prescription must be medically necessary, consistent with the physician’s diagnosis, ordered by a physician whose license allows him or her to order it, filled at a pharmacy whose license allows such a prescription to be filled, and filled according to state and federal laws; • the prescription must consist of legend drugs that require a physician’s prescription under law, or compound medications made up of at least one legend drug requiring a physician’s prescription under law; • the prescription must be dispensed at the proper place of service as determined by our Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. For example, certain prescription drugs may only be covered when obtained from a specialty pharmacy; and • the prescription is limited to the quantities authorized by your physician not to exceed the quantity listed in the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits. Prescription drugs are subject to the benefit limits and the amount you pay shown in the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits.
Innovative Scheduling Schedules which are inconsistent with the Collective Agreement provisions may be developed in order to improve quality of working life, support continuity of resident care, ensure adequate staffing resources, and support cost-efficiency. The parties agree that such innovative schedules may be determined locally by the Home and the Union subject to the following principles:
Patient Care Resident shall participate in safe, effective, and compassionate patient care, under supervision, commensurate with Resident's level of advancement and responsibility.
Mastectomy Services Inpatient This plan provides coverage for a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours in a hospital following a mastectomy and a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours in a hospital following an axillary node dissection. Any decision to shorten these minimum coverages shall be made by the attending physician in consultation with and upon agreement with you. If you participate in an early discharge, defined as inpatient care following a mastectomy that is less than forty-eight (48) hours and inpatient care following an axillary node dissection that is less than twenty-four (24) hours, coverage shall include a minimum of one (1) home visit conducted by a physician or registered nurse.
PRODUCT MANUFACTURER'S SUPPLIERS Only those dealers/distributors listed by the manufacturer will be considered authorized to act on behalf of the Product Manufacturer.
Radiation Therapy/Chemotherapy Services This plan covers chemotherapy and radiation services. Respiratory Therapy This plan covers respiratory therapy services. When respiratory services are provided in your home, as part of a home care program, durable medical equipment, supplies, and oxygen are covered as a durable medical equipment service.
