Poncho,
I have the Standard Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield program and they keep telling me that it's different than regular BCBS. In the BCBS Service Benefit Plan for federal employees, it says under section 5(i) Services, drugs and supplies provided overseas: "Please note that the requirements to obtain precertification for inpatient care and prior approval for those services listed in Section 3 (covered services and providers) do not apply when you receive care outside the United States." It also states that with overseas providers "We pay overseas claims at Preferred Benefits Levels, using an Overseas Fee Schedule as our plan allowance. Most overseas professional providers are under no obligation to accept our allowance, and you must pay any difference between our payment and the provider's bill. For facility care you receive overseas, we provide benefits in full after you pay the applicable copayment or coinsurance and and deductible that may apply."
When I called federal BCBS they said that they did have contracts with some of the doctors in Europe, so you wouldn't have to pay the amount above and what's "usual and customary", the provider would just write off the extra fees. I haven't bothered to get that list yet, but if I do I will post it.
Thanks for your help though. Hopefully somebody will give me a case number somewhere along the line! Take care, Misty
So, in a nut shell, they won't give me a case number! I'm not sure what to do about it either. It sounds like my coverage will be good, but I'm sure that whoever I go see is going to want a case number too. Insurance makes me crazy
