This section describes the term “maximum allowed amount” as used in this Benefit Booklet and what the term means to you when obtaining covered services under this plan. The maximum allowed amount is the total reimbursement payable under your plan for each covered service you receive from network and out-of-network providers. It is the claims administrator’s payment towards the services billed by your provider combined with any Deductible, Co-Insurance or Co-Payment owed by you. In some cases, you may be required to pay the entire maximum allowed amount. For instance, if you have not met your Deductible under this plan, then you could be responsible for paying the entire maximum allowed amount for covered services. In addition, if these services are received from an out-of-network provider, you may be billed by the provider for the difference between their charges and the maximum allowed amount. In many situations, this difference could be a significant out-of-pocket amount.
Provided below are two examples which illustrate how the maximum allowed amount works. These examples are for illustration purposes only.
Example: The plan has a student member Co-Insurance of 10% for network provider services after the Deductible has been met.
The member receives services from a network surgeon. The billed charge is $2,000. The maximum allowed amount under the plan for the surgery is $1,000. The member’s Co-Insurance responsibility when a network surgeon is used is 10% of $1,000, or $100. This is what the member pays. The plan pays 90% of $1,000, or $900. The network surgeon accepts the total of $1,000 as full reimbursement for the surgery regardless of the charges.
Example: The plan has a student member Co-Insurance of 40% for out- of-network provider services after the Deductible has been met.
The member receives services from an out-of-network surgeon. The billed charge is $2,000. The maximum allowed amount under the plan for the surgery is $1,000. The member’s Co-Insurance responsibility when an out-of-network surgeon is used is 40% of $1,000, or $400. The plan pays the remaining 60% of $1,000, or $600. In addition, the out-of-network surgeon could bill the member the difference between $2,000 and $1,000. So the member’s total out-of-pocket charge would be $400 plus an additional $1,000, for a total of $1,400.
When you receive covered services, the claims administrator will, to the extent possible, apply claim processing rules to the claim submitted. The claims administrator uses these rules to evaluate the claim information and determine the accuracy and appropriateness of the procedure and diagnosis codes included in the submitted claim. Applying these rules may affect the maximum allowed amount if the claims administrator determines that the procedure and/or diagnosis codes used were inconsistent with procedure coding rules and/or reimbursement policies. For example, if your provider submits a claim using several procedure codes when there is a single procedure code that includes all of the procedures that were performed, the maximum allowed amount will be based on the single procedure code.
Provider Network Status
The maximum allowed amount may vary depending upon whether the provider is a network provider, an out-of-network provider or other health care provider.
Network Providers and CME. For covered services performed by a network provider or CME the maximum allowed amount for this plan will be the rate the network provider or CME has agreed with the claims administrator to accept as reimbursement for the covered services. Because network providers have agreed to accept the maximum allowed amount as payment in full for those covered services, they should not send you a bill or collect for amounts above the maximum allowed amount. However, you may receive a bill or be asked to pay all or a portion of the maximum allowed amount to the extent you have not met your Deductible or have a Co-Payment or Co-Insurance. Please call the customer service telephone number on your ID card for help in finding a network provider or visit www.anthem.com/ca.
If you are planning to have outpatient surgery, you should first find out if the facility where the surgery is to be performed is an ambulatory surgical center. An ambulatory surgical center is licensed as a separate facility even though it may be located on the same grounds as a hospital (although this is not always the case). If the ambulatory surgical center is licensed separately, you should find out if the facility is a network provider before undergoing the surgery.
Out-of-Network Providers (for dependents, permitted only with an authorized claims administrator referral by a network provider or for an emergency) and Other Health Care Providers. * For covered services you receive from an out-of-networkprovider or other health care provider the maximum allowed amount will be based on one of the following: 1) the applicable out-of-network provider rate or fee schedule for this plan; 2) an amount negotiated by the claims administrator or a third party vendor which has been agreed to by the out-of-network
provider; 3) an amount derived from the total charges billed by the out-of- network provide;, or 4) an amount based on information provided by a third party vendor.
Unlike network providers, out-of-network providers and other health care providers may send you a bill and collect for the amount of the out-of- network provider’s or other health care provider’s charge that exceeds the maximum allowed amount under this plan. You may be responsible for paying the difference between the maximum allowed amount and the amount the out-of-network provider or other health care provider charges. This amount can be significant. Choosing a network provider will likely result in lower out of pocket costs to you. Please call the customer service number on your ID card for help in finding a network provider or visit the website www.anthem.com/ca. Customer service is also available to assist you in determining this plan’s maximum allowed amount for a particular covered service from an out-of-network provider or other health care provider.
NOTE: A network hospital may employ out-of-network health care providers. You should make sure the health care providers who will provide the services you need are network providers. You may be responsible for paying the difference between the maximum allowed amount and the amount the out-of-network provider charges.
Please see the Out Of Area Services provision in the section entitled GENERAL PROVISIONS for additional information.
*Exceptions:
– Ambulance Services. The maximum allowed amount for ambulance services and supplies will be the billed charge.
– Clinical Trials. The maximum allowed amount for out-of-network providers for services and supplies provided in connection with Clinical Trials will be the lesser of the billed charge or the amount that ordinarily applies when services are provided by a network provider.
– If Medicare is the primary payor, the maximum allowed amount does not include any charge:
1. By a hospital, in excess of the approved amount as determined by Medicare; or
2. By a physician who is a network provider who accepts Medicare assignment, in excess of the approved amount as determined by Medicare; or
3. By a physician who is an out-of-network provider or other health care provider who accepts Medicare assignment, in excess of the lesser of the maximumallowed amount stated above, or the approved amount as determined by Medicare; or
4. By a physician or other health care provider who does not accept Medicare assignment, in excess of the lesser of the maximum allowed amount stated above, or the limiting charge as determined by Medicare.
You will always be responsible for expense incurred which is not covered under this plan.