PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS
This portion of your Plan booklet discusses the essential features of your prescription drug benefits for participants and dependents receiving indemnity medical benefits. You have two organizations which oversee your managed prescription drug benefits. Northwest Benefit Network (NBN/Rx) administers the retail pharmacy discount purchase program. Merck-Medco Rx Services provides your mail order services. These two programs interact to create the best possible cost management opportunities for both you and the Trust. This program became effective on April 1, 1994.
The NBN/Rx network includes a broad range of independent and chain pharmacy locations throughout the western states. These pharmacies have agreed to dispense prescription drugs at discounts below their normal retail prices. The pharmacy network is geographically diverse and large enough to provide convenient access for almost all participants. Your prescription drug benefit has been designed to encourage use of the network pharmacies.
All network pharmacies are electronically linked to a central computer system. The network pharmacies can access this system at the point of purchase to obtain information regarding discount pricing of the prescription and other pertinent information.
You may choose any pharmacy. Services and prices, however, vary between NBN/Rx network pharmacies and non-network pharmacies. Because of the price discounts available at the NBN/Rx network pharmacies, the costs to WTWT as well as your out-of-pocket costs, may be less. Listings of the NBN/Rx network pharmacies can be obtained from your Area Administrative Office.
|
