No matter which VEHI plan you choose, the prescription drug benefits are the same.* To use the program, present your Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont I.D. card at a network pharmacy.

Each member must meet a $100 prescription drug deductible, which is separate from any other medical deductibles you have. Then you pay a co-payment for each prescription (up to a 30-day supply).

You pay:

• a $6 co-payment for generic drugs
• a $12 co-payment of Brand-Name drugs that are on our Preferred Brand-Name Drug list, or
• a $24 co-payment for Brand-Name drugs that are not on our Preferred Brand-Name Drug list (Non-Preferred drugs).

The Preferred Brand-Name Drug list can change and will be updated to ensure that newer, more effective drugs are on it. Drugs automatically come off the list when generic alternatives become available. To get the most updated list, go to www.bcbsvt.com, click on "Rx Center" and then "Preferred Brand-Name Drug List."

You pay the pharmacy for your deductible or co-payment. The pharmacy will bill us for the rest. You need not file claims if your VEHI plan is your primary coverage.

Use Network Pharmacies
You must use RESTAT network pharmacies to get full benefits from the VEHI plan. Most Vermont pharmacies and 97% of pharmacies nationwide currently belong to this network. All major chains (Rite-Aid, Brooks, CVS, etc.) participate.

If you travel, you may use any out-of-state pharmacy in the RESTAT network. Call (800) 248-1062 to locate a RESTAT pharmacy near your destination. You may also visit the "Find a Doctor" page of our website at www.bcbsvt.com to view a list of RESTAT network pharmacies. Some state laws may require you to transfer your prescription from your local pharmacy or have your doctor write you a new one. Alternatively, BCBSVT's customer service department may give you a waiver so that you can get a large enough supply of prescription drugs to last you on your trip. (You must pay one co-payment for each 30-day supply.)

How to Pay Lower Co-payments

Here are some tips to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses:

• Ask your physician to authorize a generic substitution whenever possible. This guarantees you the lowest co-payment in the three-tier system.

• When a generic is not available, ask your doctor if one of the drugs on the Preferred Brand-Name list would be appropriate for you. These drugs can often meet patient needs at a lower cost. If your physician prescribes a listed brand, you pay the $12 co-payment.

• If you use the mail order program for maintenance drugs, you may secure a 90-day supply for two co-payments instead of three.

Save a Co-payment with the Mail Order Program
If you use drugs on a maintenance basis, you can save money by using the mail order program.

If you buy your drugs through the mail order program, you only have to pay two co-payments for every 90-day supply. (For example, for a Brand-Name drug on the Preferred list, you will pay $24 for a 90-day supply.)

Compare this to buying drugs at the retail pharmacy. There, you must pay a co-payment for every 30-day supply of drugs you get. So, if your doctor prescribes a 90-day supply of a drug, you must pay three co-payments. (For example, for a Brand-Name drug on the Preferred list, you will pay $36 for a 90-day supply.)

Send our mail order pharmacy your doctor's prescription, an order form and your co-payment. You must send the original prescription by mail. You may use a web-based ordering system (www.ipsrx.com) or call a toll-free number to request refills. If you are using the mail-order service for the first time, you must also send a confidential patient profile and an enrollment form. To get an order form for the mail order program, call BCBSVT's customer service department at (800) 344-6690.