What You Need to Know
A high-deductible medical plan with no cost for coverage to covered members. The CORE plan is a high-deductible PPO that generally provides the same level of coverage, whether you receive care at an in-network provider or an out-of-network provider.
Have Questions or Need Help?
How it Works
See the plan comparison chart [PDF] for more coverage details.
CORE is a high-deductible medical plan with no cost to employees for coverage. You pay only for the care you receive. Prescription drug coverage is also included.
No-Cost Preventive Care
Preventive care, including services such as screenings, immunizations and exams for you and all covered family members when you see an in-network provider. (Out-of-network preventive care covered at 20% after the deductible.) Learn more about preventive care.
What You Pay for Care
Deductible
For all services except in-network preventive care, you first pay a deductible of $3,000 per covered person.
Cost for Care
After you meet the deductible, you pay 20% of the cost for most covered services.
Out-of-Pocket Maximum
This limits the amount you’ll pay for covered services during the year to a maximum of $6,350 (individual coverage) or $12,700 (family coverage), including the deductible. After you meet the out-of-pocket maximum, Anthem pays 100% for most covered medical services and Navitus pays for 100% of most prescription drugs, for the rest of the year.
No Surprises
Did you know that if you receive emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network doctor or specialist at a hospital or ambulatory surgical center in your plan’s network, you are protected from surprise billing?
Behavioral Health
You and your covered family members can use behavioral health benefits for sessions with counselors, psychologists or psychiatrists for mental health services and substance abuse treatment. If you need help finding a provider and booking and appointment, call Accolade at (866) 406-1182 Monday–Friday, 5 a.m.–8 p.m. PT. You can also speak to a therapist or psychologist virtually through Accolade Care Telehealth and Virtual Visits.
Prescription Drugs
Your prescription drug coverage includes medications that are part of the Navitus formulary. Log in to the Navitus member portal for a personalized view of your coverage and to preview drug costs, search for pharmacies, see your benefits, and view the Navitus formulary [PDF]. (Prospective members can use these features on the unsecured Navitus portal.)
At network pharmacies, you pay the full cost of prescriptions until you reach the plan deductible. After that, you pay 20% for most covered drugs. At out-of-network pharmacies, you pay 20% of the cost.
No-cost drugs: The plan provides $0 coverage for drugs covered by the Affordable Care Act, including over-the-counter smoking cessation products and prescription drugs and diabetes supplies (excluding syringes, needles and non-formulary test strips).
Specialty medications: You can fill prescription drugs used to treat complex conditions through either Lumicera Health Services or select UC pharmacies [PDF]. To get started with Lumicera, visit the website or call them at (855) 847-3553, or work with your provider to use a UC pharmacy. Lumicera offers free delivery to your home or other locations.
Money-saving options:
- Tablet splitting: Buy fewer tablets by breaking a higher-strength drug tablet in half to deliver the same prescribed dose as a full tablet. For medications that can easily be cut in half without compromising efficacy, you can save up to 50% on out-of-pocket costs by having your doctor write a prescription for double the strength (e.g., 20 mg instead of 10 mg) and simply splitting the tablets in half.
Coverage restrictions:
- Brand-name drug penalty: When a generic drug is available and you or your physician choose the brand-name drug, you must pay the tier 3 (non-preferred) copay plus the difference between the cost of the brand-name drug and the generic equivalent. If a prior authorization is approved for a medical necessity exception, you will pay the Tier 3 (non-preferred) cost.
- Prior authorization: Generally, your doctor must show that a particular drug is medically necessary. You or your physician will need to get approval from Navitus before the prescription can be filled. Log in to the Accolade digital member portal to learn more about prior authorization.
- Quantity limits: Taking too much medication or using it too often isn’t safe and may even increase your costs. If you refill a prescription too soon or your doctor prescribes an amount higher than recommended guidelines, the Navitus pharmacy system will reject your claim. If your doctor believes your situation requires an exception, the doctor can contact Navitus to request prior authorization review.
- Step therapy: In some cases, if your doctor prescribes a more expensive drug to treat your medical condition when a lower-cost alternative is available, Navitus requires you to first try the lower-cost drug before it will cover another drug for that condition. This includes medications used to treat ADHD, diabetes, high cholesterol and multiple sclerosis.
What is a Formulary?
Formulary Updates
Infertility Support
The journey to parenthood is not always easy. If you are struggling to conceive, WINFertility is here to help.
UC families enrolled in the Anthem UC Care, HSP, and CORE medical plans are provided a 2-cycle lifetime maximum benefit toward eligible expenses related to fertility treatment and related fertility medications. Coverage includes IVF, GIFT, and ZIFT coverage with 50% coinsurance (after deductible), up to a combined limit of two treatment cycles per lifetime, per member.
The benefit also includes artificial/intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles, assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and related services as well as infertility specialty medications. It does not cover expenses for surrogacy, fees associated with surrogacy or expenses for procuring donated oocytes or sperm.
All fertility services are subject to medical necessity and prior authorization by WINfertility, which will also provide a range of support services.
What You Can Expect
WIN will help you better understand your options so you can maximize your benefit and choose the best course of treatment. More importantly, WIN knows this can be an extremely stressful and emotional time in your life. We are here to support you through every step of your fertility journey.
- 24/7 access to WIN’s Nurse Care Managers for emotional guidance and support
- Assistance in selecting a high-quality, in-network provider based on your individual treatment needs
- Expertise in understanding complex information and decisions regarding infertility causes, testing and treatment option success rates and risk
- Guidance to help increase the efficient use of hormonal medications to avoid wastage and over-stimulation
- Education on your pharmacy dosing usage, storage, and medication side effects and also assistance in maximizing your infertility medication benefit
WINFertility will assist you in selecting the right provider and navigating the system, your care and benefits. Working together with your health plan network of doctors and pharmacies, we provide you with total support and coordination of care. WIN has you covered!
What It Costs
After any applicable deductible, you pay 50% coinsurance for each treatment cycle. (Maximum of two combined cycles per lifetime for each covered member.) Your costs do not count toward the plan’s out-of-pocket maximum.
Get Started
For benefit details and eligibility, contact WINFertility at (877) 451-3077, or visit managed.winfertility.com/universityofcalifornia. Service team members are available Monday–Friday 6 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PT. And download the WINFertility Companion app from Google Play or the App Store to take advantage of your benefits on the go. (App code: UCA23.)
For more details, see the WINFertility flyer [PDF] and detailed coverage information [PDF].
Find Care
The UC PPO plans give you a range of options to get care when you need it—from in person to virtual care (telehealth), and urgent care and emergency services through University of California Health Providers, the Anthem provider network, and Accolade Virtual Care and 2nd.MD. (Your primary care doctor and specialists may also offer virtual appointment options. Contact their office for more information.) You’re even covered when you’re traveling out of state or out of the country. Find the right care for your need.
Referrals and Prior Authorizations
Some specialists — and specialty treatment centers (like nephrology or infusion) — may require a referral from your primary care doctor or prior authorization from Accolade before you can make an appointment. When scheduling an appointment, call Accolade at (866) 406-1182, Monday–Friday, 5 a.m.–8 p.m. PT to ask if a preservice review or precertification is required prior to your initial visit.
Certain services, such as a planned surgery with an overnight hospital stay, require prior authorization from Accolade. If you have a procedure scheduled or a condition that will require treatment, you may need a preservice review. For assistance, call Accolade at (866) 406-1182, Monday–Friday, 5 a.m.–8 p.m. PT.
Filing Claims
Medical and Behavioral Health
When you see in-network providers, there are no claim forms to fill out. Your provider handles all the paperwork.
If you see an out-of-network provider for medical or behavioral health services or use an out-of-network pharmacy, it's up to you to submit a claim for reimbursement for services received or prescriptions.
The easiest way to file an out-of-network claim is to start with Accolade. Call (866) 406-1182 (Monday–Friday, 5 a.m.–8 p.m. PT) or visit the digital member portal. Accolade will direct you to the correct forms and answer any questions you have.
If you prefer, you can file out-of-network medical and behavioral health claims directly with Anthem through the Sydney Health app. Download it through the App Store or Google Play.
Pharmacy
When you fill prescriptions at Navitus network pharmacies, there are no claim forms to fill out. Your pharmacy handles all the paperwork. If you use an out-of-network pharmacy, it's up to you to submit a claim for reimbursement for services received or prescriptions. The easiest way to file an out-of-network claim is through the Navitus member portal.
Get Help
For questions about medical coverage, claims, finding providers and more, start with Accolade. Call (866) 406-1182 (Monday–Friday, 5 a.m.–8 p.m. PT) or visit the Accolade website.
For questions about prescription drug coverage and costs, call Navitus Customer Care at (833) 837-4308 or visit the Navitus member portal.
Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company is the claims administrator for UC PPO Plans. On behalf of Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company, Anthem Blue Cross processes and reviews the medical, pharmacy and behavioral health claims submitted under the PPO plans. Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Association. Anthem is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. Navitus is an independent company providing pharmacy benefit management services on behalf of the University of California for the PPO plans. Accolade is an independent company providing benefits advocacy services on behalf of the University of California for the PPO plans. Health Net is the claims administrator for the UC Blue & Gold HMO. Health Net processes and reviews the medical, pharmacy and behavioral health claims submitted under the UC Blue & Gold HMO. All plan benefits are provided by the Regents of the University of California. The content on this website provides highlights of your benefits under the UC non-Medicare PPO Plans plans and the Blue & Gold HMO. The official plan documents and administrative practices will govern in any and all cases.