Organ Transplants This plan covers organ and tissue transplants when ordered by a physician, is medically necessary, and is not an experimental or investigational procedure. Examples of covered transplant services include but are not limited to: heart, heart-lung, lung, liver, small intestine, pancreas, kidney, cornea, small bowel, and bone marrow. Allogenic bone marrow transplant covered healthcare services include medical and surgical services for the matching participant donor and the recipient. However, Human Leukocyte Antigen testing is covered as indicated in the Summary of Medical Benefits. For details see Human Leukocyte Antigen Testing section. This plan covers high dose chemotherapy and radiation services related to autologous bone marrow transplantation to the extent required under R.I. Law § 27-20-60. See Experimental or Investigational Services in Section 3 for additional information. To speak to a representative in our Case Management Department please call 1-401- 000-0000 or 1-888-727-2300 ext. 2273. The national transplant network program is called the Blue Distinction Centers for Transplants. SM For more information about the Blue Distinction Centers for TransplantsSM call our Customer Service Department or visit our website. When the recipient is a covered member under this plan, the following services are also covered: • obtaining donated organs (including removal from a cadaver); • donor medical and surgical expenses related to obtaining the organ that are integral to the harvesting or directly related to the donation and limited to treatment occurring during the same stay as the harvesting and treatment received during standard post- operative care; and • transportation of the organ from donor to the recipient. The amount you pay for transplant services, for the recipient and eligible donor, is based on the type of service.
Speech Therapy This plan covers speech therapy services when provided by a qualified licensed • loss of speech or communication function; or • impairment as a result of an acute illness or injury, or an acute exacerbation of a chronic disease. Speech therapy services must relate to: • performing basic functional communication; or • assessing or treating swallowing dysfunction. See Autism Services when speech therapy services are rendered as part of the treatment of autism spectrum disorder. The amount you pay and any benefit limit will be the same whether the services are provided for habilitative or rehabilitative purposes.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Medical Supplies, Prosthetic Devices, Enteral Formula or Food, and Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) This plan covers durable medical equipment and supplies, prosthetic devices and enteral formula or food as described in this section. DME is equipment which: • can withstand repeated use; • is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; • is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury; and • is for use in the home. DME includes supplies necessary for the effective use of the equipment. This plan covers the following DME: • wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other DME items used only for medical treatment; and • replacement of purchased equipment which is needed due to a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty, or cannot be repaired. DME may be classified as a rental item or a purchased item. In most cases, this plan only pays for a rental DME up to our allowance for a purchased DME. Repairs and supplies for rental DME are included in the rental allowance. Medical supplies are consumable supplies that are disposable and not intended for re- use. Medical supplies require an order by a physician and must be essential for the care or treatment of an illness, injury, or congenital defect. Covered medical supplies include: • essential accessories such as hoses, tubes and mouthpieces for use with medically necessary DME (these accessories are included as part of the rental allowance for rented DME); • catheters, colostomy and ileostomy supplies, irrigation trays and surgical dressings; and • respiratory therapy equipment. This plan covers diabetic equipment and supplies for the treatment of diabetes in accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-30. Covered diabetic equipment and supplies include: • therapeutic or molded shoes and inserts for custom-molded shoes for the prevention of amputation; • blood glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, external insulin infusion pumps and accessories, insulin infusion devices and injection aids; and • lancets and test strips for glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, and infusion sets for external insulin pumps. The amount you pay differs based on whether the equipment and supplies are bought from a durable medical equipment provider or from a pharmacy. See the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits and the Summary of Medical Benefits for details. Coverage for some diabetic equipment and supplies may only be available from either a DME provider or from a pharmacy. Visit our website to determine if this is applicable or call our Customer Service Department. Prosthetic devices replace or substitute all or part of an internal body part, including contiguous tissue, or replace all or part of the function of a permanently inoperative or malfunctioning body part and alleviate functional loss or impairment due to an illness, injury or congenital defect. Prosthetic devices do not include dental prosthetics. This plan covers the following prosthetic devices as required under R.I. General Law § 27-20-52: • prosthetic appliances such as artificial limbs, breasts, larynxes and eyes; • replacement or adjustment of prosthetic appliances if there is a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty and cannot be repaired; • devices, accessories, batteries and supplies necessary for prosthetic devices; • orthopedic braces except corrective shoes and orthotic devices used in connection with footwear; and • breast prosthesis following a mastectomy, in accordance with the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 and R.I. General Law 27-20-29. The prosthetic device must be ordered or provided by a physician, or by a provider under the direction of a physician. When you are prescribed a prosthetic device as an inpatient and it is billed by a provider other than the hospital where you are an inpatient, the outpatient benefit limit will apply. Enteral formula or food is nutrition that is absorbed through the intestinal tract, whether delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. Enteral nutrition is covered when it is the sole source of nutrition and prescribed by the physician for home use. In accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-56, this plan covers enteral formula taken orally for the treatment of: • malabsorption caused by Crohn’s Disease; • ulcerative colitis; • gastroesophageal reflux; • chronic intestinal pseudo obstruction; and • inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Food products modified to be low protein are covered for the treatment of inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Preauthorization may be required. The amount that you pay may differ depending on whether the nutrition is delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. When enteral formula is delivered through a feeding tube, associated supplies are also covered. This plan covers hair prosthetics (wigs) worn for hair loss suffered as a result of cancer treatment in accordance with R.I. General Law § 27-20-54 and subject to the benefit limit and copayment listed in the Summary of Medical Benefits. This plan will reimburse the lesser of the provider’s charge or the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. If the provider’s charge is more than the benefit limit, you are responsible for paying any difference. This plan covers Early Intervention Services in accordance with R.I. General Law §27- 20-50. Early Intervention Services are educational, developmental, health, and social services provided to children from birth to thirty-six (36) months. The child must be certified by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) to enroll in an approved Early Intervention Services program. Services must be provided by a licensed Early Intervention provider and rendered to a Rhode Island resident. Members not living in Rhode Island may seek services from the state in which they reside; however, those services are not covered under this plan. Early Intervention Services as defined by DHS include but are not limited to the following: • speech and language therapy; • physical and occupational therapy; • evaluation; • case management; • nutrition; • service plan development and review; • nursing services; and • assistive technology services and devices.
Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention and Control The hospital in consultation with the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) shall develop, establish and put into effect, musculoskeletal prevention and control measures, procedures, practices and training for the health and safety of employees.
Radiation Therapy/Chemotherapy Services This plan covers chemotherapy and radiation services. This plan covers respiratory therapy services. When respiratory services are provided in your home, as part of a home care program, durable medical equipment, supplies, and oxygen are covered as a durable medical equipment service.
Influenza Vaccine Upon recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health, all employees shall be required, on an annual basis to be vaccinated and or to take antiviral medication for influenza. If the costs of such medication are not covered by some other sources, the Employer will pay the cost for such medication. If the employee fails to take the required medication, she may be placed on an unpaid leave of absence during any influenza outbreak in the home until such time as the employee has been cleared by the public health or the Employer to return to the work environment. The only exception to this would be employees for whom taking the medication will result in the employee being physically ill to the extent that she cannot attend work. Upon written direction from the employee’s physician of such medical condition in consultation with the Employer’s physician, (if requested), the employee will be permitted to access their sick bank, if any, during any outbreak period. If there is a dispute between the physicians, the employee will be placed on unpaid leave. If the employee gets sick as a reaction to the drug and applies for WSIB the Employer will not oppose the application. If an employee is pregnant and her physician believes the pregnancy could be in jeopardy as a result of the influenza inoculation and/or the antiviral medication she shall be eligible for sick leave in circumstances where she is not allowed to attend at work as a result of an outbreak. This clause shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Hepatitis B Vaccine Where the Hospital identifies high risk areas where employees are exposed to Hepatitis B, the Hospital will provide, at no cost to the employees, a Hepatitis B vaccine.
Infectious Diseases The Employer and the Union desire to arrest the spread of infectious diseases in the nursing home. To achieve this objective, the Joint Health and Safety Committee may review and offer input into infection control programs and protocols including surveillance, outbreak control, isolation, precautions, worker education and training, and personal protective equipment. The Employer will provide training and ongoing education in communicable disease recognition, use of personal protective equipment, decontamination of equipment, and disposal of hazardous waste.
Anesthesia Services This plan covers general and local anesthesia services received from an anesthesiologist when the surgical procedure is a covered healthcare service. This plan covers office visits or office consultations with an anesthesiologist when provided prior to a scheduled covered surgical procedure.
Vaccination and Inoculation (a) The Employer agrees to take all reasonable precautions to limit the spread of infectious diseases among employees, including in-service seminars for employees. Where the Employer or Occupational Health and Safety Committee identifies high risk areas which expose employees to infectious or communicable diseases for which there are protective immunizations available, such immunizations shall be provided at no cost to the employee. The Committee may consult with the Medical Health Officer. Where the Medical Health Officer identifies such a risk, the immunization shall also be provided at no cost. The Employer shall provide Hepatitis B vaccine, free of charge, to those employees who may be exposed to bodily fluids or other sources of infection. (b) An employee may be required by the Employer, at the request of and at the expense of the Employer, to take a medical examination by a physician of the employee's choice. Employees may be required to take skin tests, x-ray examination, vaccination, and other immunization (with the exception of a rubella vaccination when the employee is of the opinion that a pregnancy is possible), unless the employee's physician has advised in writing that such a procedure may have an adverse effect on the employee's health.
