Value-Based Programs If you receive covered healthcare services under a Value-Based Program inside a Host Blue’s service area, you will not be responsible for paying any of the Provider Incentives, risk-sharing, and/or Care Coordinator Fees that are a part of such an arrangement, except when a Host Blue passes these fees to us through average pricing or fee schedule adjustments. The following defined terms only apply to the BlueCard section only: • Care Coordinator Fee is a fixed amount paid by us to providers periodically for Care Coordination under a Value-Based Program. • Care Coordination is organized, information-driven patient care activities intended to facilitate the appropriate responses to an enrolled member’s healthcare needs across the continuum of care. • Value-Based Program (VBP) is an outcomes-based payment arrangement and/or a coordinated care model facilitated with one or more local providers that is evaluated against cost and quality metrics/factors and is reflected in provider payment. • Provider Incentive is an additional amount of compensation paid to a healthcare provider by us, based on the provider’s compliance with agreed-upon procedural and/or outcome measures for a particular group of covered persons. Federal or state laws or regulations may require a surcharge, tax or other fee that applies to insured accounts. If applicable, we will include any such surcharge, tax or other fee as part of the claim charge passed on to you. • Enrolled Member Liability Calculation When covered healthcare services are provided outside of BCBSRI service area by nonparticipating providers, the amount an enrolled member pays for such services will generally be based on either the Host Blue’s nonparticipating provider local payment or the pricing arrangements required by applicable law. In these situations, the enrolled member may be responsible for the difference between the amount that the nonparticipating provider bills and the payment BCBSRI will make for the covered services as set forth in this paragraph. Federal or state law, as applicable, will govern payments, including but not limited to, emergency services, air ambulance services, and certain covered healthcare services rendered by a nonparticipating provider. • Exceptions In some exception cases, BCBSRI may pay claims from nonparticipating healthcare providers outside of BCBSRI service area based on the provider’s billed charge. This may occur in situations where an enrolled member did not have reasonable access to a participating provider, as determined by BCBSRI. In other exception cases, BCBSRI may pay such claims based on the payment BCBSRI would pay to a local nonparticipating provider (as described in the above subsection “How Non-network Providers Are Paid”). This may occur where the Host Blue’s corresponding payment would be more than BCBSRI in-service area nonparticipating provider payment. BCBSRI may choose to negotiate a payment with such a provider on an exception basis. Unless otherwise stated, in any of these exception situations, the enrolled member may be responsible for the difference between the amount that the nonparticipating healthcare provider bills and payment BCBSRI will make for the covered services as set forth in this paragraph. Blue Cross Blue Shield Global® Core If you are outside the United States (hereinafter “BlueCard service area”), you may be able to take advantage of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core when accessing covered healthcare services. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core is unlike the BlueCard Program available in the BlueCard service area in certain ways. For instance, although the Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core assists you with accessing a network of inpatient, outpatient and professional providers, the network is not served by a Host Blue. As such, when you receive care from providers outside the BlueCard service area, you will typically have to pay the providers and submit the claims yourself to obtain reimbursement for these services. • Inpatient Services: In most cases, if you contact the service center for assistance, hospitals will not require you to pay for covered inpatient services, except for your cost-share amounts/deductibles, coinsurance, etc. In such cases, the hospital will submit your claims to the service center to begin claims processing. However, if you paid in full at the time of service, you must submit a claim to receive reimbursement for covered healthcare services. • Outpatient Services: Physicians, urgent care centers and other outpatient providers located outside the BlueCard service area will typically require you to pay in full at the time of service. You must submit a claim to obtain reimbursement for covered healthcare services. Preauthorization may be required for outpatient services. • Submitting a Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core Claim: When you pay for covered healthcare services outside the BlueCard service area, you must submit a claim to obtain reimbursement. For institutional and professional claims, you should complete a Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Core claim form and send the claim form with the provider’s itemized bill(s) to the service center (the address is on the form) to initiate claims processing. Following the instructions on the claim form will help ensure timely processing of your claim. The claim form is available from BCBSRI, the service center or online at ▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇. If you need assistance with your claim submission, you should call the service center at ▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇ (2583) or call collect at ▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Performance Evaluations Employee performance shall be evaluated and communicated on a yearly basis as required under County policy. Performance evaluations are used to demonstrate to employees that they are valued; record how an employee’s performance meet the requirements of the job; create a job history record; identify employee strengths and areas for enhancement; assist the employee and supervisor in an effort to attain the highest level of performance; and reinforce performance standards. Every effort will be made to include substantiated information within an employee’s performance evaluation. Non-recurring discipline history which is more than two (2) years old will not be referenced in performance evaluations. The County shall ensure employee performance evaluations are conducted in accordance with County and departmental policy. Performance evaluations and disciplinary matters shall only be conducted by County employees. When an employee who does not agree with the overall rating he/she receives on his/her written performance evaluation, he/she shall discuss and attempt to resolve the differences with his/her immediate supervisor. If discussion with his/her immediate supervisor does not result in resolution of the differences, the employee may file a written request to meet with the next level of management. Said request shall state the unresolved issues and the specific changes in the written performance evaluation the employee is seeking. The appropriate manager shall meet with the employee to discuss the unresolved issues. If the issues are not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction following discussion with the appropriate manager, the employee may within thirty (30) working days file a written request for a meeting with the department head. Within fourteen (14) working days of receipt of a written request stating the unresolved issues and the desired changes in the written performance evaluation, the department head shall meet with the employee to discuss the issues. Within ten (10) working days of said meeting, the department head shall respond in writing to the employee. The decision of the Department Head shall be final and not subject to the grievance procedure. An employee may submit a written response to his/her evaluation that shall be placed in his/her personnel file.
Usage Measurement Usage measurement for calls shall begin when answer supervision or equivalent Signaling System 7 (SS7) message is received from the terminating office and shall end at the time of call disconnect by the calling or called subscriber, whichever occurs first.
Alternate Billed Calls 1.1 The Parties will engage in settlements of intraLATA intrastate alternate-billed calls (e.g., collect, calling card, and third-party billed calls) originated or authorized by their respective Customers in accordance with an arrangement mutually agreed to by the Parties.
Annual Evaluations The purpose of the annual evaluation is to assess and communicate the nature and extent of an employee's performance of assigned duties consistent with the criteria specified below in this Policy. Except for those employees who have received notice of non-reappointment pursuant to the BOT- UFF Policy on Non- reappointment, every employee shall be evaluated at least once annually. Personnel decisions shall take such annual evaluations into account, provided that such decisions need not be based solely on written faculty performance evaluations.