Vaccinations are some of the most important tools available for preventing disease, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends Universal Annual Influenza Vaccination for all people aged six months and older. Through your ODS pharmacy benefit, you can receive convenient immunization services at network pharmacies.

Common influenza causes fever, sore throat, cough, chills, headache and muscle aches. The best time to get your flu shot is in October or November, before the height of flu season; however, vaccination later in the season also can help protect against the flu. The current influenza vaccine includes protection against H1N1, as well as the common flu, in a single vaccine. Covered products include inhalation and injectable formulations. High-dose and nasal influenza vaccines are covered for specific age ranges, based on FDA guidelines.  

ODS plans cover this immunization at no copay when members use a network pharmacy.

Call ahead of time to make sure the pharmacy has the vaccine you need. Show your ODS ID card to the pharmacist for billing before receiving a vaccine - otherwise, it may not be covered. The following participating chain pharmacies provide vaccines:

• Albertsons
• Sav-on
• Bi-Mart
• Fred Meyer
• Rite Aid
• Safeway

For more information on the flu vaccine billing process, a complete list of network pharmacies, or if you have questions, please call ODS Pharmacy Customer Service at 866-923-0411.   

ODS Plan 4 offers quality, cost-effective community care  

ODS Plan 4 is the Community Care Plan. ODS has partnered with select local providers to form a Community Care Network of providers to deliver the most cost-effective benefits to our members. When members seek care within our Community Care Network they receive high-quality, individualized care and integrated support from an interconnected group of providers that deliver proven results. The plan benefits are the same as Plan 5, but are offered at a lower premium. For Plan 4, a smaller network of providers - the ODS Community Care Network - is used.

Members who join the ODS Community Care Network have access to six systems of care, including Adventist Health, Legacy Health, Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU), Salem Health, St. Charles Medical Center and PeaceHealth, along with their affiliated clinics. We continue to evaluate systems of care in other geographic areas to expand the reach of the Community Care Plan. To locate participating providers, please visit  www.odscompanies.com/oebb and click on Find Care.

Access to digital Summary of Benefits and Coverage

To comply with new federal regulations aimed at making healthcare more understandable and user friendly, ODS has made digital Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBCs) available to our OEBB entities.

The SBCs allow members to review details about what their individual plan covers and what it costs, including:

• Overall deductibles
• Deductibles for specific services
• Copayment information by plan
• Out-of-pocket limit on expenses
• Services not covered by plan
• And much more  

The SBCs are now posted on the ODS OEBB member website. Employees can also access their individual SBCs through their personal myODS account.

ODS and Costco have teamed up to provide reimbursement for the purchase of hearing aids from any Costco Hearing Aid Center.

To qualify for the benefit, individuals must:

• have an active Costco membership
• be an ODS member with a current hearing aid benefit

The first step is to take a free hearing test at a Costco Hearing Aid Center. If the member then chooses to buy a hearing aid, they must pay Costco the full amount upfront and then complete and submit a reimbursement claim form, along with their paid receipt, to ODS. Reimbursement will be based on the in-network benefit at the time of purchase.

The program is part of an ongoing effort by ODS to partner with companies such as Quest Diagnostics and Coram to offer our members convenient, cost-effective healthcare benefits that meet their individual health and budget needs.

For questions, please contact ODS Customer Service toll-free at 866-923-4909.