Prescription drug coverage

You’ll get the UMP member discount when you buy prescription drugs through one of UMP’s network retail pharmacies, network mail-order pharmacies (Costco Mail Order Pharmacy and Postal Prescription Services), or network specialty drug pharmacy (Ardon Health). Always show your UMP member ID card at the pharmacy to make sure you pay the correct amount.

If you do not show your plan ID card, you will have to pay the full cash price and submit a Prescription Drug Claim Form. You also will not receive the plan discount. Prescriptions purchased from an excluded pharmacy will not be covered.

You can purchase your prescriptions (except specialty drugs) at a non-network pharmacy, but you’ll pay more if you do. You don't get the plan discount, and you will need to submit your own claim to Washington State Rx Services for reimbursement. Use the Pharmacy Locator Tool to find a network pharmacy near you.

For prescription drugs purchased outside the United States, contact Washington State Rx Services.

Washington State Rx Services has a large network of retail pharmacies. Not only will you save money when you use network pharmacies, but the pharmacy will send claims to Washington State Rx Services for you.

Enjoy the convenience of home delivery. Costco Mail Order Pharmacy and Postal Prescription Services (PPS) are UMP’s only network mail-order pharmacies. You can order new prescriptions and refills, check order status, manage prescriptions, and track your package. UMP’s network mail-order pharmacies cannot ship outside of the United States.

When using Costco Mail Order Pharmacy or PPS, the same cost share, pre-authorization requirements, and limits on coverage apply as for prescription drugs purchased at retail network pharmacies. To learn more, contact Washington State Rx Services, Costco, or PPS.

Sign up for mail order with Costco.
Sign up for mail order with PPS.

Specialty drugs are high-cost injectable, infused, oral, or inhaled prescription drugs or products that require special storage or handling and are subject to additional rules. You may find out if a drug is a specialty drug by checking the UMP Preferred Drug List. These drugs are covered only when purchased through UMP’s network specialty drug pharmacy, Ardon Health. If Ardon Health cannot dispense the drug, they will direct you to another specialty pharmacy that can provide the drug. Contact Washington State Rx Services to learn more.

You can get covered, preventive vaccinations at no cost at a network vaccination pharmacy. Not all pharmacies offer vaccinations, so check with the pharmacy before you go. Present your UMP member ID card at the pharmacy counter before receiving a vaccine. You can also get vaccinations through your preferred or network provider.

To find out which vaccinations are considered preventive, check the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) immunizations schedules. Note that some covered immunizations are classified as “may be recommended” depending on medical condition or lifestyle. For those immunizations to be covered as preventive, you must meet the criteria described on the CDC schedule.

The plan does not cover immunizations for travel or employment, even when recommended by the CDC or required by travel regulations.

There are several factors that determine whether a drug is covered and how much it’ll cost. Use these tools to find out more about the prescription drugs you take.

Use the UMP Preferred Drug List to find out if a drug:

• Is covered by your plan
• Needs pre-authorization
• Is a specialty drug and must be bought through the plan’s specialty drug pharmacy, Ardon Health
• Has any limits on coverage

Use the Drug Price Check tool for UMP Classic, UMP Select, UMP CDHP, and UMP Plus to estimate the cost of your drug.

• If you have UMP Classic or UMP Select, the prices for the Tier 2 drugs listed assume you’ve met your prescription drug deductible. For these Tier 2 drugs, you will pay the entire cost of prescription drugs until you meet your prescription drug deductible. Once you have met this deductible for the year, you only pay your coinsurance.

• If you have UMP CDHP, the prices listed assume you have met your combined (medical and prescription drug) deductible. You will pay the entire cost of prescription drugs until you meet your combined deductible. Once you have met your deductible for the year, you only pay your coinsurance.

• UMP Plus does not have a prescription drug deductible so the prices shown are an estimate of what you will pay.

You can request an exception for a noncovered drug by having your prescribing provider request pre-authorization. If the exception is approved, you will pay:

• UMP Classic, UMP Select, or UMP Plus: Tier 2 cost-share
• UMP CDHP: 15% coinsurance after deductible is met

When you use a network pharmacy and show your UMP member ID card, your claims are submitted for you. If you use a non-network pharmacy, don’t show your ID card, or have other drug coverage that pays first, you may need to submit your own prescription drug claim to Washington State Rx Services for reimbursement. Prescriptions purchased from an excluded pharmacy will not be covered. Use the Pharmacy Locator Tool to find a network pharmacy near you.

To submit a claim, download the Prescription Drug Claim Form, fill it out, and send it, along with your pharmacy receipts, to the address listed on the form.

Log in to your pharmacy account to view your prescription claims history and access the Drug Information Checker to learn how your prescription and over-the-counter drugs interact with each other.

Go to your pharmacy account.

Some policies and programs may limit your prescription drug coverage.

• Limits on prescription drug coverage
  Your plan does not cover some prescription drugs. Drugs on the UMP Preferred Drug List may be covered when they are medically necessary for your health condition. Drugs not on the Preferred Drug List may be covered if an exception request is granted, which may happen if preferred alternative drugs are inappropriate or not effective for your condition. Excluded drugs are not covered by UMP. You can find out if your drug’s coverage is limited by checking the UMP Preferred Drug List or calling Washington State Rx Services.

• Pre-authorization
  Some drugs need pre-authorization to determine whether they are medically necessary and meet criteria for coverage. Find out if your drug needs pre-authorization by calling Washington State Rx Services or checking the UMP Preferred Drug List. You and your prescribing provider can also check the UMP Drug Policy Part 1 and UMP Drug Policy Part 2 for coverage criteria. If your drug needs pre-authorization, you, your pharmacist, or your provider must call Washington State Rx Services to request it. Drugs covered under the medical benefit rather than the prescription drug benefit have different rules for pre-authorization. Call UMP Customer Service for details.

• Step therapy
  When a drug is part of the step therapy program, you must try certain drugs (Step 1) before the plan will cover the prescribed Step 2 drug. To find out if step therapy applies to your drug, check the UMP Preferred Drug List or call Washington State Rx Services.

• Generic drug substitutions
  When a brand-name drug has a generic equivalent or interchangeable biosimilar, pharmacists in Washington State must substitute the generic equivalent or interchangeable biosimilar for the brand-name or biologic prescription drug. Your provider may write the prescription “dispense as written” if they want you to get the brand-name or biologic prescription drug. Or you can tell the pharmacist you want the brand-name or biologic drug. Regardless of whether you or your prescribing provider ask the pharmacist to “dispense as written,” if you get the non-covered prescription drug, the plan may not cover brand-name drugs with generic equivalents. See "Requesting an exception for noncovered prescription drugs" in your plan's certificate of coverage for more information on how to request an exception.

• Therapeutic Interchange Program
  The Washington State Therapeutic Interchange Program allows a pharmacist to substitute a "therapeutic alternative" drug for a noncovered drug in certain cases. Therapeutic alternatives are drugs that are chemically different from your prescribed drug but provide the same therapeutic benefit.

• Travel overrides
  If you’re planning to travel for an extended period, you can request a travel override up to two weeks before your departure to get an extra supply of prescription drugs by calling Washington State Rx Services. You may request no more than two travel overrides per calendar year, including all travel within or outside the United States.

• Emergency fills
  Emergency fill lets you get a limited quantity of certain drugs while the plan processes your pre-authorization request. This option is only available when a delay could result in emergency care, hospital admission, or a serious threat to your health or others in contact with you. To learn more, call Washington State Rx Services.

• Refill too soon
  The plan will not cover a refill or an emergency fill until 84% of the last prescription should be used up. This also applies if your prescription is destroyed, lost, expired, or stolen.

• Over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements
  The plan does not cover over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements, except for a few that are specifically noted in the UMP Preferred Drug List. To learn more contact Washington State Rx Services.

• Prescription drug discount cards
  Show your UMP ID card first at the pharmacy counter for covered prescription drugs. If a prescription drug is not covered by the plan, you may use a prescription drug discount card to save money. Prescription drug discount cards are not considered insurance and cannot be used in combination with your UMP prescription drug benefit.

  If you use a prescription drug discount card and the drug is covered by your UMP benefit, the amount you pay will not apply to your prescription drug deductible or prescription drug out of pocket maximum. Prescription drugs purchased using a prescription discount drug card will not be covered by UMP’s prescription drug benefit, even if you pay out of pocket and submit a claim. Be sure to verify at the pharmacy which card they are using to fill your prescriptions to avoid accidentally using the prescription discount drug card for prescription drugs covered under your UMP benefit.

• Diabetes care supplies
  UMP covers most diabetes care supplies under the prescription drug benefit. However, some supplies may be covered under the UMP medical benefit. To learn more, read the "Diabetes care supplies" section in your plan's certificate of coverage. For Medicare retirees, coverage may be different depending on whether Medicare pays the claim under the Part B medical benefit. To learn more visit Medicare coverage.

• Hospice care for prescription drugs
  For covered prescription drugs, UMP members in hospice care receive special coverage when using network pharmacies, including the network specialty drug pharmacy and the network mail-order pharmacies After you meet your prescription drug deductible, you pay $0 for all covered prescription drugs purchased through a network pharmacy for members in hospice care. This applies only to the member in hospice care. To request hospice coverage, you, your family member, or the hospice provider can contact Washington State Rx Services.

• Early refill for natural disaster
  You may request an early refill for your prescription when you need to evacuate for a natural disaster. To request an early refill or to locate pharmacies that remain open near you, call Washington State Rx Services.

UMP covers many different types of drugs that are used to manage your health. Depending on the type of drug, UMP may cover it either under your prescription drug benefits or under your medical benefit.

Drugs covered under your prescription drug benefits include those that you receive through retail pharmacies, the network mail-order pharmacies, or network specialty pharmacy. Washington State Rx Services administers UMP’s prescription drug benefit, and most of this webpage talks about these types of prescription drugs.

Drugs that need to be taken with health care supervision are usually referred to as provider-administered drugs. These drugs are covered under your medical benefit, which Regence BlueShield manages.

Learn more about coverage of provider-administered drugs for specific diseases, pre-authorization requirements, the UMP Medical Preferred Drug List, and approved sites of care by visiting the Policies that affect your care webpage.

COVID tests are covered at no cost to you under your Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) prescription drug benefit. Each member on your plan can receive up to two test kits per month. Use the Pharmacy Locator Tool to locate a network pharmacy. Be sure to present your UMP member ID card and make your purchase at the pharmacy counter to have your test kits process to your pharmacy benefit. Your benefit covers up to $12 per test kit purchased.

If you purchase a test kit at a non-network pharmacy or retail location, or pay for your kit out-of-pocket, you must complete the OTC COVID-19 At Home Test Claim Form to receive reimbursement up to the allowed amount. Submit the completed form along with your receipts to the address or fax number listed on the form.

Note: At-home COVID tests are not covered under the UMP medical benefit.

Getthefactsrx.com features the Starts with One campaign, which is designed to inform and educate young adults, their parents, and older adults about the dangers of prescription drug misuse and the importance of safe storage, use, and disposal. This campaign is funded by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA).

WA Tribal Opioid Solutions provides educational resources for Tribes and tribal organizations working to address opioid prevention, overdose response, and treatment. This campaign is funded by HCA and the SAMHSA State Opioid Response and informed by recommendations from tribal leaders.

When you have questions about your prescription drug coverage or need help finding a network pharmacy, contact Washington State Rx Services.

WSRxS, Ardon Health, Costco Mail Order Pharmacy, and Postal Prescription Services do not provide BlueCross BlueShield services and are separate companies solely responsible for their products/services.