OPEN ENROLLMENT; JULY 17-25
As you are aware, healthcare costs are continuing to
increase with many companies receiving double digit increases. For Independent,
our Health Plan’s experience is good and we are pleased to say we received no
increase for the upcoming plan year! This means no increase to your
contributions, and no changes to the plan!
NEW for 2015-2016! Voluntary Accident
Insurance: Independent is pleased to offer you the opportunity to
purchase Voluntary Accident Insurance for you and your dependents. Many
of you asked about AFLAC. This coverage is similar to that benefit. This
coverage provides you with income replacement in the event you or your enrolled
covered dependents are injured as a result of an accident on or off the
job. Covered benefits include, but are not limited to:
•
Emergency Care Benefits: You can receive $150 if you need to visit the
Emergency Room due to an accident
•
General Treatment Benefits: If you are hospitalized, you will receive
$200 per day, up to 365 days
•
Specific Covered Injury & Treatment Benefits: Fractures,
Dislocations, Burns, Lacerations – differing reimbursement amounts based on
injury
•
Surgery Benefits: Differing reimbursement amounts based on type of
surgical procedure
•
Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Benefit varies depending on
coverage election, however, this amount is in addition to the Basic
Life/AD&D benefit that is paid by Independent on your behalf
Medical:
For the 2015-2016 Plan Year, Independent will continue to
subsidize the employee premium at a significant percentage in all levels. The
dependent premium will be paid entirely by the employee. The smoker surcharge
will continue to remain at 30%.
There are no changes in the benefit design offered under the
Low Premium /Consumer Driven and High Premium EPO (Exclusive Provider
Organization) plans. These plans offer in-network coverage only. There are no
Out-of-Network benefits. EPO members can access In-Network PPO providers
anywhere in the nation. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's website
bluecares.com, provides online access to the most current listing of providers.
EPO members can also find network providers by calling a BlueCard customer
service representative at 800.810.BLUE (2583).
1. The Consumer Directed (Low premium Option) Plan
is an EPO plan with a $2,500 employee only deductible and a $5,000 family
deductible. This plan’s design is to foster better understanding of medical
costs and the value of discounts prior to making our health care choices.
Preventive care will continue to be covered at 100%, the deductible will not
apply. The costs are:
*Regular per
pay period premium for medical & prescription coverage will be $78 for
Employee only: $304 for Employee + Child(ren); $567 for Employee + Spouse; and,
$755 for Family.
*There is a 30%
discount for non-tobacco users. Those per pay period premiums will be $60 for
Employee only; $234 for Employee + Child(ren), $436 for Employee Spouse; and,
$581 for Family.
2. EPO (High
Premium/Low Deductible) option plan: The EPO
(high premium) plan has a deductible of $500 and $1,500 family deductible.
Preventive care will continue to be covered at 100%, the deductible will not
apply. The costs are:
*The regular per pay premium will be: $126 for Employee
only, $376 for Employee + Child (ren), $688 for Employee +spouse; $925 for
Family.
*The tobacco-free discount (30% discount) per pay period
will be: $97 for Employee only, $289 for Employee + Child(ren), $529 for
Employee + spouse, $711 for Family.
To help control your out-of-pocket costs, we encourage
employees and dependents to take advantage of the Plan’s preventive benefits.
Your annual physical, for example, is 100% covered --- with no co-pay or
deductible cost to you. Schedule your annual physical and follow the plan’s
guidelines for staying healthy. Please also note that if you purchase Voluntary
Accident Insurance, you will receive a reimbursement of $50 for seeing your
Physician for an Annual Physical!
*********
Dental:
The Plan’s carrier is United Concordia, a subsidiary of HighmarkDE. There is a
slight increase in the dental premiums while the Plan remains the same. The
bi-weekly premium for the optional Dental plan are: $14 (from $13) - Employee
only, $21 (from $20) - Employee+child (ren), $31 (from $29) -
Employee+spouse, $37 – Family (from $35)
NEW - Voluntary Accident Coverage – The
Plan’s carrier is Reliance Standard. This coverage is 100% employee paid.
The bi-weekly premium for the optional Accident Coverage plan are:
Employee Only: $7.50, Employee + Spouse: $12.00, Employee +
Child(ren): $15.50, Family: $20.50
Life Insurance and Long
Term Disability – There are no changes in the rates for life and
long term disability insurances. Any changes in your rate are as a result of
your age and salary change respectively.
******
Health Advocate - Health Advocate services continue to be available
to you, your family and extended family. For extended family members to
utilize this service, they need only to reference they are your relative who is
employed by Independent Newsmedia. Health Advocate can assist you and
your family with issues ranging from understanding an EOB, to assistance in
finding daycare. Health Advocate can also assist with matters related to
claim denials/appeals, locating a Physician and can even schedule the
appointment for you. In the current landscape of Healthcare, everyone can
use a little help. Health Advocate is there for you to do so, at no cost
to you.
Independent’s Benefits Consultants will be conducting
webinars during the week of July 13th. We encourage employees to participate in
a Webinar, as this is your opportunity to ask questions about your benefit
package, how to handle claims issues, understand how to navigate the ever
changing healthcare system. For those who have specific questions, unique to
their personal situation, an open line will be made available to you on July
17th from 10am – 4pm EST. Please note- if you dial in and there is a
discussion in progress, the moderator will kindly ask for your personal
information and will set aside a time that works for you to dial-in again.
Please review the webinar schedule and choose the session
that bests fits your schedule. The webinar invite link will besent
through email blasts. If you do not receive a notification for a session
you wish to attend, contact
inipayroll@newszap.com.
Schedule:
DATES
|
Tuesday
|
Wednesday
|
July 14, 2015
|
July 15, 2015
|
|
Session 1
|
Session 3
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar
link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
******
4:00 pm – 4:30 PM
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
*********
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar
link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
Session 2
Eastern Time
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
Session 4
Eastern Time
|
|
|
Thursday
|
Friday
|
July 16, 2015
|
July 17th
|
Session 5
11:00 am – 11:30 am
|
Open Dial-In
10:00 am – 4pm
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar
link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
*********
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
|
Refer to Calendar invite for webinar
link
Dial-in: 1-888-549-3557
Passcode: 2056163
Session 6
Eastern Time
|
Eastern Time
|
|
|
You
only need to re-enroll if
you wish to make a change to your current selections.
If
you do not make changes during Open Enrollment, the only other time you may do
so is if you experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). A QLE
includes: Birth or Adoption of a child, Death, Divorce, Court ordered
coverage, Marriage, or an extraordinary change in financial status. The Self Service
Open Enrollment site will be available from July 18th – July 25th.
[ClickHERE to log onto
Ceridian Self Service for open enrollment. The ENROLLMENT
flag that appears at the top will continue to display until open
enrollment ends.]
