UC's annual Open Enrollment period begins next week and in important ways, this year is different. There are big changes, not only in UC's medical plan offerings, but also in the national health care environment.
The health care industry is in the midst of profound change, a process that will continue for the foreseeable future. The Affordable Care Act and the persistent increases in health care costs are forcing insurance carriers, medical care providers, employers and employees to adapt continuously.
As a result, UC has had to adjust in order to maintain the right balance between offering access to a broad and diverse range of providers, furnishing good choices for quality care and maintaining a medical benefit program that is affordable for both the university and its faculty and staff. A cross-functional Health Care Benefits Work Group deliberated for two years about the best ways to meet the challenges the current health care environment poses.
The outcome was a bid process resulting in big changes to medical benefits for 2014. Four plans that no longer offered the right value have been eliminated:
- Anthem Blue Cross PLUS
- Anthem Blue Cross PPO
- Anthem Lumenos PPO with HRA
- Health Net Full Network HMO
Two new plans — UC Care and Blue Cross Health Savings Plan — have been added. These new plans plus the remaining plans: Health Net Blue & Gold, Kaiser Permanente HMO, Western Health Advantage HMO and Core provide employees and their families with a range of choices for high-quality, affordable health insurance.
"The days are gone when UC and its faculty and staff can pick a medical plan and ride that choice for years without reengaging and reevaluating what works well for them," said Dwaine Duckett, vice president of systemwide human resources. "Given the current health care market, we expect change to be the norm."
What isn't changing, Duckett said, is UC's commitment to provide access to high-quality health care for employees and their families, even in a challenging and rapidly changing health insurance and health care delivery marketplace.
This year, UC is demonstrating that commitment in many ways:
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The university's investment in health and welfare benefits for employees will increase to $1.5 billion.
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UC will still pay most of the program and premium costs.
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Most people will see only small increases in medical premiums in 2014 and some will see their premiums go down.
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UC still offers medical plans with low or no premiums.
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Dental and vision insurance continues to be provided at no cost to faculty and staff.
"Because of these changes, we've lengthened the Open Enrollment period to allow people more time — until Nov. 26 — to evaluate their options and make their choice," Duckett said. "We're also visiting campuses to explain the changes and answer employees' questions, and local Benefits staff is available to help as well. We'll continue to be there after January 1 for those who have questions about their enrollment or how their plan works."
"We hope everyone takes the opportunity to enroll in a plan during Open Enrollment," Duckett said, "and we have a process in place to ensure everyone ends up with coverage that meets their needs."
Full details about the new medical plans and other benefits changes are available on the Open Enrollment website.
Employees may make changes beginning 8 a.m., Monday, Oct. 28. The Open Enrollment period ends at 5 p.m., Nov. 26.