The University Record, December 17, 1996
Benefits Office notes changes for new HMO members
Selecting or changing primary care physicians, or receiving health care identification cards may concern faculty and staff members who became new members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) during the University’s Open Enrollment period. The new health care plan becomes effective on Jan. 1.
Selecting or Changing PCPs
New members of HMOs will be contacted by their health care company for the selection of a primary care physician (PCP). Problems can develop for these new participants if services are needed prior to the selection of a PCP. In this situation the HMO should be contacted immediately.
PCP choices can be changed at any time. Most HMOs make the change effective the first of the month following a telephone request to the HMO. Some HMOs ask that the request be made before a certain day of the month. Members can call their HMO for answers about the change procedure.
Telephone numbers of the four HMOs are:
Care Choices Health Plan: 1-800-852-9780
Health Alliance Plan: 1-800-422-4641
Health Plus: 1-800-332-9161
M-CARE HMO, POS, or Grad Care: 913-2211 from Ann Arbor and 1-800-527-5549 from other areas.
Identification Cards
The expected date of delivery of identification cards for new HMO members is:
Care Choices Health Plan: Jan. 2
Health Alliance Plan: the week of Jan. 6
Health Plus: Dec. 20
M-CARE HMO, POS, or Grad Care: Jan. 2
Those who do not receive a card by the date listed for their HMO can call the HMO’s Member Service Department at the phone number listed above.
This information can also be found on the Benefits Office web page: http://www.umich.edu/~benefits/.
