Editor’s Note: A revised insert on the health insurance plans is included as an insert in this issue of the Record. It reflects a change in rates for retirees for United of Omaha only.
From the Office of Staff Benefits
The annual open enrollment period for health insurance will be Oct. 19–30. During this period, staff members may enroll themselves and their eligible dependents in a health insurance plan or change health insurance vendors. Any enrollment or change received by the Office of Staff Benefits by Oct. 30 will be effective Jan. 1, 1993.
Eligibility:
Health insurance plans are available to regular staff with at least a 50 percent appointment or working 20 hours per week, and to graduate student assistants with at least a 25 percent appointment. House officers and research fellows are eligible regardless of percent of time worked. All appointments must be for a minimum of four months.
New for 1993:
—Blue Care Network of East Michigan: Office visit co-payment has increased to $10.
—Blue Care Network of Southeast Michigan: Office visit co-payment has increased to $10. The prescription drug co-payment has increased to $3, and includes contraceptives, needles and syringes.
—Health Alliance Plan: Now has a $10 co-payment for office visits.
Contributions:
Health insurance costs for staff members will change. Those selecting two-person or family coverage will share with the University the cost of coverage for most plans. The maximum University contribution will be $351.90 per month, up from the current rate of $317.71. One-person coverage for an active staff member will continue to be paid by the University. Retirees with Medicare coverage will find that most HMOs have a required monthly contribution.
Additional information:
The open enrollment brochure will be mailed to retirees/surviving spouses, active faculty and staff, those on leaves of absence, layoff or COBRA this week via third-class mail to the address on file with the Staff Records Office. The U.S. Postal Service will not forward third-class mail.
The brochure contains all the information needed by most people to make a decision about their health insurance options, including vendors’ addresses and phone numbers. The insert in this issue of the Record contains the coverage comparison chart and lists rates for all faculty and staff categories.
Most of the health insurance plans also will be mailing information directly to active and retired faculty and staff.
General Guidance:
In general, if you live or work within the service area of one of the six HMOs and are comfortable with using their physicians and hospitals exclusively, you will find that the HMOs will often provide more benefits and services at a lower cost to you.
If you usually use the U-M Hospitals and physicians, but want the ability to go elsewhere and still get partial reimbursement on major expenses, M-Preferred may be of interest to you.
If you want freedom of choice in physicians and hospitals, or if you live out-of-state or outside the service areas, then Blue Cross-Blue Shield and United Major Medical may be a good choice. Comprehensive Major Medical also offers freedom of choice but requires deductibles and co-payments on all services.
Deadline:
All enrollment and change forms must be postmarked or received by the Office of Staff Benefits by Oct. 30. Forms postmarked or received later than Oct. 30 will be rejected and returned. The Office of Staff Benefits also will accept facsimile copies of the open enrollment forms through Oct. 30 at 763-0363.
Sign-up locations:
—Campus: Office of Staff Benefits, 2030 Administrative Services Building, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., 763-1214.
—Medical Center: Office of Staff Benefits, Room NI8B03 (8th floor), 300 North Ingalls Building, 7:30 a.m.–11 a.m and noon–4 p.m., 764-6584.
—U-M-Dearborn: Personnel Office, 102 Classroom-Office Building, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., 593-5190.
—U-M-Flint: Personnel Office, 281 University Center Building, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., 762-3150.
