Preparation is key to making the best decisions about health insurance, life insurance and retirement for you and your family.
To help you plan for annual benefits enrollment, there is a new employee benefits website you can visit to learn about your 2015 benefit options. That website can be found here and includes an interactive tool called Decision Direct that gives you tips on which plan works best for you and your family.
There also will be a Benefits and Wellness Fair from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, October 30 on The Auxiliary Bridge. Representatives from at least 15 vendors, including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Fidelity and Prudential, will be present to provide you with information and answer any questions you might have about next year’s benefits package. There also will be prizes and giveaways, so don’t miss out on this exciting event.
Another tool that will aid you in the decision-making process is the newsletter mailed to your home last week. The publication highlights your benefit options and some changes for 2015. It also provides information on tools that can help make the enrollment process simple and successful.
In addition to the benefits fair, there will be several opportunities during the upcoming weeks to ask questions about the 2015 benefits package and to enroll in whatever plan you choose. Human resource representatives will be visiting various departments throughout the organization and will have information and enrollment booths set up in high-traffic areas throughout the enrollment period.
Enrollment this year for 2015 benefits is from Thursday, October 30 through Friday, November 14. If you want to change plans or coverage levels, or if you want to participate in the Flexible Spending Account, you’ll need to elect your benefits during the enrollment period. If you don’t actively enroll during that time, your current medical, dental and other benefits will automatically carry over next year. Flexible Spending Account participation does not carry over from one year to the next, so you will need to reenroll.
Some of the changes to the 2015 benefits package include:
Medical and Prescription Drug Coverage
- Additional Plan Option: Texas Children’s is introducing the Consumer Plus Plan (CPP), a consumer-directed health plan that includes a health reimbursement account (HRA) funded by Texas Children’s.
- Increased EPO Expenses: An annual deductible will be introduced for both individual and family coverage under the EPO, and your coinsurance for services will increase to 10 percent.
- Prescription Drug Coinsurance: Coinsurance will now apply to brand-name prescription drugs purchased under the EPO and PPO plans. All three plans will have a copay for generic drugs.
- Premium Changes: Some employees with children enrolled in the PPO and EPO plans will see a decrease in premiums. Premiums will increase for employees who are enrolling only themselves in one of the plans.
Dental Plans
- Reduced Dental Premiums: Dental rates will be 5 percent lower in 2015, regardless of the plan or coverage tier you select.
- Discounted Orthodontia: Discounted orthodontia will now be available onsite from Dr. John Wirthlin, including traditional braces and Invisalign for adults. These services will be available to all employees, regardless of whether they enroll in dental plan coverage.
Eligible Dependents
- Domestic partners and their children will be eligible for coverage under our benefits plans. This coverage includes both same-sex and opposite-sex partners, whether under legally married or common-law relationships.