March 7, 2023

Texas Children’s is thrilled about the return of Baylor MedCare (Baylor) and CommonSprit Health/St. Luke’s to Cigna Healthcare networks. As a premiere employer focused on prioritizing your health and well-being, we work, diligently, to ensure that you have access to resources that will positively impact your lives.

Strong bonds with trusted providers are invaluable.

The agreement between Cigna and Baylor, and Cigna and St. Luke’s, allows you to partner with doctors and health care professionals within these provider networks that you feel are a best fit for you and your family. With that in mind, please note that Baylor rejoined the Cigna network, effective January 9, 2023. Please also be aware that CHI St Luke’s Health System rejoined the Cigna network, effective March 1, 2023.

Baylor and CHI St Luke’s Health staff are prepared for the change. While Cigna anticipates no challenges with your providers rejoining its network, the organization does have a support team in place to help you navigate through the re-engagement. You can reach a Cigna One Guide Advocate at 1-800-342-6664, by chat on myCigna.com or through the myCigna App.

Thank you, Texas Children’s employees, for your dedicated service to women and children. We are honored to support you with the highest quality care and services available.

 

November 10, 2022

FY22 was an exciting year of growth for Texas Children’s – with a 34% increase in offers accepted, Texas Children’s has grown to more than 15,000 team members. Thanks to increased engagement on the retention and recruiting fronts, we’ve reached a higher-than-ever headcount. In the spirit of hiring extraordinary individuals who dare to dream big and deliver on our mission, 5,052 offers were accepted in 2022 – 74% by external candidates and 26% internal.

E.A.R.N. Employee Referral program empowers our best recruiters – you

Let’s keep all of this momentum going in 2023! As we grow in Houston and Austin, we’re always looking for more team members who support our mission of creating a healthier future for children and women. Learn more about how you can get paid for referring candidates who join our team through our E.A.R.N. (Everyone is A Recruiter Now) Program, which pays up to $5,000 for referring qualified candidates who fill high-demand roles.

We know our people make all of the difference in the lives our patients, families, members and each other. We look forward to meeting and bringing more amazing team members on board in 2023, who will help lead the way to many more tomorrows together.

We’re in the final week of 2023 Annual Enrollment, with just a few days left to submit your benefit elections by Friday, November 11, at 11:59 p.m. If you do not take action by the deadline, you will be enrolled based on your current 2022 elections with the exception of the Flexible Spending Accounts, which must be re-elected annually.

For a complete overview of 2023 benefits, refer to the What’s New page on TexasChildrensBenefits.org, then make the best elections for you and your family in 2023.

Focus on your financial well-being and get in-person enrollment support

Our final virtual session focuses on Texas Children’s retirement plans, today, Tuesday, November 8, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Click here and take the following steps to attend: 1) Select “Attend a learning event” 2) Type “Texas Children’s” in the Employer Name field 3) Select “Virtual Event” in the Event Type field 4) Click to register for “Ask Fidelity: How to make the Most of Your Retirement Savings.”

Benefits team members will be on-site at The Woodlands and the Medical Center this week to help you navigate available benefits.

Event/Location/Date/Time
The Woodlands Lobby
Wednesday, November 9: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Feigin Building 19th Floor
Room C.014.0.05
Friday, November 11: 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Important reminders

Select Dollars. Texas Children’s will continue to contribute majority of the costs associated with our medical plans and will also continue its commitment of providing all full-time and part-time employees with additional funds (Select Dollars) on a bi-weekly basis to help offset the cost of benefit premiums, regardless of whether you are enrolled in Texas Children’s medical benefits.

Benefit changes. Under federal regulations, benefit changes after Annual Enrollment ends are not permitted except for qualified life events and job status changes. Otherwise, the next opportunity to change your benefit elections will be during the Fall 2023 Benefits Annual Enrollment period.

PERMA Profiler Well-Being Survey. Remember to take our new annual survey if you haven’t done so already. The confidential PERMA measures five areas of your well-being – Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. You can get confidential immediate results, while helping us plan initiatives that help you be your best self. You will find the survey link on the What’s New page at TexasChildrensBenefits.org or by clicking here. For an optimal experience, we recommend you complete the survey while on the Texas Children’s network.

QUESTIONS? NEED HELP?

Ask Emma, Your Personal Digital Benefits Advisor

Available 24/7 in both English and Spanish from any desktop or mobile device, Ask Emma offers confidential guidance and advice to help you select the right benefits for you and your family.

Texas Children’s Benefits Service Center

Our Benefits team is available to help from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Spanish language assistance is also available via phone and web chat.

  • Phone 832-824-2421 (select option 1 and then option 1 again for Benefits).
  • Web chat (located at the top of your Benefits homepage).
November 2, 2022

We are in Week 2 of our three-week 2023 Annual Enrollment period, running now through 11:59 p.m. Friday, November 11. There’s still plenty of time to attend an event, get support and explore benefit options for you and your family.

You can learn about all of our benefit updates for 2023 and find the options that are right for you on the What’s New page at TexasChildrensBenefits.org. Along with comprehensive coverage options featuring no rate increases for the next year, we are offering on-site and virtual events to focus on your physical, mental and financial health.

Week 2 and 3 On-site Events, Virtual Sessions and Support

Benefits Fairs. Talk with Benefits team members and vendors about the resources and benefits available to help you meet your well-being goals.

Tuesday, November 1, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Pavilion for Women
4th Floor Conference Rooms
E.475.80 and F.0475.70

Wednesday, November 2, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
West Campus Lobby

Wednesday, November 2, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Medical Center
The Auxiliary Bridge

Friday, November 4, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Woodlands Lobby

Monday, November 7, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
6330 West Loop
Basement Conference Room

In-person Enrollment Support. Benefits team members will be on-site to help you navigate available benefits throughout Week 3 at the following locations.

Monday, November 7, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
West Campus Room WA210

Wednesday, November 9, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The Woodlands Lobby

Friday, November 11, 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Feigin Building 19th Floor
Room C.014.0.05

Financial Health Virtual Presentation. Fidelity will lead a session with Q&A on Tuesday, November 8, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., specifically focusing on Texas Children’s retirement plans. Click here and take the following steps to attend: 1) Select “Attend a learning event” 2) Type “Texas Children’s” in the Employer Name field 3) Select “Virtual Event” in the Event Type field 4) Click to register for “Ask Fidelity: How to make the Most of Your Retirement Savings.”

PERMA Profiler Well-Being Survey. During Annual Enrollment you are encouraged to participate in our new annual survey, which measures five areas of your well-being – Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. You can get confidential immediate results, while helping us plan initiatives that help you be your best self. You will find the survey link and assess your well-being on the What’s New page at TexasChildrensBenefits.org or by clicking here. For an optimal experience, we recommend you complete the survey while on the Texas Children’s network.

Important things to remember during Annual Enrollment

Select Dollars. Texas Children’s will continue to contribute the majority of the costs associated with our medical plans and will also continue its commitment of providing all full-time and part-time employees with additional funds (Select Dollars) on a bi-weekly basis to help offset the cost of benefit premiums, regardless of whether you are enrolled in Texas Children’s medical benefits.

Benefit changes. Under federal regulations, benefit changes after Annual Enrollment ends are not permitted except for qualified life events and job status changes. Otherwise, the next opportunity to change your benefit elections will be during the Fall 2023 Benefits Annual Enrollment period.

Questions? Need Help?

Ask EMMA, Your Personal Digital Benefits Advisor

Available 24/7 in both English and Spanish from any desktop or mobile device, Ask Emma offers confidential guidance and advice to help you select the right benefits for you and your family.

Benefits Team online and onsite Support

Click here to schedule an appointment between November 8 – 10 with a member of our Benefits team.

Texas Children’s Benefits Service Center

Our Benefits team is available to help from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 5. Spanish language assistance is also available via phone and web chat.

  • Phone 832-824-2421 (select option 1 and then option 1 again for Benefits).
  • Web chat (located at the top of your Benefits homepage).
October 26, 2022

It’s time to plan for your best Tomorrow, Together during 2023 Annual Enrollment, running now through 11:59 p.m. Friday, November 11.

Exciting updates for 2023 include no rate increases for medical, dental and vision benefits. Learn more and find the options that are right for you on the What’s New page at TexasChildrensBenefits.org.

This year, we are offering three weeks of on-site events, virtual sessions and support all geared toward helping you live your best today and reach your best tomorrow.

Week 1 Interactive Health Events. Kick off your annual enrollment experience by visiting our “Be Your Best You” areas, including massage chairs, spiritual and mental health stations, exercise demonstrations and InBody Health Assessments to help guide your physical well-being. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representatives and Workforce Chaplains will be available to provide emotional support and talk about mental and physical benefit offerings while you engage in activities.

Schedule your InBody Health Assessment appointment ahead of time at The Medical Center | West Campus | The Woodlands.

Event / Location / Date  / Time
Pavilion for Women 4th Floor
Conference Rooms
E.475.80 and F.0475.70
Tuesday, October 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

West Campus Lobby and Conference Room
WH-01A (WC.150.10)
Wednesday, October 26, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The Woodlands
WL.0280.02 Conference Center B
Friday, October 28, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Week 1 Virtual Benefits Fair. Austin-based, Texas Children’s Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Urgent Care, Health Plan and remote employees are invited to join Benefits, Well-Being and Cigna representatives for a unique virtual Benefits Fair experience on Thursday, October 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here to join the Zoom meeting.

Find Week 2 and 3 events under Upcoming Events on Connect, as well as the What’s New page at TexasChildrensBenefits.org. Highlights include:

  • Benefits Fairs – Talk with Benefits team members and vendors about the resources and benefits available to help you meet your well-being goals at multiple locations.
  • On-site Enrollment Support – Benefits team members will be on-site at The Woodlands, West and Main campuses to offer in-person assistance.
  • Financial Health Virtual Presentation – Don’t miss the “Ask Fidelity: How to make the Most of Your Retirement Savings” virtual session during Week 3, with the opportunity to engage in Q&A.
Help us plan initiatives so you can Be Your Best You

We are excited to offer the PERMA Profiler Well-Being Survey, which measures five areas of your well-being – Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment. Your participation will help provide a Texas Children’s baseline for developing strategic initiatives to help you thrive and care for your well-being. You will find the link to take the confidential survey and assess your well-being on the What’s New page at TexasChildrensBenefits.org or by clicking here. For an optimal experience, we recommend you complete the survey while on the Texas Children’s network.

Important things to remember during Annual Enrollment

Select Dollars. Texas Children’s will continue to contribute the majority of the costs associated with our medical plans and will also continue its commitment of providing all full-time and part-time employees with additional funds (Select Dollars) on a bi-weekly basis to help offset the cost of benefit premiums, regardless of whether you are enrolled in Texas Children’s medical benefits.

Benefit changes. Under federal regulations, benefit changes after Annual Enrollment ends are not permitted except for qualified life events and job status changes. Otherwise, the next opportunity to change your benefit elections will be during the Fall 2023 Benefits Annual Enrollment period.

QUESTIONS? NEED HELP?

Ask Emma, Your Personal Digital Benefits Advisor

Available 24/7 in both English and Spanish from any desktop or mobile device, Ask Emma offers confidential guidance and advice to help you select the right benefits for you and your family.

Benefits Team Online and Onsite Support
Click here to schedule an appointment between November 8 –10 with a member of our Benefits team.

Texas Children’s Benefits Service Center

Our Benefits team is available to help from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, October 29 and November 5. Spanish language assistance is also available via phone and web chat.

  • Phone 832-824-2421 (select option 1 and then option 1 again for Benefits).
  • Web chat (located at the top of your Benefits homepage).
July 6, 2022

Team members can now access their Texas Children’s retirement savings accounts in one centralized location with Fidelity, making it easier to manage your retirement benefits and get a complete view of your retirement portfolio.

Administration of Texas Children’s Cash Balance Pension Plan transitioned from Lifeworks to Fidelity on July 1. Fidelity also administers Texas Children’s 403(b) Savings Plan.

“We’re committed to providing the best services to meet your needs at every stage of life, including planning for the future,” said Jermaine Monroe, vice president, Human Resources. “We’re excited to transition our pension plan to Fidelity as they have a proven track record with Texas Children’s and the expertise, tools, and resources to help you set a strong financial foundation for tomorrow.”

Access your new retirement benefits experience!

To review your pension benefits information, click here to log into Fidelity NetBenefits.

  • If you have a registered account for your 403(b) plan, please use the same username and password for your pension.
  • If you have not yet registered at netbenefits.com, please take this time to complete registration for your 403(b) and Pension plans. To register, you will need to provide your name, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and other details.
  • If you have already completed the SSO (Single Sign On) requirements for Fidelity or while electing your health benefits through BSwift, there is no action required.

Employees and medical staff covered by the Baylor College of Medicine retirement plan should refer to www.myalex.com/bcm on the Baylor intranet site for plan details and information.

Review your personalized retirement portfolio

Once you complete registration and log in, you’ll arrive at your personalized Fidelity portfolio – your gateway to your Texas Children’s retirement benefit offerings and services. To access your Pension Plan, follow “Quick Links” to the “TCH Cash Balance Pension Plan” link.

Sign up for a virtual retirement planning session

As a Texas Children’s team member, you are automatically enrolled in the Pension Plan once you reach 21 years of age and have worked a minimum of 1,000 hours or more during the 12 consecutive months after your initial date of hire.

  • In support of your retirement, Texas Children’s pays 100% of the Pension Plan.
  • We deposit yearly contributions of 3 – 5% of your annual base salary, depending on your years of service. We also credit your account with at least 3.8% interest each year.
  • You are 100% vested in the Pension Plan once you reach three fiscal years of vesting service.

Need help with retirement planning? Get guidance and assistance from Fidelity in the “How to Make the Most of Your Retirement Savings” session that works best for you:

Start your pension distributions

From your pension plan page, you can choose whether to submit your distribution benefits online or print and submit the paper form. This option will only appear once you’re eligible to start your pension distributions. Look for the “Start Your Benefits” link and provide the required information.

Take charge of your tomorrow

With Texas Children’s 403(b) Plan and Pension Plan now conveniently located on the same platform, the time is right to make sure you’ve covered your retirement planning basics:

  • Do a mid-year check-in of both your 403(b) and Pension Plan accounts, including your contributions and progress toward your retirement savings goals.
  • Be sure you’ve added beneficiaries to your accounts and make updates as needed.
  • Learn more about your Texas Children’s Cash Balance Pension Plan and the retirement savings resources available to our team members. Review these Frequently Asked Questions and view the Pension Plan summary plan description (SPD) here.

To speak with the Benefits team about the transition to Fidelity or the Pension Plan, send an email to TotalRewards@texaschildrens.org or call 832-824-2421.

April 7, 2022

Financial Literacy Month in April promotes the importance of knowledge about managing your finances and skills to improve your financial situation. For those of us who are not well versed in terms of finances, you are not alone! Even if you are, you are encouraged to reflect upon your spending and ways you can make the most of your money.

This year Texas Children’s is emphasizing the many resources available to help you focus on the importance of financial literacy in your quest to improve your finances. These resources provide a valuable opportunity to learn techniques that can help you cultivate your financial literacy, review your finances and gradually improve your finances.

Grow your money as you grow

Recognizing there are many stages in life that require financial well-being, Texas Children’s has aligned with Fidelity to bring a series of webinars to reach each employee right where they are. “Allowing your finances to grow as you do is essential in maintaining financial wellbeing,” said Kenisha Lewis, Senior Retirement Benefits Consultant. “Here at Texas Children’s, we not only desire to help you live a financially independent life after retirement, but we also aim to help you on your current financial journey! We have partnered with Fidelity to help us navigate this journey. Make sure to also take advantage of Fidelity’s free financial well-being tool!”

Fidelity financial webinars

Managing My Money – Identify the three core components of a sound budget. Understand how to begin to build (or rebuild) your emergency savings fund and get control over prioritizing your debt.
Thursday, April 7 – 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Register now

Get started and save for the future you – Everyone needs a path to financial wellness and it can start with your workplace savings plan. Learn about the investment options and how to contribute so you start saving money for the future.
Wednesday, April 13 – 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Register now

Make the Most of Your Retirement Savings – How much saving is “enough” for retirement? Learn strategies that can help you save more today and tips for preserving and growing your savings in retirement.
Tuesday, April 19 – 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Register now

Maximize Social Security in Your Retirement Strategy – Understand how Social Security fits into your overall retirement income plan, when to start claiming your benefit, and how it contributes to your overall retirement paycheck
Monday, April 25 – 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Register now

Reach out to Alyssa Barnes or Christine Jasek with Fidelity if you need help navigating any of the tools Fidelity has to offer.

Texas Children’s financial resources

Employee Financial Assistance Program (EFAF) supports eligible employees during unexpected or unforeseen financial emergencies. The EFAF is funded by Texas Children’s and generous donations from our employees. To honor their contributions, the EAP exercises great care and adheres to strict policy to ensure confidentiality and that the EFAF funds are distributed appropriately to our colleagues in greatest need. Click here to learn more.

EAP-PLUS offers free financial counseling by calling 833-EAP-PLUS (833-327-7587) for  answers to questions about budgeting, debt management, tax issues and other money concerns from financial experts.

Cigna offers a cost estimator tool that explains how their system identifies costs based on provider relationships and the enrolled individual’s plan. For example, if someone is considering a colonoscopy and looks up that service under “find care and costs” there will be an estimated cost associated with that procedure, provider, and the individual’s plan. On mycigna.com you can find a step-by-step video explaining how Cigna breaks down cost estimates and how to ensure that providers who are being considered have the highest quality ratings and offer the best costs.