State Group Health Insurance

The Annual Benefit Enrollment (ABE) period is from October 7 to November 1, 2013.

During ABE you may enroll, add/remove dependents, change health plans or cancel coverage for State Group Health.  All changes made during ABE are effective January 1, 2014. Please see the ABE website at www.uwsa.edu/abe for detailed information.

Plan Summary

The University of Wisconsin offers comprehensive health insurance and prescription drug benefits to eligible employees and their family members. All plans offer hospital, surgical, medical and prescription coverage. The State Group Health Insurance Program is administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) and is available to University employees as well as State of Wisconsin employees.

Detailed plan information is provided in the It’s Your Choice: Decision & Reference Guides.

Benefit Plan Options

You may choose the health plan that will best meet the needs of you and your family. Employees have the choice between a Uniform Benefit plan or the Standard Plan. Uniform Benefit plans include HMO's and Regional PPO's that provide the same level of medical coverage, regardless of which plan you choose. Uniform Benefit plans have networks that are primarily in Wisconsin. The Standard Plan is a PPO with a nationwide network and is available in every county in WI.

See the Uniform Benefits section of the It’s Your Choice: Reference Guide to see what is covered by Uniform Benefits. See the Comparison of Benefits Chart to see what is covered under the Standard Plan.

Click on the Plans and Providers tab above for more information about how to pick the right health plan for you.

Coinsurance & Out-of-Pocket Expenses

Most services, except those considered preventative under federal guidelines, are subject to 10% coinsurance. You will be required to pay 10% of the bill and your insurance will pay 90% of the bill. Once you reach your annual out-of-pocket maximum, services will be paid in full by your insurance.

See the Out-of-Pocket expenses chart (2013 | 2014) for more information.

Annual Out-of Pocket Maximums

The annual out-of-pocket maximums for medical services received in-network are:

• All plans except Standard Plan: $500/person or $1,000/family
• Standard Plan: $800/person or $1,600/family

This does not include the annual out-of-pocket maximum for prescription drugs.

Eligibility

Employees

You are eligible for the State Group Health Insurance plan if you:

• Have an Unclassified Faculty, Academic Staff, Limited or Classified appointment covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System.
• Have one of the following appointments and are expected to work at least 33% for one semester (academic year appointment) or 6 months (year-round appointment):
  • Student Assistant (research assistant, fellow, scholar, trainee, TA/PA)
  • Employee-in-Training (grad and post grad intern/trainee, postdoc fellow/trainee, intern, research associate).
• Have a Short Term Academic Staff appointment not covered under the Wisconsin Retirement System and you are expected to work:
  • At least 21% for at least six months if you have an annual (12-month) contract; or
  • At least 28% for at least one semester if you have an academic year (9-month) contract.

Dependents

An eligible dependent includes:

• Spouse
• Domestic partner
• Children
  • Your or your spouse’s or domestic partner’s unmarried or married children under age 26. Children remain eligible for coverage until the end of the month in which they are 26 years old.
  • Your child may remain eligible beyond age 26 if he/she is incapable of self-support due to a physical or mental disability.
• Grandchildren
  • If born to a covered child under age 18.
  • Grandchildren remain eligible for coverage until the end of the month in which the grandchild’s parent turns 18.

For detailed information regarding dependent eligibility, see UWSA’s Dependent Eligibility Grid.

Eligibility to Continue Coverage when Employment Ends

You and your family members may be eligible to continue coverage when eligibility or employment ends. See Employment Changes for additional information.

Enrollment

Employee

When you enroll, you are encouraged to select a primary care physician (PCP) or clinic for you and your family members. The doctor will coordinate your care with specialists. If you choose GHC-SC, Humana-Eastern or Western, Physicians Plus, Unity-UW, or Unity-Community for your health plan, you MUST select a PCP or the plan will assign a PCP.

Classified employees may enroll within 30 days of employment begin date but you will be responsible for paying the entire premium.

• Permanent and project employees may enroll on or before the 1st of the month following the completion of 2 full months of WRS state/UW service and you will receive the employer contribution.
• Limited Term employees may enroll on or before the 1st of the month following the completion of 6 full months of WRS state/UW service and you will receive the employer contribution.

Unclassified Faculty, Academic Staff and Limited appointees, Student Assistants and Employees-in-Training may enroll within 30 days of employment begin date and will receive the employer contribution.

Coverage is effective on the first of the month on or following receipt of your application (provided all service requirements are met), either through eBenefits or paper application.

Dependents

• You may enroll your dependents at the same time you enroll.
• You may add a spouse or domestic partner within 30 days of marriage or establishing a domestic partnership for benefit purposes (may add spouse’s or domestic partner’s children at same time).
• You may add a child within 60 days of gaining a child due to birth or adoption.
• You may add a spouse, domestic partner, or child within 30 days of their loss of coverage under a comparable group medical plan.
• If your family member does not have a Social Security number because he or she is not a United States citizen, you must submit an affidavit with your health insurance application to indicate your family member does not have a Social Security number.

Other Enrollment Opportunities

• May enroll during the Annual Benefit Enrollment period (occurs every fall) for coverage effective January 1st of the following year.
• May enroll within 30 days of a change in family status (e.g. marriage or domestic partnership), loss of other comparable group coverage or loss of employer contribution towards other comparable group coverage.
• May enroll within 60 days of the birth or adoption of a child.
• If you were initially eligible for coverage when you were not covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), you may enroll within 30 days of your WRS coverage begin date.
• If you are not eligible for the full employer contribution towards your premium, you may enroll within 30 days of becoming eligible for the full employer contribution.
• You may enroll in the Standard Plan immediately prior to retirement (to preserve your sick leave credits).

Plans and Providers

Selecting a Plan

You should consider the following factors when you select a health plan:

• Type of plan you want – HMO, Regional PPO, or Nationwide PPO based on plans available in your area
• Provider network / access to physicians or other health care providers
• Cost
• Quality
• Referral policies
• Dental benefits (vary by plan)
• Other perks (e.g. healthy living rewards, incentives, complementary medicine)

See the It’s Your Choice: Decision Guide for information about providers and links to provider websites.

See the Health Plans by County Map to determine what plans are available in your county.

HMOs

• All plans, except Anthem Blue Northwest, are in the lowest cost employee premium tier.
• Use a specific network of doctors, clinics, hospitals, and other medical providers located in a specific geographic area.
• Expected to receive services within the network.
• Services covered out-of-network only in emergency situation or upon approved referral.
• Provide some level of dental benefits.

PPOs with Regional Network - WEA Trust PPO East & Northwest and WPS Metro Choice Southeast & Northwest

• All plans, except WPS Metro Choice Southeast, are in the lowest cost employee premium tier.
• Provide same level of benefits as the HMOs when services are in-network.
• Services available out-of-network with higher out-of-pocket cost.
• Provide some level of dental benefits.

PPO with National Network – Standard Plan

• In highest cost employee premium tier.
• Self-funded; administered by Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS).
• Nationwide provider network.
• May see the medical provider of your choice.
• Lower out-of-pocket costs if you use Standard Plan PPO in-network provider.
• No dental benefits.
• The Comparison of Benefits Chart outlines the benefits available under the Standard Plan.

Prescription Drugs

Prescription drug coverage is automatically included in all health insurance plans, through Navitus Health Solutions, a nationwide pharmacy network. You do not need to enroll separately for this coverage.

Prescription Drug Out-of-Pocket Expenses

You will be required to pay a co-payment when you buy prescription drugs. The amount you have to pay will be based on the co-payment level that applies to that prescription. Once you reach the applicable annual out-of-packet maximum, you will no longer have to pay the co-payment during that year.

Co-payments for 30-day supply of prescription

• Level 1: $5 co-pay (formulary* generic and some low cost brand name drugs)
• Level 2: $15 co-pay (brand name and some high cost generic drugs)
• Level 3: $35 co-pay (non-formulary* drugs)
• Level 4: $50 co-pay (designated specialty drugs - see below)

*What is a Formulary? A prescription drug formulary is a list of prescription drugs established by a committee of physicians and pharmacists, which are determined to be medically and cost effective. Each drug is assigned a level, which determines the co-payment for that drug. Navitus may require prior authorization for certain formulary and non-formulary drugs before coverage applies. These drugs are shown on the formulary with “PA”. You must log in to Navitus to review the formulary.

Annual Out-of Pocket Maximum – Prescription Drugs

• Level 1 and 2 drugs (all plans except Standard Plan): $410/person or $820/family
• Level 1 and 2 drugs (Standard Plan): $1,000/person or $2,000/family
• Level 3 drugs: no out-of-pocket maximum
• Level 4 drugs for all plans: $1,000/person or $2,000/family

Prescription Cost Savings / Mail Order

If you order your prescriptions by mail, you may reduce your out-of-pocket prescription costs:

• If you order through WellDyneRx, you will receive up to a 90 day supply of Level 1 and Level 2 drugs for the price of a 60-day supply.
• If you order through Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy you will receive Level 4 drugs at a $15 co-pay instead of a $50 co-pay.

Please contact WellDyneRx or Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy to start mail order.

Premiums

2013 Premiums

Monthly Employee Health Insurance Premiums	Employees Covered by WRS		Graduate Assistant / Short-Term Academic
	Single	Family	Single	Family
Tier 1	$85.00	$211.00	$42.50	$105.50
Tier 2	$124.00	$312.00	$62.00	$156.00
Tier 3	$230.00	$575.00	$115.00	$287.50

2014 Premiums

Monthly Employee Health Insurance Premiums	Employees Covered by WRS		Graduate Assistant / Short-Term Academic
	Single	Family	Single	Family
Tier 1	$88.00	$219.00	$44.00	$109.50
Tier 2	$129.00	$324.00	$64.50	$162.00
Tier 3	$239.00	$596.00	$119.50	$298.00

WRS covered employees who are working less than 50% and Classified LTE's with one appointment pay 50% of the total premium.

Total monthly health insurance premiums for each plan (shows the combined employee and employer premium contributions).

Forms and Publications

• Application - Complete and submit to your institution’s benefits office to enroll in the plan.
• Affidavit for Insurance Purposes – Dependent Lacks Social Security Number due to Non-Citizenship - Complete and submit with your health insurance application if your covered family member is not a United States citizen and does not have a Social Security number.