Archive for ‘Benefits’

To all full-time, reduced full-time and half-time faculty and staff:

Please see the Summary of Material Modification (SMM) that describes certain changes that have been made with respect to the Abilene Christian University Retirement Plan since the latest Summary Plan Description (SPD). Specifically this SMM details options you have for in-service withdrawals.

This report requires no action from you. It is for informational purposes only.

Sincerely,

Robyn Smith, MS, PHR
Assistant Director, Human Resources

When you visit the doctor & pharmacy there are a few important things you need to know.

At the Doctor:  In general, using your insurance at the doctor will work much in the same way as it did when you had the HCA.  You will present your BCBS ID card and will be told you do not owe anything at the point of service.  You will receive a bill from your doctor’s office and, separately, an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from Blue Cross.  Do NOT pay the bill until you have seen your EOB – the EOB tells you what you owe with insurance and your doctor’s bill may not reflect the Blue Cross discounted rate.  Once you know what you owe with insurance, you can pay your bill.  Depending on how your doctor does billing, you can write in your HSA debit card info on the bill and send it back to your doctor or call your doctor’s office to pay over the phone.  If you have run out of HSA funds or just wish to pay out of pocket, you will pay the bill out of pocket with your personal checking account or credit card information.

At the Pharmacy:  At the pharmacy you will pay at the point of service.  Be sure to show your Blue Cross ID card to ensure that your prescription cost is the Blue Cross discounted rate and to ensure that it tracks towards your deductible.  You can swipe your HSA debit card to pay (be sure to run it as credit to avoid paying a transaction fee), or you will pay out of pocket if you have either run out of HSA funds or if you wish to pay out of pocket.

If you further questions about what to do at the doctor or pharmacy, please contact Elsa Dunson, Benefits Coordinator with Holmes Murphy, at x3359 or edunson@holmesmurphy.com.

Once HSA Bank establishes your HSA account, a debit card will be mailed to you.  Once mailed, it should take 5-7 business days to arrive. The time it takes to approve and set up each HSA account varies from person to person. Keep in mind there is a federally regulated process for setting up banking accounts (due to the Patriot Act & other regulations) and the review/approval process is very fast for some and takes longer for others.

It is our understanding from HSA Bank at this time that the latest date you should receive your HSA Debit card by is January 20th, 2014.  Your Welcome Packet/Letter will arrive within a few days of when you receive your debit card.

For security purposes, your HSA debit card will arrive in a plain, unmarked white envelope.  Separately you will receive a welcome packet in the mail that includes a welcome letter with your HSA account number, a fee and interest schedule, a privacy notice and a copy of the deposit account agreement and disclosures for health savings accounts.

If you incur expenses prior to receiving your debit card, you can always reimburse yourself from your HSA once you have set your account up online.

You are highly encouraged to visit the FAQ section of HSA Bank’s website to view other important information about your card and managing your account online.

If you elected the Health Savings Account (HSA) for 2014, you should have received a debit card in the mail from HSABank.  ACU’s employer contribution will be deposited to your HSA by the end of the day on Tuesday, January 7.  If you have elected to make contributions to your HSA, these will be available as each payroll runs, beginning with the 1/15/14 check for nonexempt employees and the 1/31/14 check for exempt employees.  Please contact HR at ext. 2359 or humanresources@acu.edu if you have any questions.

Included with Unum’s long term disability product, (which is provided to all full and half time employees) the EAP (Employee Assistance Program) service offers confidential 24/7 support for daily struggles, such as relationship concerns, financial stress and finding child care – to bigger problems, such as substance abuse or legal issues. Employees have internet access to information, access to face-to-face sessions and telephone help in English, Spanish and other languages. Learn more by visiting www.lifebalance.net and use “lifebalance” for the user ID and password.

Are you ready to quit smoking? Your plan to quit should include our Blue Care Connection^® Tobacco Cessation program, offering you guidance and support through personal motivational coaching — at no additional charge to you. Your Lifestyle Management Coach will provide personal assistance with:

• Goal setting
• Progress checkups
• Motivation and support

Call us toll-free at 866-412-8795 to enroll today.

Want to work at your own pace? Check out the online wellness courses in Blue Access for Members^SM (BAM) by logging into your BAM account and clicking on Well onTarget^® in the Quick Links section.

You can easily check how much money is left in your healthcare account and your deductible balance by accessing your account online with Blue Cross Blue Shield.  For detailed instructions on how to create an account and view the details of your account click here.

2014 Open Enrollment Week is going on now, Nov 11-15.  All the information you need to elect your 2014 benefits is below: