MEDICAL PLAN OVERVIEW

Covering all 2014 medical plan options, comparing and contrasting them. The presentation also covers behavioral health benefits. These presentations are 90 minutes long; no reservations, but seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

DAVIS CAMPUS

Monday, Nov. 4
Ballroom A, Activities and Recreation Center

• 9:30 a.m.
• Noon
• 2:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 8
Ballroom A, ARC

• 9:30 a.m.
• Noon
• 2:30 p.m.

•••

SACRAMENTO CAMPUS

Thursday, Oct. 24
Auditorium, MIND Institute, 2825 50th St.

• 8 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 7
Auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center, 2279 45th St. (enter from 45th Street off X Street)

• 11:30 a.m.
• 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 14
Auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center

• 2:30 p.m.

HELP DESKS

Individual counseling with health care facilitators, regarding UC medical insurance. No appointments; first-come, first-served. Due to the size of the meeting rooms, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.

DAVIS CAMPUS

Monday, Nov. 4
Ballroom A, ARC

• 11 a.m.-noon
• 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• 4-5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 8
Ballroom A, ARC

• 11 a.m.-noon
• 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• 4-5 p.m.

•••

SACRAMENTO CAMPUS

Thursday, Oct. 24
Auditorium, MIND Institute

• 9:30 a.m.-noon

Thursday, Nov. 7
Auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center

• 1-3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 14
Auditorium, Comprehensive Cancer Center

• 4-6 p.m.

Open enrollment town halls are scheduled next Tuesday (Oct. 22) on the Davis and Sacramento campuses (and online, too, in a live webcast). See details below.

Then, two days later, UC Davis’ Health Care Facilitator Program will launch a series of presentations and help desk sessions running through mid-November.

The UC Office of the President has already announced big changes in the medical plan menu for 2014. UC is dropping Anthem Blue Cross PLUS (point-of-service plan), Anthem Blue Cross PPO (preferred provider organization), Anthem Lumenos PPO with HRA (health reimbursement account) and Health Net Full HMO (health maintenance organization).

Guerren Solbach, UC Davis health care facilitator, said in a universitywide email this week: “According to my calculations, 21.2 percent of UC Davis employees must change medical plans during this open enrollment.”

The 2014 menu includes two new plans:

• Blue Shield Health Savings Plan, a PPO with a UC-funded health savings account that also allows you to contribute tax-free
• UC Care, a PPO plan created just for UC, with access to UC doctors and medical centers as well as the entire Blue Shield PPO network.

And these existing plans:

• Health Net Blue and Gold HMO, with a network designed just for UC
• Kaiser Permanente HMO
• Western Health Advantage, an HMO in the UC Davis area
• Core, a high-deductible, catastrophic plan with a new administrator, Blue Shield

Read about all medical plans for 2014, and learn more about the UC Davis Health System as a provider: one choice for the benefits of academic medicine.

Open enrollment brochures are due to go in the mail on Monday (Oct. 21), to home addresses. The enrollment period is scheduled from Oct. 28 to Nov. 26 (two days before Thanksgiving).

UC's open enrollment website.

No. 1 question

Solbach's email addressed "the No. 1 question we have been getting from concerned employees":

Which 2014 UC medical plans will allow for access to Davis-Sacramento area Sutter doctors and hospital next year?

His short answer: three plans offered through Blue Shield of California.

• Blue Shield Health Savings Plan PPO
• Core
• UC Care PPO

Long answer: Sutter hospitals and doctors generally contract with Blue Shield of California; that makes them “preferred,” or PPO network providers. Sutter patients should expect to pay 20 percent (after a deductible, and up to an out-of-pocket maximum) through these plans, rather than $20 flat copayments.

Therefore, if you choose from among these three plans, you will have coverage for Blue Shield of California preferred providers at 80 percent after a deductible:

• Blue Shield Health Savings Plan PPO
• Core (catastrophic plan with a $3,000 per person deductible)
• UC Care PPO

Notes regarding UC Care and Blue Shield providers: Davis-Sacramento area Sutter providers are generally “preferred," or PPO, providers; they are not “UC Select” providers. However, because Blue Shield of California contracts with preferred providers individually, you should check with Blue Shield of California to determine the network status of individual doctors, hospitals, labs, etc., that you want to use. Use this link to access a how-to guide on using the Internet to identify Blue Shield providers. Or call Blue Shield Member Services, toll-free, (855) 201-8375, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, for personal assistance or to request a provider directory.

Town halls

UCOP has arranged for town halls around the system, in coordination with each location’s Staff Assembly.

• Davis campus — noon-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, Ballrooms A and B, Activities and Recreation Center.
• Sacramento campus — 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, auditorium, Cancer Center, 2279 45th St. (enter from 45th Street off X Street).

The Sacramento meeting will be streamed live on the Web, for anyone to watch. Webcast link.

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.