Benefits Home Page

Open Enrollment is moving!

Most employees already know that our benefits plan year is changing to a calendar year beginning January 1, 2013.  That means Open Enrollment will not occur in June this year.  Instead, it will take place from October 15 through November 9.  Changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective January 1, 2013.  Your current coverage and rates, including the HRA premium reduction, continue through December 31st.  No premium change on August 1st.

Medical Plan Changes

Some medical plan changes will take place January 1, 2013.  A lot of communication will take place in September and October.  Please look for announcements, postcards, articles in City Connection, updates here online, and a booklet in the mail as we approach Open Enrollment. And please don't forget to keep your address up-to-date in eCHRIS self-service to receive important news. In summary, the medical plan changes are:

• You'll still have Cigna HMO and BlueCross/BlueShield HMO offered with the same coverage and the same networks you know today. Co-pays will be slightly higher beginning January 1st.
• The PPO will continue to be offered through BlueCross/BlueShield with the same coverage and the same network you know today. Instead of co-pays, the PPO will have a $250 per covered member deductible per year and 10% coinsurance.  The out-of-pocket maximum per covered member will be $750 per year.  Depending on how much you or your family members use the coverage, you could end up paying less out-of-pocket with the PPO than you would with the HMO. 
• A High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) will be introduced.  If you enroll in the HDHP you are automatically enrolled in a Health Savings Account (HSA). This gives employees a way to make pretax contributions to an account that can be used to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses now or in the future. The City will also contribute to the employee's HSA each year.  The HSA account belongs to the employee and the unused money rolls over from year to year.  The employee can choose how to invest his or her HSA money and can let it grow over time to use in retirement.

As we move closer to Open Enrollment, more details and a variety of different scenarios will be provided here, in the booklet you'll get in the mail in late September, and at informational meetings we'll hold at various work locations, to illustrate how each plan works and the differences between them.

Mayor Stanton's 100 Day Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign

April 16 - July 24, 2012

Employees with City coverage will have their $35 co-pay reimbursed in their paycheck when they see a dermatologist for a skin cancer screening during the 100 Day Campaign and turn in a completed reimbursement form.  Find the form here Co-Pay Reimbursement Affidavit Form.

May Activities

• Wednesday, May 23rd:  Save Your Skin, a Cigna brown bag, takes place at City Hall in Assembly Room C from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
• Wednesday, May 23rd at Aviation: Cancer Treatment Centers of America will make a presentation at the Facilities Building from 8:30 - 9:30 
• Thursday, May 24th at Aviation: Cancer Treatment Centers of America will make a presentation in Terminal 3-PAAB from 2 - 3 pm

June Activities

• Tuesday, June 12th and Wednesday, June 13th:  Banner Health Care nurse practitioners will be at the Personnel Building to perform free skin cancer screenings from 9 am to 4:30 pm.  These screenings focus on high risk areas such as face, neck, scalp, hands and arms.
• Thursday, June 14th: Save Your Skin, a Cigna brown bag, takes place at City Hall, Assembly Room A, from 11:30 am to 1 pm

July Activities

• Thursday, July 12th at Aviation:  Banner Health Care nurse practitioners will be at Terminal 3 - PAAB to perform free skin cancer screenings from 9 am to 4 pm.  These screenings focus on high risk areas such as face, neck, scalp, hands and arms.
• Wednesday, July 18th at Aviation: Banner Health Care nurse practitioners will be at Facilities Building large conference room to perform free skin cancer screenings from 9 am to 4 pm. These screenings focus on high risk areas such as face, neck, scalp, hands and arms.
• Wednesday, July 18th:  Save Your Skin, a Cigna brown bag, takes place at City Hall in Assembly Room A from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

HRA Incentive Extended Through December 2012

Employees with a lower medical premium as a result of completing their Health Risk Assessment (HRA) last fall will be happy to hear that their lower premium will continue through December 2012.  Did you miss or skip the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Campaign last fall?   It's not too late to lower your medical premium.  Complete the online HRA at mycigna.com or azblue.com and be sure to include these pieces of biometric data:  your height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and blood glucose level.  
 

Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Results

January 30, 2012

 Results from the HRAs completed by 9,818 employees last Fall are here.  Cigna and BlueCross/BlueShield shared results with the Health Care Task Force and Benefits Office recently.  Here are the highlights.

A majority of employees reported in their HRA that they are ready to take action to improve their health in the next six months!  The actions most often mentioned to improve health were:

• Increase physical activity
• Lose weight
• Reduce fat and cholesterol in diet
• Eat more fruits and vegetables
• Cope better with stress
• Lower blood pressure
• Improve sleep habits

HRA results show that more than half of us have at least two medical risk factors right now. Other medical risk factors reported in HRAs include allergies, diabetes, back pain, arthritis, sleep disorder, asthma, heart problems, migraines, cancer and depression.

Getting Healthier

BlueCross/BlueShield (through Alere) and Cigna reach out to employees with health risks to offer free, personalized health coaching. If you receive a phone call at home from Cigna or Alere, please take a couple of minutes to listen to what they offer. If you aren't interested just let them know, there's no pressure.

What can a health coach offer that you don't already have?  After all, you don't need one more voice telling you to lose weight!  A health coach is not a judge or critic.  You set the pace and tone while they bring support, encouragement and suggestions.  There's no commitment, end the coaching process whenever you wish.

 Please take time to tour the Cigna or BlueCross/BlueShield websites.  They were both redesigned in the past year.   

• mycigna.com:  Click "Manage My Health" for resources on nutrition, fitness, sleep, healthy pregnancy, cancer support and more.
• azblue.com:  Click "Health and Wellness" to find Healthy Living Programs on weight, fitness, diet, stress relief, diabetes, cancer, and more.  You can even design a custom program just for you.

Do you enjoy finding new websites to help you attain your goals? Here are few that have been recommended:

• sparkpeople.com:  The best known nutrition and weight loss site.
• 3fatchicks.com:  Weight loss information and support.
• weightwatchers.com:  Weight Watchers offers an online program.
• happinessprojecttoolbox.com: Tools for setting and tracking almost any goal.
• stickk.com: A unique way to motivate yourself.
• Do you want to bring a health and wellness class to your work group?  Do you have recommendations to share?  Contact us at be.healthy@phoenix.gov 

80% HRA Participation Rate

Between September 19 and November 18 more than 9,800 City employees completed their Health Risk Assessment (HRA).  That's 8 out of 10 employees with City medical coverage!  

If you completed an HRA, thank you.   Each step you take in the direction of improved health helps you and all the employees at the City maintain affordable health coverage. Your medical premium reflects the health of everyone enrolled in the plan. Those who completed an HRA will have premiums reduced by $10/paycheck from January to July 2012.
The biometric screening and HRA process brought important health information to the attention of many employees. Here are a few comments:

"My wife and kids use the health insurance a lot, but I hardly ever go to the doctor.  At the biometric screening I found out I have high blood pressure.  I'm seeing my doctor next week."

"I feel fine so I don't take time to go to the doctor. At a biometric screening they told me I have high cholesterol.  I checked it out with my doctor and now I'm taking a pill to keep my cholesterol down.  You can't feel it when you have high cholesterol, so I didn't know."
We each rely on a team of medical professionals for our health and well-being.  Our doctors have support from nurses, pharmacists, therapists, physician assistants, technicians, counselors, health coaches and more to deliver our treatment. You may be notified that you qualify for free health coaching or other health programs provided by Cigna or Alere. Please remember that these contacts are not solicitations, they are invitations for free information and assistance.   If you begin a program and later decide it isn't for you, you can discontinue the program at any time.

You are not required to participate in health coaching or any other health programs offered by Cigna or Alere.
Find information about health programs online at azblue.com or mycigna.com.