April 24, 2013
Open Enrollment May Provide Alternatives to Long Wait for Insurance Payments
OPEN ENROLLMENT may provide the antidote to some University employees’ health insurance
woes.
UIC EMPLOYEES enrolled in the Quality Care Health Plan (QCHP) have been experiencing
significant delays in payments to healthcare providers, leading some healthcare
providers to demand payment for services up front. Having to pre-pay out of
pocket for covered services means employees are the ones left waiting months
for reimbursement.
“IT’S NOT new,” said Human
Resources Administration Director Katie Ross, Ed.M., PHR, University Human
Resources, of the late payments. “It’s a function of the State’s dire funding
situation, and has been going on for a few years regarding payment from some
medical plans. The longer it goes on, the more of an issue it becomes. People can
accept it for a while, but the longer it goes on the less able people are to
wait for reimbursement.”
QUALITY CARE health and dental plans are experiencing the most significant delays in
the State Employees’ Group Insurance Program. The Department of Central
Management Services (CMS) has a website reporting payment release dates to
providers, which shows claims dated approximately a year ago are now being
processed and paid. The site has been reporting such delayed payment release
dates since 2009.
Other Options
BUT, THERE are other health care plans and other options for employees, Ross said. Employees can make plan changes only once annually during open enrollment. UIC annual open enrollment for health care benefits begins Wednesday, May 1 and ends Friday, May 31; plan choices are effective July 1.
BUT, THERE are other health care plans and other options for employees, Ross said. Employees can make plan changes only once annually during open enrollment. UIC annual open enrollment for health care benefits begins Wednesday, May 1 and ends Friday, May 31; plan choices are effective July 1.
ROSS ADVISES employees to review their health care needs now to determine if they
have flexibility on health care providers, which makes it easier to switch to
another plan option.
“ALMOST ALL counties have at least one HMO option, and they are not experiencing
the same payment issues,” Ross said. “In
the HMO, a co-pay is paid up front and the healthcare provider waits for
payment from the State. There is less burden on the employee.”
IN AN HMO, a primary
care provider directs all care, including referrals to specialists. Ross acknowledges that some people don’t like
this system. “Some people require the services of specific doctors for their
personal health issues,” she said.
EVERY COUNTY also has an Open Access Plan (OAP), which offers a tiered benefit
structure. “It’s a newer option, and combines the best of HMOs and Quality
Care,” Ross said.
THE OAP generally offers
three tiers of benefits, and users pay based on which tier the practitioner is
in. Tier One is most similar to an HMO with a co-pay and can be very attractive
to employees, Ross commented. Tiers Two and Three offer the flexibility to see
out-of-network providers at a higher out-of-pocket cost similar to Quality
Care. But unlike in a traditional HMO,
OAP enrollees can go to a specialist without a referral.
It’s the Law
STATE LAW requires University employees to participate in State group health plans, Ross noted, making self-insurance and other insurance options impossible. “We are locked into it,” she said. Students are exempt from the law and have separate coverage.
STATE LAW requires University employees to participate in State group health plans, Ross noted, making self-insurance and other insurance options impossible. “We are locked into it,” she said. Students are exempt from the law and have separate coverage.
EMPLOYEE DENTAL coverage under the Quality Care Dental Plan is also having similar
payment delays.
“THE STATE has only one
dental plan, so there is no opportunity to switch,” Ross said. “You are either in or out. But dentists are
approaching the situation in a variety of ways and some will wait for
reimbursement. Others won’t wait and will require payment of the full amount
for services up front, and the employee will have to wait for
reimbursement. Employees may want to
shop around for a network dentist who doesn’t require payment up front.”
CMS Advocacy
EMPLOYEES WHO find themselves in financial hardship due to payment delays or up-front payment requests for major medical services are urged to contact CMS. “CMS has been very helpful in coordinating with providers and will advocate on employees’ behalf,” Ross said.
EMPLOYEES WHO find themselves in financial hardship due to payment delays or up-front payment requests for major medical services are urged to contact CMS. “CMS has been very helpful in coordinating with providers and will advocate on employees’ behalf,” Ross said.
CONTACT DETAILS, including the CMS online form to report hardship, are available from
the HR NESSIE website. Links from http://illinois.edu/blog/view/1418/90794
contain especially useful information.
“THE UNIVERSITY certainly empathizes with employees,” Ross said. “We HR and Benefits representatives are in
the same health care plans and are experiencing the same issues. It is an
unfortunate situation created by the State funding situation.”
OPEN ENROLLMENT vendor fairs are being held in April and May; see
http://www2.illinois.gov/cms/Employees/benefits/StateEmployee/Documents/FY%202014%20Benefit%20Fairs.pdf
for location details. University benefits services centers also are located on
each campus and benefits specialists are available to help employees navigate
benefits choices.
FOR MORE information, call
(312) 996-6471 or email benefits@uillinois.edu.
Presidents, Chancellors Back IGPA Pension Reform Plan
 |
“Our desire is that the conversations underway in Springfield result
in a
pension program for SURS that is sustainable, competitive with
the
programs offered by our peer public research universities, and provides
retirement security for employees and retirees,” President Robert Easter wrote.
|
THIS
UNANIMOUS agreement on how to address the pension crisis as it applies to the
State Universities Retirement System (SURS) was conveyed to Governor Patrick Quinn and the four
legislative leaders in a letter in April.
“WE
LOOK forward to working with you and the others in the General Assembly to
translate these ideas into legislation," the letter said, a reiteration of
the Presidents' and Chancellors' collective willingness to participate in a
process toward a solution that is "financially prudent and consistent with
the principles of constitutionality, fairness, and equity."
The
PACKAGE of steps described in Six
Simple Steps: Reforming the Illinois State University Retirement System is
a viable option for SURS, the university Presidents and Chancellors agreed.
THE
IGPA position paper is online (http://igpa.uillinois.edu/node/1753),
as is the letter from the Presidents and Chancellors (http://tinyurl.com/pensionletter).
A summary of current legislative proposals prepared by SURS can be found at http://www.surs.org/pdfs/advocate/legislativeadvocateapril2013.pdf and http://www.surs.org/legislation.
THE
SIX points of the plan are as follows:
- Change the annual
cost of living adjustment (COLA) to link it to the consumer price index.
- Rationalize
administrative rules for calculating the rate of interest used to
determine a range of benefits, refunds, and service credits that is set
each year by the SURS Board and the State Comptroller.
- Over a period of
time, shift responsibility for paying a portion of the annual pension cost
of SURS to universities and colleges.
- Increase
contributions by Tier I participants from eight percent to ten percent of pay
over a two-year period in exchange for granting the appropriate legal
rights to participants to hold the State accountable for its funding
commitments.
- Require the State to
agree to a schedule of payments to steadily reduce SURS' unfunded
liability.
- Replace the Tier II
plan for new employees with a new "hybrid" plan for new
employees that combines features of both defined-benefit and
defined-contribution programs.
“IN
THE letter to the Governor and legislative leaders we have acknowledged
and accepted the additional financial burdens of paying a portion of the normal
cost,” said President Robert Easter
in an April 9 e-mail.
“THE
COST shift will be feasible only if phased in slowly, as recommended in
the paper, and made concurrent with a stabilization of general revenue
appropriations during the transition," the Presidents’ and Chancellors’
letter asserted. "We also realize that linking cost of living adjustment
to the CPI will reduce retiree earnings in the short term. But this change also
provides long-term insurance against high inflation, a valuable benefit for
participants."
“ONE
CANNOT predict the outcome of the pension funding issue in this legislative
session, but I believe the State's public universities throughout the process
have contributed reliable information and options that are consistent with
principles espoused by the Presidents and Chancellors,” President Easter wrote.
“Our desire is that the conversations underway in Springfield result in a
pension program for SURS that is sustainable, competitive with the programs
offered by our peer public research universities, and provides retirement
security for employees and retirees.”
Campus Policy for Primary Source Verification to Go Into Effect
PRIMARY SOURCE Verification of licensure requires
that proper documentation be submitted during the onboarding process for new
employees or whenever a change in work status occurs. The Joint Commission
(TJC; formerly the Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations/JCAHO) and Illinois laws
require licensure of care practitioners holding specified job titles or engaged
in job duties related to patient care.
PATIENT CARE, research, and informal rotation to
clinical practice areas occur frequently as part of the academic and
professional mission of the University. Therefore, consistency in compliance
cannot be limited to the hospital alone. Compliance must be met by all health
science colleges, the Hospital and Health Sciences System, the College of
Social Work, and the Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences.
PROPER DOCUMENTATION of PSV is essential to maintaining
compliance with The Joint Commission and all Illinois regulations. Failure to
appropriately verify licenses with the primary source prior to hire date, start
date of change in job duties, or license renewal jeopardizes UIC’s
accreditation. Additionally, failure to comply threatens reimbursement for
patient care from Medicaid and Medicare.
UPON REQUEST, in-person compliance facilitation may
be made available. To schedule a facilitated department session, contact Marilyn Lablaiks, Assistant Director of
Labor Relations and Compliance at (312) 996-1232 or lablaiks@uic.edu. You may also contact Lablaiks
with any questions you may have on the policy.
FOR ADDITIONAL information regarding relevant UIC
Human Resources policies, titles and positions requiring PSV, or to see a
tutorial of the onboarding process, see one the following:
*A copy of
UIC HR Policy #325 will be available on the UIC Human Resources website:
*Titles and
position classes requiring Primary Source Verification are available at the
following link: http://www.uic.edu/depts/hr/quicklinks/LicensePCLASS.pdf;
*An
onboarding process tutorial is available at the following link:
*For further
information, including primary source website links, see the compliance section
of the UIC Human Resources website:
APAC Elections
SIX NEW members have joined APAC for
three-year terms. They are John Brach, Director
of Human Resources, Institute for Health Research and Policy; Jean Fitzpatrick, Director, Business
Operations, Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy; Elizabeth Hawes, Assistant Director of Human Resources, Center for
Clinical and Translational Science; Donald
Kamm, Assistant Director, Office for Access and Equity; Nester Komolafe, Contract Coordinator,
Business Development Services, Office of Business and Financial Services; and Margaret Moser, Director,
Administrative Operations, Office of the Vice President for Health Affairs.
RETAINING THEIR seats and beginning a new term are William S. Bike, Director of
Advancement and Alumni Affairs Communications, and Virginia Buglio, Associate Director of Research Services, both UIC
College of Dentistry. Bike also is an AP Senator in the University Senate.
APAC Meetings Scheduled
ALL
APs are invited to
the monthly APAC meeting at 12:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month.
Meetings are held either in Room 5175 of the College of Medicine Research
Building, 909 S. Wolcott, or Room 2750 of University Hall on the East Campus.
Next meeting is May 8 in Room 2750 of University Hall. For information, call
(312) 996-0306.
Mary Berta is APAC’s New Secretary
 |
| Mary Berta |
MARY BERTA, who has worked at UIC for almost 20 years, has
been appointed as the new APAC Secretary.
BERTA WORKED fora 12 years in the University Library and has
been in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the College of Applied Health
Sciences for over seven years, serving as Assistant to the Head. She has always
worked in the areas of finance, human resources, and grants management.
“I REALLY like the variety of duties and being able to
work with so many different people,” Berta said. “I enjoy helping people do
their jobs whether it’s assisting with a grant proposal, hiring new employees, ordering
equipment, or paying consultants. No two days are alike and that’s what keeps
things interesting.”
LAST FALL, Berta started attending a few APAC meetings
and realized that she really liked what APAC was doing and wanted to join to
help the committee in whatever way she could. “It’s a great group of people,”
Berta said. “Everyone is very engaged in representing Academic Professionals on
campus and everyone really cares about UIC.”
CURRENTLY, THE role of the secretary is being revised, with
an assistant now taking meeting minutes, freeing Berta up for other duties.
Berta is active in general APAC and APAC Executive Committee meetings. “I would
like to be involved in outreach,” Berta explained, “bringing in more APAC
members and working with other organizations on campus, as well as helping to
organize events. There are other organizations on campus that have the same
concerns that APAC does and it would be great to collaborate with them on
events that are important to all UIC employees.” She also is a voice for the
Applied Health Sciences College on APAC.
“I HOPE to bring some ideas to the group about
enhancing the work experience for employees and contributing to the University
mission,” Berta concluded.
FOR MORE information, contact Berta at mberta@uic.edu.
AP RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
REGISTRATION IS available for these instructor-led learning opportunities from UIC Human Resources Organizational Effectiveness.
BUSINESS WRITING Fundamentals is a three-hour course for employees interested in a refresher on basic writing rules. This course is full of activities designed to provide guidelines for planning, organizing, drafting, and editing documents. Tuesday, May 7, 1:30–4:30 p.m.
CUSTOMER SERVICE Fundamentals
discusses the
elements of good customer service that can make a difference in the workplace.
The interactive course explores the impact of
customer service at UIC and provides information on actions that can be taken
to exceed customer expectations. Thursday, May 16, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
PRESENTATION FUNDAMENTALS: Speaking Skills provides participants an opportunity
to discuss public speaking techniques and then demonstrate by delivering a
presentation and receiving real time feedback. Wednesday, June 5, 1:30–4:30 p.m.
STRUCTURED BEHAVIORAL Interviewing is packed with information for hiring
officials to apply immediately in their effort to select “best fit” job
candidates. Monday, May 13, 1:30–4:30 p.m.
EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE Review Process will review the steps in the Employee
Performance Review Process. Forms and tools available to assist employees
through the process are shared. Thursday, May 2, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
LEADERSHIP ESSENTIALS is a two-day workshop
designed to provide new managers and supervisors with information required to
function in their role more effectively. The training includes a pre-session
assessment tool, facilitated discussions about managing work teams at UIC,
detailed information about application of key HR policies and post-session
management tools. Course is held on two consecutive Wednesdays; you must attend
both days to complete the course. Cost: $200. Wednesdays, May 15 and 22, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
RESULTS ORIENTED Communication
is a
half-day instructor-led course is designed to provide tools and techniques to
encourage communication that will position managers to achieve results in the
workplace. During this session, building credibility, delivering clear and
concise guidance to teams and focusing on the end goal before creating messages
will be explored. Wednesday, May 29, 1:30–4:30 p.m.
REGISTER FOR the above sessions by
visiting the MyCareer website: http://www.uic.edu/depts/hr/mycareer/ Select UIC Training Providers on the left
navigation menu and select View L:istings under
UIC-HR for all courses provided by
Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness and then click the Register/View link under the course name to register.
LOCATION FOR all courses
is: Human Resources Building
(HRB) 715 S. Wood St., Room 205.
BENEFIT BEAT
EMPLOYEES
ARE eligible for a
number of discounts on cell phones.
SOME
BUSINESSES provide a
discount code that you can use on their website, or provide over the
phone. Other businesses require you to contact them directly for the
discount - in order for them to identify the discount you qualify for, you may
need to let them know:
- You are a University of Illinois
at Chicago employee
- You are a State of Illinois
employee
- You are a government employee
- You are employed at "Big
Ten" University
- You are staff/student/faculty at
the University
CELL PHONE deals are available from AT&T, http://www.att.com/, discount code 2596528;
Sprint, http://www.sprint.com/, discount
code UOIDISCOUNT; U.S. Cellular, http://www.uscellular.com/,
call for discount; and Verizon, http://verizon.com/,
http://tinyurl.com/3dxercz, call for
discount.
Discounts for APs for Olympic Sabre Fencing
MALE AND female athletes from more than 30
countries including Italy, France,
Poland, the U.S., South Korea, and China will compete
on the campus.
ACADEMIC PROFESSIONALS and other UIC personnel can get
discount tickets for only $2 by showing a valid UIC ID at the door. Schedule is
as follows:
FRIDAY, MAY 3: Individual Preliminary
Competition, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Physical Education Building.
SATURDAY, MAY 4: Individual Direct Elimination
(Top 64 to Finals), 9 a.m. to
9 p.m.; Bronze/Gold Medal
Bouts, 5 to 9 p.m., Flames Athletic Center.
SUNDAY, MAY 5: Team Competitions (Top 16 to Finals),
9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Physical
Education Building and Flames Athletic Center; Bronze/Gold Medal Bouts, 5 to 9
p.m., Flames Athletic Center.
LOG
ON to www.sabreworldcup.com
for more information.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
.jpg) |
The constitutionality of State Senator Daniel Biss’s pension reform
plan is in question.
|
SENATOR Daniel Biss’s pension reform plan. See Glen Brown
blog, March 27: http://teacherpoetmusicianglenbrown.blogspot.com/2013/03/on-daniel-biss-wishful-thinking-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Teacher%2Fpoet%2FmusicianGlenBrown+%28teacher%2Fpoet%2Fmusician+glen+brown%29
THE PENSION Crisis: Where Do We Go From Here? See UIC Retirement Matters, April 3:
http://uicretirement.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-pension-crisis-where-do-we-go-from.html
Vol. 6, No. 4 April 2013
ISSN 1946-1860
Editor: William S. Bike
Staff: Lucia Gonzalez, Gail Mansfield, Monica M. Walk
Vice Chair: Ahlam Al-Kodmany
Chair: Michael Moss
Secretary: Mary Berta
Treasurer: Virginia Buglio
Web Chair: Jeff Alcantar
Web Chair: Jeff Alcantar
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