August 27, 2013
Go Ahead and Submit Flexible Spending Claims; Don’t Wait for Slow-Paying State to Release Payments
EMPLOYEES MAY need to do a simultaneous “two-step” toward
receiving reimbursement for medical insurance claims. Do not go step-by-step,
because that can result in loss of flexible spending dollars.
KATIE ROSS, Human Resources Administration director for
the University of Illinois, reports continued delays in State reimbursements.
STATE FINANCIAL problems, with no end in sight, have caused
significant delays in reimbursing health-care providers—who in turn delay
reimbursing UIC employees for medical claims that they might have been required
to pay upfront at the time of service. Further, Ross reported, “If employees
wait until their medical claim payment is received before submitting their
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)/Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP) claim for
reimbursement, then they will risk submitting the FSA claim (claims incurred
July 1, 2013 through September 15, 2014) after September 30, 2014, which is the
end of the run-out period, in other words the ‘use it or lose it’ date.”
HOWEVER, EMPLOYEES can work around part of
that delay to avoid losing their FSA money. Rather than waiting for the State
and insurers, go ahead and file with your FSA/MCAP to recover out-of-pocket
expenses, said Kathleen Stauffer, Assistant Dean for Administration in
UIC’s College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs.
Ross reminds employees that they need to have a copy of
their health plan claim determination or Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from
their service provider to submit to WageWorksâ, the
FSA administrator, so that WageWorksâ
knows what amount insurance is going to pay and what amount the employee will
owe.
HERE’S HOW Stauffer does it. When she gets an
Explanation of Benefits from CIGNA, her insurance carrier, she prints it out
and sends it in with a claim to her FSA/MCAP plan. (The FSA/MCAP reduces your
taxable income by allowing you to set aside a portion of your income for
medical claim reimbursements.)
“THEY PRETTY much reimburse you right away,” Stauffer
said. “You don’t have to wait.” You do not have to risk losing money; if you
wait too long to submit to a flexible spending account, however, you may be
past the time limit to be reimbursed.
“THE DELAY in payment of Quality Care Health Plan
(QCHP) and Quality Care Dental Plan (QCDP) claims by the State is an ongoing
issue,” Ross said.
“SOME OF us are waiting three years for the State to
pay our providers,” Stauffer said. “I have never waited for the State to
actually pay before filing” with a Flexible Spending Account. “Otherwise, I too
would have lost money.”
ON AUG. 8, 2013, the Illinois Department of Central
Management Services (CMS) reported health claims were backlogged ten to 14
months. Claims processed through
Oct. 22, 2012, had been released to QCHP-contracted providers. Claims processed
through June 18, 2012, had been released to non-QCHP-contracted providers.
THOUGH THE stalls are mostly unabated, Ross tells of one
bright light. “We have seen improvement, somewhat, in payment of dental
claims,” she said. “The Non-Network dental claims are down to a 25-week delay
now, as opposed to a 45-week delay on July 1. The shortest wait would be for
using an In-Network dental provider, with a delay currently running about 11
weeks.”
FOR HELP if your healthcare provider is asking for payment
in full upfront for major services you cannot afford, such as surgery, contact CMS by
email at CMS.WebsiteBenefits@illinois.gov
or call (217) 558-4486.
FOR
INFORMATION on QCHP
and QCDP claims payments being released:
A BLOG from
March has more information, which Ross said has not changed much:
Moody’s Downgrades Bond Rating for U of I, Six other Universities
THE UNIVERSITY of Illinois and the other universities rely
heavily on funding from Illinois, which in June slid to Moody’s lowest bond
rating in the nation and the lowest in Illinois’ history because of its
underfunded pensions and record of slow payments of appropriated funds, Moody’s
spokesman David Jacobson said.
A DOWNGRADE may make it more expensive for an institution
to borrow, as a lower rating results in higher interest charges.
THE
UNIVERSITIES involved in the downgrade besides the
University of Illinois are Eastern Illinois University; Governors State
University; Illinois State University; Northeastern Illinois University;
Southern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University. Moody's issued
no change in Northern Illinois' A3 rating.
Speed Networking Event Set
APAC WILL host a Speed
Networking Event on Thursday,
Sept. 5, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is aimed at bringing together APs
interested in meeting their colleagues on campus, having a few minutes of
one-on-one discussion to learn about what other APs are doing, and making new
connections.
THIS EVENT will be held in the Molecular Biology
Research Building (MBRB), Room 1152.
TO
REGISTER, click https://uofi.uic.edu/fb/sec/3071740
or contact Donald Kamm at (312)
996-6424 or donn@uic.edu, or Uma Sriram at (312) 355-4935 or usriram@uic.edu.
Save the Date: October 14 Panel Featuring President Easter
 |
| President Robert Easter (right), with Provost Lon Kaufman. |
EASTER WAS appointed
President-Designate of the University of Illinois in March 2012. Before
becoming President, Easter spent his entire, nearly 40-year career as a senior
administrator and faculty member on the University’s Urbana-Champaign
campus.
ALL SURS eligible
faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
Governor Quinn Signs Employment First Act to Expand Opportunities for People with Disabilities
 |
| Governor Pat Quinn recently signed the Employment First Act. |
HOUSE BILL 2591 requires all State agencies to work together to make competitive employment for people with disabilities a priority and establish measurable goals and objectives for the State. The law requires the Employment and Economic Opportunity for Persons with Disabilities Task Force (EEOPWD) to monitor progress towards this mission. This Task Force includes advocates, individuals with disabilities, business community members, disability services providers, representatives of State agencies and other stakeholders.
ALL STATE agencies will be required to share data and information and ensure all policies, procedures, and practices are aligned to these goals and objectives.
FOR INFORMATION, call (312) 814-2121.
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 September 11 in Room 2750 of University Hall. For information,
call (312) 996-0306.
APAC Profile
APAC Member Ben Ramirez Fighting for AP Recognition
By Lucia Gonzalez
BEN RAMIREZ has worked at UIC for nine years as the Director of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility in the Center for Structural Biology. Ramirez joined APAC because he felt that the roles and the value of Academic Professionals often are understated and underappreciated.
RAMIREZ’S MAIN responsibilities include maintaining the NMR instruments, coordinating the user schedule, training new users, and assisting with the implementation of new experiments. The instruments are used by UIC researchers to study molecules.
GROUPS IN Biochemistry use the NMR to study the structures and dynamics of proteins in solution. These groups also study how proteins interact with other proteins, biomolecules such as DNA, or small molecules.
“THE LATTER possibility is very exciting and very powerful, as this enables the potential discovery of novel therapeutic compounds,” Ramirez explained.
GROUPS IN Pharmacy use NMR to characterize and identify new small molecules—often referred to as natural products— with the goal of finding new therapeutics. Of course, there are various amounts of other research that is being conducted at UIC with NMR.
“WE ARE very fortunate here at UIC to have this instrumentation here on campus to be accessible to any researcher,” Ramirez said. “Our facility is equipped just as well as any other NMR facilities found in top-flight research institutions in this country.”
WHEN RAMIREZ first joined APAC, one of his first activities was being involved in serving on the search committee for the Vice Chancellor for Research. Ramirez considers this as a great learning experience that enabled him to meet with other UIC employees whom he may never have encountered in his typical work environment.
“BY BEING exposed to this small swath of UIC, one can begin to understand people’s different viewpoints,” Ramirez said. “This was also very illuminating and enriching.”
RAMIREZ GAINS a good deal of satisfaction in being able to use and share his knowledge and training to help shape and hone future researchers. His greatest hope is that his involvement with APAC yields improvements in job quality and stability for all APs. He would like to see more recognition and attention paid to APs involved in basic research, many of whom are at the front lines of research and contribute vastly to the UIC research enterprise.
“WHEN CHALLENGING economic or financial times arise, APs are often perceived as the most expendable,” mentioned Ramirez. “This group should also be recognized for their role in educating and training.”
BESIDES HIS research with NMR, Ramirez is engaged in several other collaborative research projects. Most of his time is spent with his wife, Sandra, and their two young daughters, ages 5 and 8. He enjoys outdoor activities such as biking and hiking. While at home he likes to cook, especially tinkering with recipes and adding his own twist and a personal touch. Ramirez particularly enjoys baking cookies at Christmastime to give to friends and family.
CONTACT RAMIREZ at bramirez@uic.edu.
By Lucia Gonzalez
BEN RAMIREZ has worked at UIC for nine years as the Director of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Facility in the Center for Structural Biology. Ramirez joined APAC because he felt that the roles and the value of Academic Professionals often are understated and underappreciated.
RAMIREZ’S MAIN responsibilities include maintaining the NMR instruments, coordinating the user schedule, training new users, and assisting with the implementation of new experiments. The instruments are used by UIC researchers to study molecules.
GROUPS IN Biochemistry use the NMR to study the structures and dynamics of proteins in solution. These groups also study how proteins interact with other proteins, biomolecules such as DNA, or small molecules.
“THE LATTER possibility is very exciting and very powerful, as this enables the potential discovery of novel therapeutic compounds,” Ramirez explained.
GROUPS IN Pharmacy use NMR to characterize and identify new small molecules—often referred to as natural products— with the goal of finding new therapeutics. Of course, there are various amounts of other research that is being conducted at UIC with NMR.
“WE ARE very fortunate here at UIC to have this instrumentation here on campus to be accessible to any researcher,” Ramirez said. “Our facility is equipped just as well as any other NMR facilities found in top-flight research institutions in this country.”
WHEN RAMIREZ first joined APAC, one of his first activities was being involved in serving on the search committee for the Vice Chancellor for Research. Ramirez considers this as a great learning experience that enabled him to meet with other UIC employees whom he may never have encountered in his typical work environment.
“BY BEING exposed to this small swath of UIC, one can begin to understand people’s different viewpoints,” Ramirez said. “This was also very illuminating and enriching.”
RAMIREZ GAINS a good deal of satisfaction in being able to use and share his knowledge and training to help shape and hone future researchers. His greatest hope is that his involvement with APAC yields improvements in job quality and stability for all APs. He would like to see more recognition and attention paid to APs involved in basic research, many of whom are at the front lines of research and contribute vastly to the UIC research enterprise.
“WHEN CHALLENGING economic or financial times arise, APs are often perceived as the most expendable,” mentioned Ramirez. “This group should also be recognized for their role in educating and training.”
BESIDES HIS research with NMR, Ramirez is engaged in several other collaborative research projects. Most of his time is spent with his wife, Sandra, and their two young daughters, ages 5 and 8. He enjoys outdoor activities such as biking and hiking. While at home he likes to cook, especially tinkering with recipes and adding his own twist and a personal touch. Ramirez particularly enjoys baking cookies at Christmastime to give to friends and family.
CONTACT RAMIREZ at bramirez@uic.edu.
AP RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT
 |
| UIC has modern recreation facilities. |
WANT TO get some exercise or get in better shape? UIC has recreation facilities on both the East and West sides of campus that offer everything from Zumba and intramural sports to swimming, massage therapy, a climbing wall, and personal training, as well as an outdoor field complex and outdoor recreation courts for tennis, sand volleyball, basketball, jogging, and more.
SPECIAL
FACULTY/STAFF and
Family memberships are available.
THE
SPORT and Fitness
Center is located at 828 S. Wolcott St. Call (312) 413-5260. The Student
Recreation Facility is located at 737 S. Halsted St. Call (312) 413-5150. The
Bowling and Billiards Center is at Student Center East, 750 S. Halsted St. Call
(312) 413-5170. For more information, log on to http://recreation.uic.edu/.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
 |
Tyrone Fahner of the
Civic Committee.
|
CIVIC COMMITTEE members work to talk down State bond rating to force pension cuts. See Progress Illinois, Aug. 5: http://www.progressillinois.com/posts/content/2013/08/05/unions-demand-answers-over-civic-committee-s-talks-downgrade-illinois-bond-?utm_source=PI+Extra+8.5.13&utm_campaign=PI+email+8.5.13&utm_medium=email
Vol. 6, No. 8, August 2013
ISSN 1946-1860
Editor: William S. Bike
Staff: Lucia Gonzalez, Neal Lorenzi, Gail Mansfield, Susan S. Stevens, Monica M. Walk
Vice Chair: Ahlam Al-Kodmany
Chair: Michael Moss
Secretary: Mary Berta
Treasurer: Agnes Kawalec
Web Chair: Jeff Alcantar
Web Chair: Jeff Alcantar
July 30, 2013
APAC Representatives Meet With President Easter
 |
APAC members and other
employee leaders met with President Robert Easter.
|
MICHAEL MOSS, APAC chairman, and two other APAC
representatives came away from their most recent meeting with University
President Robert A. Easter
expressing optimism with his take on University issues.
“IT WENT pretty well,” Moss said. The meeting
lasted about one hour, and it was “high level,” he added. APAC Vice Chair Ahlam Al-Kodmany reported, “It was nice
to see President Easter’s understanding and empathy.” Marelet Kirda, an APAC Senator, said, “It’s definitely a great
opportunity to hear the President’s perspective.”
THE THREE APAC members were joined in the
meeting at the President’s house in Urbana by representatives of the Urbana and
Springfield campuses who are on the University Professional Personnel Advisory
Committee (UPPAC). The June 11 meeting came toward the end of Easter’s first
year as U of I President, and the session won’t be the last, the three APAC
members said.
THE UNIVERSITY’S increasing dependence on tuition to
fund its operations was a recurrent theme, Kirda said. Easter said that the
American people at some point will say, “that’s enough,” and look at other ways
of funding universities. Since time was short, they did not get into a lot of
specifics, Moss said.
PENSION PLANNING drew further talk. Easter is “front
and center,” working on it, Al-Kodmany said. Easter said he is working in
collaboration with leadership from other State Universities to push a pension
plan developed by the Institute of Government Affairs to the “attention” of
State legislators. Lawmakers are looking at it, Al-Kodmany added. “This is
clearly a president who has rolled up his sleeves.”
IMPROVING ON efficiencies is a goal of the President’s, Al-Kodmany noted. For example, Easter asked why seven or eight
signatures need to be on a contract before it gets to him. He is “clearly not a
bureaucrat,” she added.
UNIVERSITY-BUSINESS partnerships were another focus.
Easter wants to build more ties to businesses, along with increasing endowments
and investments, to better fund University programs and support students, Kirda
said. UI LABS is an example of the kind of partnerships that can be developed,
she said. UI LABS is a pathway to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in
private and government funding that wouldn’t otherwise be available for
Universities to pursue.
HE UNDERSTOOD that Academic Professional staff
should be recognized as major contributors to the University’s mission,
although he conceded the work of Academic Professionals is not discussed often
enough in public, Al-Kodmany said. “We are the foundation” for faculty and
student retention and promotion, she said. “It was like a light bulb that went
on when we talked about that.” He said,
‘You are absolutely correct.’”
SOMETIMES INDIVIDUALS
at high levels are “too politicized,” Al-Kodmany said, noting that “Their
responses have no depth”—but that is not the sense she got during the meeting
with Easter. “He was listening.” Moss agreed. “He has a level of understanding
of the University that is very unique.”
FURTHER MEETINGS will be scheduled, probably twice a year, Moss said. Easter is committed
to “continuing that engagement” with UPPAC. Kirda added that APAC also
appreciates the opportunities afforded to the group to meet with the Chancellor
and Provost a couple of times throughout the year.
ALL THREE APAC members believe the U of I is the
better for Easter’s time at the helm. Easter has agreed to stay on board for
two-and-a-half more years until June 30, 2015, when he will be 67 years old.
“Easter has provided strong leadership during challenging times – we will
definitely be sad to see him go,” Moss said.
WHEN THE U of I Board of Trustees approved
Easter as president in March 2012, he was asked to serve until June 2014. A new
agreement has extended his tenure by a year.
“THERE IS a consensus, and this is not just on
the board but throughout the institution, on campuses and among external
audiences, that this first year has gone very well indeed," said U of I
spokesman Tom Hardy.
FOR MORE about U of I private-public partnerships,
log on to:
http://research.uillinois.edu/innovation-infrastructure/interdisciplinary-research/ui-labs-future-today.
For University administration reviews and a message from President Easter, log
on to: http://www.uillinois.edu/uareview/.
For Springfield News-Gazette coverage
of Easter’s contract extension, log on to http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-07-19/easter-contract-be-extended-year.html.
New APAC Officers Named
APAC RECENTLY held an election for officers.
THE FOLLOWING individuals will serve in 2013-2014: Chair: Michael
Moss, Associate Director, Budget Operations and Financial Analysis, (312)
996-0306, mmoss2@uic.edu; Vice Chair: Ahlam Al-Kodmany, Director, Institute
for Health Research and Policy, (312) 996-7485, ryyan@uic.edu;
Secretary: Mary Berta, Assistant to
the Head, Department of Occupational Therapy, Allied Health Sciences, (312)
413-8355, mberta@uic.edu; and Treasurer: Agnes Kawalec, Visiting Center Coordinator, Center for Clinical and
Translational Science, (312) 413-7353, akawal2@uic.edu.
COMMITTEE CHAIRS also were chosen: Communications: William S. Bike, Director of
Advancement and Alumni Affairs Communications, College of Dentistry, (312)
996-8495, billbike@uic.edu; Chancellor’s
Academic Professional Excellence (CAPE): Al-Kodmany; Building Communications
and Education: Kawalec; Professional Development: Donn Kamm, Assistant Director, Office for Access and Equity, (312)
996-6424, donn@uic.edu, and Uma Sriram, Accounting Consulting,
Office of Business and Financial Services, (312) 355-4935, usriram@uic.edu; Representation: Margaret Moser, Director,
Administrative Operations, Vice President for Health Affairs, (312) 355-5701, mlmoser@uic.edu; and Bylaws: Berta and Colleen Piersen, Assistant head for
Administration, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, (312)
413-9299, cpiersen@uic.edu.
THE WEBMASTER is Jeff Alcantar, Assistant Director for Web Services, Office of
Business and Financial Services, (312) 996-0959, alcanta1@uic.edu. University Professional
Personnel Advisory Committee (UPPAC) Representatives are Al-Kodmany; Moss; and Marelet Kirda, Assistant to the Vice
Chancellor for Research, (312) 996-6174, brugada@uic.edu.
UPPAC alternates are Jacquie Berger, Director
of Communications, Vice Chancellor for Research, (312) 413-0075, jacquieb@uic.edu; Deidre Rush, Associate Director, Financial Aid
Office, (312) 996-5563, deidreb@uic.edu;
and Berta/
Be A Mentor
 |
THE APMP will host a series of roundtable
discussions led by UIC personnel who have been mentors in the program. They
will share their insights on what it takes to be a mentor -- their professional
experience, the nature of the mentoring relationship, time commitment, and the
benefits of the program – and more. The tables will be moderated by APMP
committee members. Light refreshments will be served.
Save the Date: October 14 Panel Featuring President Easter
 |
President Robert Easter
(right) with UIC Provost Lon Kaufman.
|
EASTER WAS appointed President-Designate of the University of Illinois in March 2012. Before becoming President, Easter spent his entire, nearly 40-year career as a senior administrator and faculty member on the University’s Urbana-Champaign campus.
ALL SURS eligible
faculty and staff are welcome to attend.
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 August 14 in Room 5175 of the College of Medicine Research
Building. For information, call (312) 996-0306.
BENEFIT BEAT
 |
THE UIC Children’s Center provides full-day early childhood education services to 50 preschool children of UIC students, faculty, and staff. The children range in age from two years, nine months to six years. All children must be toilet trained.
THE CHILDREN’S Center is on the West Side of campus, 1919 W. Taylor St., Room 116, MC 525, (312) 413-5330.
THE PROGRAM is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
AS WELL as providing quality, developmentally appropriate full-day preschool services, the Children’s Center serves as a demonstration site for the constructivist philosophy developed by former UIC professors Constance Kamii and Rheta DeVries and based upon the theory of Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
 |
A POSITIVE retirement solution for public and
private workers. See the Georgetown
Public Policy Review, June 13, http://gppreview.com/2013/06/13/a-positive-retirement-solution-for-public-and-private-workers/?utm_source=PI+Extra+6.27.13&utm_campaign=PI+email+6.27.13&utm_medium=email.
NEW LAW makes it harder for University to
rehire retirees. See the News-Gazette, July
11, http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-07-11/ui-prepares-comply-new-law-rehiring-retirees.html.
PAYMENT DELAYS by State causing problems for dentists
who treat State employees. See the News-Gazette,
July 14, http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x946752067/Payment-delays-gnaw-at-dentists-patients#ixzz2Z7ahxbCw.
CONSULTANTS, TRUSTEES urge University to realign University
of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System. See the News-Gazette, July 24, http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2013-07-24/trustees-agree-ui-medical-enterprise-needs-realignment.html.
Vol. 6, No. 7 July 2013
ISSN 1946-1860
Editor: William S. Bike
Staff: Lucia Gonzalez, Neal Lorenzi, Gail Mansfield, Susan S. Stevens, 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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