안녕하세요, 학생회장입니다.
이번학기부터 대학원생 의료보험 (GAHP) 제공사가 Health Partners에서 BCBS 변경되면서 보험 커버리지가 학생들에게 불리하게 변경되었다는 소식을 접해서 관련 자료를 공유드립니다. 내일 Gabel총장님께 아래의 서신과 학생들의 서명을 송부할 예정이라하니, 취지에 공감하시는 분들께서는 아래의 서한에 서명을 부탁드립니다.
자료: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_aGwkPet_ds3hhQc2TKIpU8t5L_3z8_t6pE5-WrXMCU/edit
President Gabel께 보내는 서한: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wsKgoYa8Qql2L0OBiPcSRQyp6cWgAh-I_Dd2-b3Kl2k/edit?usp=sharing
아래는 저희 학부에서 공유된 메일입니다.
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Hello CSCI grads,
This year, UMN switched graduate student health insurance from Health Partners to BCBS. This spreadsheet details many grad students' experiences of the fall out from this change. A few emails went out that promised us nothing would change about our coverage, however this spreadsheet provides detailed accounts of how untrue this promise turned out to be. This is unacceptable. Some medications and procedures are now no longer covered, resulting in major increases in co-pays, or a lack of access to needed services.
A group of students has put together a letter which will be delivered to President Gabel tomorrow, which means that you read and should sign it now if you intend to. The letter demands transparency, accountability, repair of the health plan, and compensation for those who have incurred unanticipated costs.
Please consider signing this letter today. (And you can forward it to your grad student friends in other programs, as well.)
10/10일 9:02 a.m.에 학생들의 서명이 포함된 편지가 프린트되어 총장님께 전달되었다고 합니다.
댓글 쓰기 권한이 없습니다.
Office of Student Health Benefit에서 온 Followup (전체)메일입니다.
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Your health and well-being is important and critical to the University of Minnesota. The Office of Student Health Benefits (OSHB) is committed to upholding this value via comprehensive, cost-effective insurance plans. We appreciate feedback from students and ongoing partnership and coordination with student leaders.
Some Graduate Assistants have expressed concerns regarding the Graduate Assistant Health Plan (GAHP) change to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross) from HealthPartners (HP). We understand the uncertainty a change like this can cause, and we are sorry if you have been directly affected. We will continue to investigate and help resolve any concerns brought to our attention. We’re writing to you today to provide answers to the questions we’ve received.
Please contact us with any concerns about your coverage. We are committed to helping navigate these and any other issues that might arise during this transition. We have received approximately 30 inquiries and the issues raised have been resolved or are in various stages of resolution.
Question: Why was the change made from HP to Blue Cross?
Answer: The University requires bidding for the health insurance contract every six years. A committee representing key University stakeholders (including Graduate Assistants) selected Blue Cross to be the administrator after a very competitive bidding and interview process. Among the reasons for the change are a larger network for mental health and chemical dependency providers, and the ability to maintain low premiums for members for the six-year period Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota was selected.
Question: What involvement did graduate students have in the Request For Proposal (RFP) process?
Answer: The 25-member committee included three graduate students and representatives from the Graduate School, who provided valuable feedback on the unique needs of graduate students throughout the RFP process. Boynton’s Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC), which also provides critically important input to OSHB regarding questions and concerns about health benefits, is currently co-led by a graduate student and includes two additional graduate students as well.
Question: Is the Blue Cross benefit plan designed the same as it was with HP?
Answer: Yes. Both providers offer the same:
Deductible;
Out-of-pocket maximums for medical services and prescriptions;
Preventive health care coverage;
Copay tiers for prescriptions, office visits, urgent care and emergency care;
Inpatient hospital care coverage; and
Outpatient care coverage.
Question: Why might my office visit cost more with Blue Cross than with HP?
Answer: The office visit copays have not changed. You likely met your out-of-pocket maximum before the end of last year and then had some additional office visits not subject to the copay requirement. Since out-of-pocket maximums reset each Plan Year (beginning September 1), you may now see copays being charged again.
Question: Why might my prescription medication have a different cost with Blue Cross?
Answer: The copays for prescriptions are the same ($10 for preferred generic, $25 for preferred brand). However, if a medication is priced at less than your copay, your cost may be slightly different when priced by Blue Cross versus HP.
If you weren’t paying copays toward the end of the last plan year, you most likely met your $300 out-of-pocket maximum on prescriptions and, therefore, were seeing $0 copay for your current prescription. The prescription out-of-pocket maximum reset on September 1, 2019. Copays will be charged until that maximum is met during this plan year.
OSHB was informed by some individuals that several birth control pills that Blue Cross charged copays for had been covered without copay under HP. We promptly reached out to Blue Cross to request that many more options be added to the formulary as covered at no charge to the participant. This has been agreed upon, but is still a work in progress.
Question: Why is my medication not covered by Blue Cross when it was covered by HP?
Answer: The Pharmacy Benefit Managers are different and therefore, use different formularies that may cover varied drugs in each therapeutic class. If needed, the patient's pharmacist or prescriber can help find an alternative covered medication, or if the covered alternatives have been tried without success, prescribers may request a formulary exception.
Question: Is there still a reimbursement for a membership at RecWell?
Answer: Yes. However, the new program works a bit differently. Plan members automatically receive a discount of $80 on a gym membership each semester (fall, spring and summer) at RecWell. Visit Member Services at the University Recreation and Wellness Center - Minneapolis campus to update or start your membership, and let them know you would like the Boynton discounted rate. The gym discount program is in lieu of the Gym Reimbursement/Fitness Rewards Program, and it is structured so the discount is taken off upfront. If you have further questions, please contact the Member Services office at (612) 626-9222 and press “0” or recwell@umn.edu.
Question: I did not receive the discount through RecWell when I signed up. Can I still receive the discount?
Answer: Yes. If you are already a RecWell member and did not receive the discount, you can go to RecWell and fill out a reimbursement request form. If you have further questions, please contact the Member Services office at (612) 626-9222 and press “0” or recwell@umn.edu.
Question: Is the Frequent Fitness reimbursement still available at fitness centers other than RecWell?
Answer: No. As was previously communicated, fitness centers other than RecWell no longer are eligible for a discount/reimbursement. Blue Cross has replaced their Frequent Fitness program with a different program called "Blue 365,” which provides discounts at some other fitness centers.
Question: What if my doctor is not in the Blue Cross provider network?
Answer: Blue Cross has a large national provider network with greater numbers of medical, mental health and chemical dependency providers than HP. The GAHP has both in-network and out-of-network benefits. However, you receive the best coverage level when your doctor is in-network.
Question: Is the Prior Authorization I received from HP for an upcoming surgery valid with Blue Cross?
Answer: Yes. Prior Authorizations with HP should have transferred from HP to Blue Cross. If Blue Cross is not reflecting the approved status of your Prior Authorization, contact the OSHB and we will work to resolve it with Blue Cross and HP.
Question: Is acupuncture still covered?
Answer: Yes. Blue Cross, similar to HP, covers acupuncture in limited circumstances (such as for treating chronic pain).
Question: Is childbirth still covered?
Answer: Yes. There have been no changes related to plan coverage for childbirth.
Office of Student Health Benefits
University of Minnesota
410 Church Street SE, N323
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-624-0627 or 1-800-232-9017
Fax: 612-626-5183 or 1-800-624-9881
umshbo@umn.edu
www.shb.umn.edu