According to Alice Miller, associate vice president for Human Resources, the message of next year's rates is that managed care is successful for Emory. "The managed health care program was designed to promote good health and contain costs," said Miller. "The fact that rates have gone up relatively little since the program started, and this year some have actually gone down, indicates that we are on the right track. We remain committed to providing quality and affordable health coverage for everyone."
The benefits election period, held Nov. 1-30, is the time during which any eligible employee may:
* enroll in EmoryCare or PruCare
* add eligible dependents to EmoryCare or PruCare
* change from one health or dental plan to the other
* enroll or make changes in dental coverage for themselves and/or for eligible dependents
* enroll or re-enroll in dependent and/or medical care spending accounts for 1996
* drop health and dental plans or drop dependent coverage
* enroll in or make changes in Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
* enroll in Short Term Disability for general staff
* enroll in Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Long Term Disability.
Procedures for domestic partner registration
This year, for the first time, during the annual benefits election period, employees will be able to register their same-sex domestic partners for the EmoryCare Health Care Plan or the traditional dental plan offered by the University.
Employees wishing to register their domestic partners will need to provide a "Statement of Same-Sex Domestic Partnership," which requires a notarized signature of the employee and the partner, and declares that the two are jointly responsible for each other's common welfare and share financial obligations. The employee also declares that documents supporting joint responsibility are available.
Should the partnership end, procedures are in place to provide for COBRA continuation of coverage.
The benefits also will be available to new employees if elected within 31 days of employment, and to new partners, if elected within 31 days of becoming domestic partners or signing the "Statement of Same Sex Domestic Partnership."
Significant changes in Emory's benefit plans for 1996 include:
Open enrollment
The health, dental and COLA for long-term disability will be opened for enrollment for eligible employees not previously enrolled. This includes adding dependents to the health and dental plans who are eligible but not previously enrolled, without proof of insurability.
No medical underwriting for health
The only time to enroll in the health and dental plans is during the annual benefits election period. To enroll yourself or dependents during the year, you must have a qualifying family status change. The process of medical underwriting (providing proof of insurability) will be discontinued.
Short-term disability
A short term disability Benefits specialists will be available at the following locations to assist employees in changing their benefit elections. In addition, a benefits specialist will be available at 103 Human Resources and at
D-203 Emory Hospital from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m, Monday through Friday, Nov. 1-30.
Nov. 1 205 White Hall 3 - 5 p.m.*
Nov. 1 Emory Hospital Auditorium 8 - 9 p.m.*
Nov. 2 Ground floor/Dental Building 9 - 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 2 Ground floor/Rollins Center 9 - 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 3 Center for Rehabilitation Medicine 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.*
Nov. 8 Grady/Steiner Building Auditorium 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.*
Nov. 9 Emory Hospital Auditorium 2:30 - 4 p.m.*
Nov. 13 Emory Hospital Auditorium 6 - 7 a.m.
Nov. 13 Emory Hospital Auditorium 7 - 10 a.m.*
Nov. 15 Seney Hall Conference Room, 1 - 3:30 p.m.*
Oxford College
Nov. 16 Coca-Cola Commons, Dobbs Center 9 - 11:30 a.m.
Nov. 17 Asbury Court, Emory Hospital 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Nov. 18 Emory Hospital Auditorium 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Nov. 28 Coca-Cola Commons, Dobbs Center 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
*There will be a 15-minute presentation at the beginning of the scheduled time to introduce the new short-term disability plan and discuss the open enrollment for health, dental and COLA.plan is being offered to general staff working half time or more with at least one year of continuous half-time service. Employees can select from three options with various waiting periods and premiums. After an employee has used all accrued leave, the plans provides 60 percent of base pay period earnings if he or she is unable to work due to a non-work-related injury or illness, or pregnancy.
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
The long term disability plan COLA option will be open for enrollment for eligible employees. COLA provides automatic 4-percent cost-of-living increases compounded on an annual basis if the employee becomes disabled.
Long-Term Disability Plan (LTD)
A new LTD plan is available to general staff with a one-year waiting period. The plan will pay benefits if an employee with an annual salary of less than $50,000 is unable to perform their regular occupation, or is partially disabled and able to work, but earning less than 80 percent of their monthly salary due to sickness, injury or pregnancy for 30 months.
Any election or change will be effective Jan. 1, 1996. For questions, contact Human Resources at 727-7613.