[Vision2020] New Topic: U of I Health Benefits?

[Saundra]

Well, there have been several heated topics recently, and I'd like to add to
the fire a bit with a local topic I think has been kept pretty much under
wraps:  the change in U of I health care benefits.

I know we've got a few U of I employees who read Vision 2020, and the U of I
is Latah county's largest employer.  So, I'm wondering if U of I employees
getting royally screwed is a topic anyone is interested in discussing &
hopefully solving?

I'm TOTALLY DISGUSTED with the change in health care carriers/benefits that
took effect 7/1/2003!  The more time that's passed, the more DISGUSTED I've
become, and I'm not the only one who has the feeling that employees & their
families health were sold up the river with the U of I's "new & improved"
coverage.

Now, I admit to being somewhat out of the loop on this topic since it's my
husband who is the U of I employee, but I've trained him pretty well <g> to
pass along benefit information because that's something I'm responsible for
understanding.  I went to the meetings back in May and I've read all the
information the U of I has sent via email & snail mail and has available on
the Web site (which is a whole 'nuther story . . . the constantly changing
requirements listed on the Web site not published until *after* deadlines
have passed).  And, I *trusted* that the information we were given was
complete and accurate.  What a damn fool I was!

I started to send Vision2020 a message about the change back in late August
when I first became aware of the fact that coordination of prescription drug
benefits had been . . . quietly eliminated (an elimination that's going to
cost our family over $1000 a year) because I didn't want anyone else hit
with the same shock about the **completely unpublicized** decrease in
benefits that change represented.  But, due to the problems the change in
carriers/coverage created for us, I never quite got 'a round tuit'.

OK, OK, in all fairness, I should present the "other" side of the story.
According to two folks I spoke with in the Benefits department, it wasn't
that this information was *intentionally* kept from employees -- it's that
those U of I employees responsible for the contract negotiations weren't . .
. aware that the elimination of coordination of benefits for prescription
drugs represented a decrease in coverage or that there had always been this
"benefit" before.  I actually had one (top) U of I person try to tell me
that Regence had been coordinating prescription benefits "out of the
kindness of their heart . . . it wasn't a contractual obligation."  You can
imagine the reaction Regence had to that notion when I called to get the
real scoop straight from the horse's mouth!

And, we're supposed to ***trust*** these people (i.e., these are the experts
U of I administration has deemed competent . . . and pays them accordingly)
to make the best decisions about health insurance coverage?!?!?

Of course, that story has since changed:  *now*, this decreased prescription
coverage was supposedly mandated or dictated from above.  Hmmm . . . quite a
change in story, doncha think?  If that's the truth, then why weren't we
*informed* so that we'd at least have had the chance to scramble to plan for
the decrease???

Quite frankly, I no longer CARE what the real story is because 'trust' and
'U of I Benefits' has become an oxymoron.  Either they knew in advance &
kept the information secret to prevent outrage, in which case they are moral
slime beneath contempt, *or* they really didn't know, which I think would
clearly be (yet another) case of incompetence that should result in a change
in employment for those responsible (read:  someone needs to be FIRED).

And, then there's the decision to go with a plan that provides incentives to
take your prescription business away from our local community . . .

And the decision to go with coverage that has NO Moscow vision network
providers . . . 

And, the decision to go with a company that's running a 75+% error rate on
claims processing for this family alone . . . 

And, the decision to go with a dental provider that for some people
apparently is costing much more than the old coverage . . . 

And, now, my latest rant:  the decision to go with a carrier that has *not
ONE single* network MD specialty provider (psychiatrist required for
medication management for a neurochemical imbalance, something that's no
longer covered as a part of our medical coverage -- an MD isn't an MD now,
and medication management is no longer a covered "medical" benefit . . . but
if her kidneys fail due to the lack of monitoring, they'll pay for *that*!)
in over a 90 mile radius (that includes Spokane, folks) who will see a child
under 18.  Mind you, there are *plenty* of those specialists in that same
area who *will* see kids, but none of them are "network" providers.  Of
course, we've already got the specialist (whom we went through hell & high
water to find) who participated in the "old" plan but who doesn't
participate in the new plan.  So, the two visits (to the tune of $395)
required before her hospitalization but after the contract change . . .
<puft>  just plain gone.

(Those are just the things I'm aware of . . . please FEEL FREE to add to the
list!)

If my math skills haven't been completely eroded trying to solve this
problem, that's going to cost our family an additional $930 a year *minimum*
(on top of the $395 that wasn't covered in July and August) -- $97.50 rather
than $20 a visit -- assuming our daughter only has to see the "out of
network" specialist once a month.

And, now I've got a child who just spent over 2 months in the hospital (no
insurance cost there -- she was in a clinical research study with the
National Institutes of Health) who needs ongoing expert care and there's not
one SINGLE network provider in the area!  Brilliant choice, U of I!

Altogether, the brilliant decision to switch carriers has conservatively set
our family back over $3000 a year.  This on top of Year 2 with no pay
increase.

That 18.1% increase Regence wanted (about $400 per year more for our family
as opposed to the $250 more we're paying for less coverage than we had last
year) is sounding better & better . . . but we weren't given any choice at
all.  Nor were we provided any information in advance that we were going to
take a huge hit in the wallet and benefits.  From the U of I Benefits Web
site (http://www.uidaho.edu/benefits/myths.htm):
"There are no current proposals that would significantly change the health
programs, but there will be some changes."
Hmmm . . . well, I don't know where the fairy land those folks live is, but
in real world Moscow, Idaho, a change that's costing our family well over
$3000 IS significant!

So, what do others think?  Any suggestions?  Talking with HRS staff has
accomplished nothing except excuses, misinformation/untruths, double-talk,
and refusal to accept the fact that THEIR decision has real-life serious
health consequences for employees and their families.  In fact, when I tried
to reach them today about this latest fiasco, all I could get was Lost in
Automated Answering Land (no matter the option I chose -- there was not a
live person to be found, and I've still not received a return call) to leave
my name, etc for a flu shot!  Ah, if only a flu shot was the extent of my
health concerns!

And some folks wonder why the U of I has trouble attracting the most
qualified folks for jobs in spite of this wonderful community we live in.
I'll tell ya, it's no mystery to me when the county's largest employer has
so royally screwed its employees and families with respect to health
insurance coverage.

As much as I love this community, I'm applying pressure to my hubby to look
for work elsewhere.  He's not listening yet, but I can be persistent  ;-)
There's been lots of news coverage about the financial . . .  mismanagement
(Boise Place et al) that have taken place over the past couple of years and
there's been some significant administrative upheaval as a result.  Then,
too, we've got a legislature that continues to gut education funding (they
should have gutted it long ago before I learned to THINK, thanks to my
public education), which has pushed us into Year 2 with no pay increase in
spite of increasing student enrollment.

And now, we've had our health insurance coverage significantly eroded yet
our premiums have gone up by 11% for dependents.

We just keep getting poorer & poorer staying at the U of I, and now the
threat is to our health.  Due to my daughter's illness, I've not been able
to be employed outside the home for some time.  We've got good savings and
investments, and my husband is a professional with a decent job . . . yet
we're terrified to think of how we're going to provide adequate health care
for your daughter with INADEQUATE health insurance by the county's largest
employer.  Seems to be a no-brainer to me why folks are leaving . . . and
not really wanting to come to fill positions in the first place.

So, that's my rant.  If I've gotten anything wrong, someone PLEASE set the
record straight so that I can start accessing the benefits we've been denied
and stop losing money!


Saundra
Moscow, ID