October 12, 2005
Dental, vision, and mental health benefits remain the same, as does the prescription drug benefit. The majority of Guild-represented employees are currently enrolled in either the Oxford Healthcare Plan or United Healthcare (a POS, or point of service, plan, now renamed a PPO, or preferred provider organization). The Oxford benefits will remain the same in 2006. As it now stands, United Healthcare will see the co-pay for an in-plan-specialist office visit go to $25 from $20 and the co-pay for emergency room use to $75 from $50. Local HMOs will continue to be offered, and an Aetna HMO will be available.
Time Inc. is proposing that two present plans called EPOs, which are like HMOs, will be discontinued in 2006; they are the United Healthcare EPO and the Aetna EPO. Current members of those plans should choose other plans. If they don't, they will be assigned to the plan most similar to the one they have now.
Management says it will also offer a Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP) in 2006.
That plan is very complicated, and the Guild urges employees who may be interested in it to make sure that they understand it completely, after our discussions are finished and full details are released. While the premium we pay for the CDHP would be 15% lower than for the other options, it carries with it potentially much higher out-of-pocket expenses for the employee, in the form of a higher deductible and a higher out-of-pocket maximum. The company will contribute to meeting half of the deductible. If any portion of the company’s contribution is not used, it will be rolled over into the following year's account, but Time Inc. has not guaranteed that this practice will remain the same in the future.
Consultation with the Guild, as required by our contract, is due to continue next week.
Employees should make sure that they look at this year's medical information as soon as possible, so there is time to have any questions answered and make the best medical decision for them and their family.
10/12/05
#####