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Open enrollment runs May 3-19; take advantage of health-promotion resources available to center employees

You won't see many changes when you re-enroll or modify your health-insurance and flexible-spending plans this year. But the onset of the open-enrollment period on May 3 is a great time to consider making behavioral changes that could help you stay healthy or become even healthier.

It's also a good time to become acquainted with the center resources available to help you achieve those goals and to stay tuned for new health-promotion events that will be introduced in future months, said Jonathan Sheppard, compensations/benefit manager.

"Health care is no longer something you need only when you are ill or injured," he said. "We continue to provide high-quality medical benefits to cover those needs and encourage employees to use their health plans to obtain good care when they are ill and to follow through with their treatment. But the center and the health plans are placing a greater emphasis on wellness and health and offering resources to help employees live a healthier life.

"Of course this fits well with our mission as a cancer center, but we also care about providing opportunities for employees to learn how they can take an active role in getting the most out of life from a health standpoint."

Shared cost of coverage

The center will continue to pick up most of the cost of medical coverage, and the two health plans offered — Premera Blue Cross and Alliant Plus — have no significant differences compared to last year, Sheppard said. As they did last year, employees will share in the increased cost of medical coverage with the center. While health-care cost increases at the center are less than the national averages this year, they are still very large and staff will see some increases in monthly fees.

Monthly increases for the Alliant Plus plan for 2004-2005 will be:

• $3 for employee only
• $4 for employee plus child
• $5 for employee plus spouse/domestic partner
• $10 for employee, spouse/domestic partner and child

Monthly increases for the Premera plan for 2004-2005 will be:

• $10 for employee only
• $15 for employee plus child
• $15 for employee plus spouse/domestic partner
• $20 for employee, spouse/domestic partner and child

Enthusiasm for taking personal responsibility for one's health is a growing topic of interest at the center, Sheppard said.

"The hall talk about healthy behaviors has increased as has the number of employees who have made sustained improvements in their health," he said. "This year, 550 people took part in the Healthy Challenge, which is good evidence that staff have a strong interest in taking advantage of programs that support healthy lifestyles."

In addition to the yearly Healthy Challenge event, several other health and wellness resources are available for employees and health-plan subscribers. For example, the center offers health-club discounts to employees. Sheppard said that 725 employees are currently enrolled in 24 Hour Fitness Health Clubs.

Other resources include:

• The Human Resources/Benefits Web site, http://www.fhcrc.org/admin/hr/ben/, contains links to the health plans, information about the Healthy Challenge, health club discounts, employee sports teams subsidies and other health resources.
• The Environmental Health & Safety Department Web site, http://www.fhcrc.org/admin/facilities/ehs/, contains information about employee health clinics, ergonomics and other health and safety programs.
• The Premera Blue Cross Web site, http://www.premera.com, contains a link to their wellness site, A Healthy Advantage. Premera also offers a 24-hour Nurseline at 1-800-841-8383.
• Group Health Cooperative's Web site, http://www.ghc.org, links to the Alliant Plus plan and provides a 24-hour consulting nurse at 1-800-298-6877.
• The Employee Assistance Program provides access to Live and Work Well, program that provides mental health, substance abuse and other behavioral wellness resources through their Web site, http://www.liveandworkwell.com, or by phone, 1-800-358-8515, access code 2461.

Sheppard said that future health-promotion events may include seminars and articles on health and wellness and free health screenings.

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2004 Benefits fairs on May 12, 13

Attend a benefits fair to learn more about the 2004-2005 medical and flexible-benefits plans. Fairs will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12 in rooms M1-303/307 in the PHS building and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, May 13 in the first floor conference rooms in the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Clinic. Free blood-pressure testing will be available, and employees may sign up for cholesterol and blood-glucose screening.

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