BENEFITS INFORMATION HOTLINE

Amid all the recent changes in 4J, the Employee Benefits Office has had to say good-bye to Linda Corey, who helped many of us over the last two years with all things benefits.  Linda was a wonderful asset and she will be greatly missed!  

The phone number formerly assigned to the Employee Benefits Office is the number for the new Benefits Information Hotline.  By calling (541) 687-3491, you can now access a wealth of recorded information, day or night, on a variety of benefits topics.  By navigating through the prompts, you can find information regarding:

•    benefits-related phone numbers (ODS, OEBB, etc.)
•    member numbers and insurance cards
•    benefits available in 4J
•    continuation of coverage when 4J coverage ends
•    life events / qualified status changes
•    dependent eligibility
•    enrollment of newly eligible dependents
•    leaves of absence
•    retirement
•    premiums/payroll deductions/ACH withdrawals
•    covered services/network providers/Rx formulary
•    LTD insurance/LTD claims/sick leave bank
•    life insurance
•    Manley flexible spending account
•    403(b) retirement savings plans

You can also find a tremendous amount of information on the web.  The 4J benefits website (http://www.4j.lane.edu/hr/benefits) has full plan books for our medical, prescription, vision and dental plans, rate sheets and much more.  Additionally, ODS has a site dedicated to OEBB members, which can be found at http://www.odscompanies.com/oebb/.  

Of course, you are always welcome to contact me (wenzl@4j.lane.edu or 687-3244) with your questions or concerns.  If I am unavailable and your issue cannot wait, you can call Human Resources at 687-3247.

WELLNESS CLINIC “NO-SHOW” FEE

The 4J Wellness Clinic is a great resource designed to provide insurance-eligible 4J employees, retirees and their families medical care for routine needs.  When you schedule an appointment at the clinic and then find that you are unable to make it, it is critical that you call and cancel.  Ideally, you should give the clinic 24 hours notice.  However, if you find yourself unable to attend an appointment that is less than 24 hours away, please call and cancel anyway.  A missed appointment without notification means that another patient who needs care may have been turned away, and your notification may allow someone to be seen on short notice.

The $20 no-show fee has been in effect for a number of years, but beginning April 15, 2009, it will be strictly enforced as follows:

•    A missed appointment will trigger a letter notifying a patient of the missed appointment and outlining payment options for the no-show fee.  This $20 fee must be paid before the patient will be allowed to schedule a future appointment. 

•    In the event that three appointments are missed, the patient will be suspended from scheduling any advance appointments. 

The Wellness Clinic has a voicemail system, so if you realize outside of clinic hours that you must miss an appointment, you can call and leave a message.  The Wellness Clinic phone number is 686-1427.

NOT COMING BACK THIS FALL?

If your plans have you somewhere else come fall, this message is for you.  If you are a licensed employee hired for this school year and your hire date was before November 1, 2008, your insurance benefits will run through August.  However, your last paycheck will be in July.  If you currently have a monthly premium withheld from your paycheck, you can make arrangements to have your August premium spread out over your May, June and July paychecks.  This allows you to pay for your benefits with pre-tax dollars, and prevents you from having to take the financial hit all at once.  

To make this arrangement, please send an e-mail to the Employee Benefits Office (benefits@4j.lane.edu).  This e-mail must be sent by May 15 in order to meet the payroll deadline, and while there is no form to fill out, you must express your wishes in writing.

If you’re not sure if this scenario describes your personal situation, please contact me and I can help you determine if this applies to you.  You can call me at 687-3244 or send me an e-mail (wenzl@4j.lane.edu).

4J WELLNESS SEMINARS

For the first time this year, the Joint Benefits Committee is offering a series of drop-in seminars on a variety of health and wellness topics. No preregistration is required, and there is no cost to participate. All seminars will be held from 4:30 – 6:00 PM in the Ed Center Auditorium.  Please mark your calendar if any (or all!) of these topics interest you.

Financial Stress:  Managing Personal Finances
•    Tuesday, April 21, 2009 – 4:30 PM
•    Presented by Tom Fauria, PhD, Cascade Health Solutions, and Judy Wisely, Debt Reductions Services

High Blood Pressure:  Lifestyle Interventions to Lower Blood Pressure
•    Wednesday, April 22, 2009 – 4:30 PM
•    Presented by Regan Peterson, Register Dietician, Cascade Health Solutions

Osteoporosis and Building Bone Strength
•    Thursday, May 7, 2009 – 4:30 PM
•    Presented by Ann Berg, Registered Nurse, Cascade Health Solutions

In addition to these one-time seminars, we have a series of elder care seminars scheduled.  All sessions will take place in the Ed Center Auditorium, and are scheduled to run from 7:00 – 8:30 PM.   The presenter is Linda Beal Blandy, licensed clinical social worker, who some of you heard at our fall seminar Caring for Elderly Parents.   Linda’s interest in elder care began as a medical social worker in home health and hospice programs, and she has focused on work with elders and adult children of elders for the past 15 years.  Again, no preregistration is required, there is no cost to participate, and you may attend any or all sessions that interest you.

•    Impact of Care Giving for an Aging Parent – Thursday, April 16, 2009

•    Generating Difficult Conversations with your Parent – Wednesday, April 29, 2009

•    How to Assist Parent(s) in Decision Making – Tuesday, May 5, 2009

•    Financial and Legal Considerations Related to Elder Care – Wednesday May 13, 2009