The University announced the range of 2014 medical plans on September 3, 2013. This followed a re-bidding process held earlier this year as described in articles in “Our University.” You can read the announcement of the 2014 medical plans, in its entirety, at: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/news/general/1309-medical-plans.html For a Spanish-language version go to: http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/news/general/1309-planes-medicos.html
During the re-bidding and plan selection processes, Chancellor Blumenthal and Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Galloway have been staunch advocates for the Santa Cruz campus. They lobbied for plans that engage providers in both the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (Sutter Health) and the Santa Cruz County Physicians Medical Group. We are pleased to report that select plans will cover both groups. We thank the Chancellor and the CP/EVC for their efforts. Highlights of the UC announcement most pertinent to UCSC employees are given below.
Plans continuing in 2014, for those living in the appropriate service area, will be:
· Health Net Blue & Gold
· Core
· WHA
· Kaiser
The following plans are being discontinued:
· Health Net HMO (full network)
· Anthem Blue Cross PPO
· Anthem Blue Cross Lumenos
· Anthem Blue Core Plus
The new plans that will be available in Santa Cruz County are:
· UC Care, a new three-tier health plan created just for UC employees, retirees and families
· Blue Shield PPO with a Health Saving Account, a high-deductible PPO plan paired with a Health Savings Account (HSA)
Plan details will be made available on a special medical plan website on September 16, 2013 (it will be linked from At Your Service, http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/ ). However, we have received advance information that in Santa Cruz County the following facilities and providers will be considered Tier 1 (fixed co-payment) providers under the UC Care plan:
· Dominican/Dignity Hospital
· Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center
· Palo Alto Medical Foundation
· Any Physicians Medical Group physician which has a PPO contract with Blue Shield
Plan costs have not yet been finalized; information about monthly premiums will be available closer to Open Enrollment. Upcoming dates to keep in mind are:
· Oct. 21: Open Enrollment booklets mailed to home addresses
· Oct. 28 (8 am) – Nov. 26 (5 pm): Open Enrollment period for making plan changes
A schedule of UCSC Open Enrollment presentations will be posted on the Benefits Office website (http://shr.ucsc.edu/benefits/ben_news/index.html ) once it is finalized.
