4J BENEFITS AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
Prepared by Julie Wenzl • 541-790-7682 • September 30, 2015 • Issue Number 282
4J FLU SHOT CLINICS
Common influenza causes fever, sore throat, cough, chills, headache and muscle aches. A flu shot cannot prevent all cases of the flu, but it is the best protection we have against the flu and its complications. A flu vaccine also helps prevent spreading flu from person to person. The best time to get your flu shot is in October or November, before the height of flu season; however, vaccination later in the season also can help protect against the flu.
The 2015-2016 vaccine available at the 4J flu shot clinics will help protect against 4 different influenza viruses: 2 A strains and 2 B strains. The providers will be using Latex-free prefilled syringes and the vaccine does not contain thimerosal.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all people 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine, but there are different protocols for young children. Our particular vaccine is not approved for children under 10, so if you have children you would like to get vaccinated who are not eligible for the 4J flu shot clinics, you will need to contact your pediatrician. Two flu shot clinics will be held in 4J for you to get this year’s vaccination.
4J flu shot clinic eligibility extends to:
- all active employees (even those who are not insurance eligible due to less than half-time status)
- all insurance eligible dependents of active employees, including those who have waived coverage
- all retirees and their dependents who are currently covered on the 4J insurance
- student teachers and substitutes (licensed and classified)
4J flu shot clinic eligibility does not extend to:
- retirees who are no longer on the 4J insurance
- retirees’ dependents who are not on the 4J coverage (even when the retiree is still covered)
In this case, “dependents” refers to spouses and domestic partners, as well as insurance eligible children age 10 or over. All children 10-16 years of age must have a parent or guardian with them to be vaccinated.
Flu shot clinics will be held in the Ed Center Auditorium, from 3 PM – 5:30 PM:
- Thursday, October 15
- Tuesday, October 20
The staff providing the vaccinations will need easy access to the deltoid muscle below the shoulder (upper arm). Please dress accordingly.
OTHER FLU SHOT OPTIONS
If you can’t make the 4J flu shot clinics and have OEBB/Moda insurance, you can receive a flu shot at a network pharmacy – no copayment necessary!
Call ahead of time to make sure the pharmacy has the vaccine you need. Show your Moda Health ID card (or your ODS insurance card, which is still valid) to the pharmacist for billing before receiving a vaccine – otherwise it may not be covered.
The following participating chain pharmacies provide vaccines:
- Rite Aid
- Fred Meyer
- Albertson/Savon
- Haggen
- Safeway
- Target
- Bi-Mart
For a complete list of network pharmacies or if you have questions, call Moda Health Pharmacy Customer Service at 866‐923‐0411.
RATES AND DEDUCTIBLES
Medical, vision, pharmacy and dental plans are administered on a plan-year basis. The new plan year begins October 1, 2015, and goes through September 30, 2016. The deductible and accruals toward maximum out-of-pocket reset October 1 regardless of whether they were met the previous plan year. However, if you did not meet your deductible during the previous plan year and had continuous coverage, any expenses applied to your deductible during the last 3 months of the previous plan year will be carried over and applied to the deductible for the new plan year.
While the new insurance rates take effect October 1, we pay our monthly insurance premiums at the end of the month, not the beginning. Thus, active employees and retirees still receiving a paycheck will see the rate change reflected in the October 31 paychecks. Retirees who have arranged for payment from a bank account will see the change in rates in the November 5 ACH payment.
Please check your paycheck or bank statement to verify that you have been charged the correct amount for your insurance elections.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS
Like our insurance plan year, the new FSA plan year will begin October 1, 2015, and run through September 30, 2016. If you submitted an FSA enrollment form for dependent care expenses and/or unreimbursed eligible health-related expenses, you should see the first deduction come out of your end of October paycheck.
If you have any questions, the PacificSource Administrators Customer Service number is 541-485-7488. You can access the PSA website at http://psa.pacificsource.com/PSA/.
SYNERGY NETWORK MEDICAL HOME ELECTION
If you enrolled in a Synergy Network plan for the first time during open enrollment, remember that you must choose a Moda Medical Home (MMH). If you are covering dependents on your plan, they too must choose a MMH. Each member of your family can choose a different MMH if they desire. Moda Health will be mailing information about medical home selection to new Synergy network enrollees soon.
For the 2015-16 plan year, you will select your MMH through Moda Health. Medical home selection can be made one of the following ways:
- Online: You can login to your myModa account and indicate your selected Moda medical home for you, and any covered dependents under the age of 18. For dependents 18 and older, they will need to create their own myModa account and make their medical home selection.
- Phone: You may contact Moda Health Customer Service at 866-923-0409 and confirm MMH selection with a Medical Customer Service Representative.
In order to change the medical home selection, members will need to select their new medical home and communicate the change to Moda Health using the options provided above. This change will be effective the first of the month following the notification of your new selection.
If you were enrolled in a Synergy Network plan for the 2014-15 plan year, your current MMH election should roll-over for the new plan year.
NEW INSURANCE CARDS
Moda Health will be sending out new ID cards and anticipates that cards will be in the mail around October 1, 2015. If you need services prior to the arrival of your new cards, you can continue to use your existing cards. If you are a new member and need to access services prior to the arrival of your cards, please contact Julie Wenzl for assistance: wenzl@4j.lane.edu or 541-790-7682.
TAX SHELTERED ANNUITY (TSA) VENDOR FAIR
You are cordially invited to attend a 403(b) Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) Vendor Fair. This drop-in style format event will be a great opportunity to gather information on tax deferred retirement savings plans. This event will take place in the Ed Center Auditorium between 3:30 and 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2015.
There will be experts on hand from many of the vendors who work with 4J employees, all together in one place. If you have been meaning to start your TSA, now is the time. If you already have a TSA going and have questions, this is a great opportunity to connect directly with your vendor.
All 4J employees are eligible to set up an account under the 403(b) Plan with any vendor who is on the District list of approved vendors: http://www.ncompliance.com/guest_employervendors.aspx?EmployerID=12
4J Retirement Plan A eligible employees (hired into a licensed position before July 1, 1998) do not receive a TSA contribution from 4J.
4J Retirement Plan B eligible employees (hired on or after July 1, 1998) are eligible to receive a TSA contribution from 4J:
- First year of eligibility – $50 / month
- Third year of eligibility – $75 / month
- Sixth year of eligibility – $100 / month
- Tenth year of eligibility – $150 / month
- Thirteenth year of eligibility – $175 / month
The information in this newsletter has been summarized. It is presented as information – not advice or counsel. In all instances, the benefits, conditions, and limitations as outlined in the 4J Master Contracts prevail over this representation. Please refer to your Benefits booklet or master contracts available at the District offices for additional information regarding your benefits plans.
