4J BENEFITS AND WELLNESS NEWSLETTER
Prepared by Julie Wenzl • 541-790-7682 • wenzl@4j.lane.edu • September 29, 2016 • Issue Number 290
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 2016-2017 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. These clinics will be held in the Ed Center Auditorium, from 3 PM – 5:30 PM:
- Thursday, October 20
- Tuesday, October 25
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.
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 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, Safeway, Target, and Bi-Mart.
For a complete list of network pharmacies or if you have questions, call Moda Health Pharmacy Customer Service at 866‐923‐0411.
NASAL SPRAY FLU VACCINE NOT COVERED THIS SEASON
In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted that live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), known as the “nasal spray” flu vaccine, should not be used during the 2016-17 flu season. Instead, the standard flu shot should be used for those six months of age and older. Moda provides coverage for immunizations based on the recommendations of the ACIP; therefore the nasal spray flu vaccine will not be a covered benefit for the upcoming flu season.
The ACIP decision was based on data from the 2015-16 season showing the limited effectiveness of LAIV in children ages 2 to 17 compared to the standard flu shot, or inactivated influenza virus. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports this recommendation.
WEIGHT WATCHERS AT WORK – NEHS
A new session of Weight Watchers At Work meetings will begin October 10, 2016, at North Eugene High School. Meetings will be held from 4:00 p.m. until approximately 4:45 p.m. in the NEHS library. The meetings will not occur when the school district is on a holiday break.
In order to join the NEHS At Work group, contact Weight Watchers to request a work site pass for North Eugene High School. The phone number is 541-342-5386, extension 0. Remember to have your 4J OEBB insurance card in hand when you make the call. Please bring your At Work pass to the October 10th meeting.
The NEHS At Work group needs at least 15 participants and would gladly welcome new members. If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Michele Wyckoff at 541-790-4534 or via e-mail at wyckoff_m@4j.lane.edu.
You can find additional information about the OEBB Weight Watchers benefit here: http://www.oregon.gov/oha/OEBB/Pages/Wellness-Resources.aspx
RATES AND DEDUCTIBLES
Medical, vision, pharmacy and dental plans are administered on a plan-year basis. The new plan year begins October 1, 2016, and goes through September 30, 2017. 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 medical deductible during the previous plan year and had continuous coverage, any expenses applied to your medical deductible during the last 3 months of the previous plan year will be carried over and applied to the medical 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, 2016, and run through September 30, 2017. If you completed an FSA enrollment online 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 2016-17 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.
- E-mail: You can e-mail your MMH selection to OEBBquestions@modahealth.com. Please be sure to include:
- Your first and last name
- Your date of birth
- Your subscriber ID
- The name of your medical home, along with the address you will be visiting for primary care
In order a change the medical home selection, members will need to use one of 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 2015-16 plan year, your current MMH election should roll-over for the new plan year.
Note: The 4J Wellness Clinic is a recognized Synergy provider and a Moda Medical Home. If you would like to select the 4J Wellness Clinic as your Moda Medical Home it is listed as Cascade Health Solutions at 200 N. Monroe Street, Eugene Oregon 97402.
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.
