Published by:

Arthur Hart, Classified Benefits Coordinator

Phone: 541-790-7679 e-mail: hart_a@4j.lane.edu

2019/20 OEBB Open Enrollment

Open enrollment for the 2019/20 OEBB plan year starts August 15^th, 2019 and goes through September 15^th, 2019.  The new plan year will start on October 1^st.

What stays the same?

• The Standard’s optional life insurance
• VSP Vision plan
• EAP- Employee Assistance Program (no enrollment necessary)
• Moda/Delta Dental plan 5
• Moda/Delta Dental Plan 6
• Some OEBB wellness programs
  • WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined)
  • Healthy Team Healthy U
  • Health coaching through Moda, Kaiser and HTHU, Better Choices, Better Health and Virtual Lifestyle Management
  • Tobacco Cessation

What will look familiar?

• Kaiser medical plan 2
  • Some slight plan changes
  • The Kaiser clinic is moving to 360 S. Garden Way in Eugene in May of 2020
• Willamette Dental
  • Implant surgery up to $1,500 calendar year maximum, and limited to one implant per year.

What has changed?

• Moda medical plans
  • Moda is launching all new plans under just one network. All Moda plans will utilize Moda’s statewide Connexus provider network. The Synergy networks will be discontinued for all OEBB plans effective October 1, 2019.
  • Moda medical plan members will be offered the option to participate in coordinated care by selecting a primary care provider know as a PCP360.
  • Choosing to participate in the Moda coordinated care will significantly enhance plan member benefits.
  • Moda medical plans 3 and 4 will be offered, and have $1,200/$1,300 and $1,600/$1,700 deductibles respectively.
  • Current Moda Synergy plan members will be given a slight discount on the new Moda plans 3 & 4 called a Select Rate.  OEBB will automatically apply the Select Rate during open enrollment if you qualify.

What’s new and exciting?

• New OEBB wellness program offerings
  • Mindfulness app: Launching later this year
  • Resiliency webinars
  • Enhanced OEBB wellness site: improved online access to wellness tools and resources for members
  • Ongoing wellness newsletter: featuring wellness resources focused on a particular theme

Ways to prepare for open enrollment:

• Make sure your contact information is current.
  • Log into your myoebb.org account to update your OEBB contact info.
  • Fill out an address change form to update your 4J contact info.
• In early July start checking the 4J benefits home page and look for Benefits Open Enrollment 2019-20 information.
• In early August watch for the OEBB open enrollment packet to arrive in the mail.
• Keep checking your 4J email throughout the summer for information updates.
• Keep an eye on the 4J Facebook page for benefits updates.

Other open enrollment information:

• The 4J Wellness Clinic is not part of the Kaiser Network, and Kaiser medical plan members are not eligible to use the 4J Wellness Clinic.
• You and your covered dependents must enroll in the same coverage tier. Example: If you elect dental for yourself, your child(ren) and spouse/DP must also have the same coverage.
• OEBB provides the benefits plans, but 4J sets the benefits rates paid by 4J employees.  As you examine the 4J rate sheets, be sure that you are looking at the correct hour range and number of checks per year.
• Get your open enrollment done early!  September 15^th 2019 is a Sunday, and no 4J assistance will be available to you on that day.

Wellness Clinic Summer Hours

Clinic Hours: Monday through Friday all summer from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., except holidays. The clinic is closed for lunch 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.  To make a clinic appointment, call 541-686-1427.

Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.

 —Erma Bombeck

Open Enrollment Assistance

OEBB open enrollment Computer assistance will be available in the Ed Center computer classroom on the following schedule:

• Tuesday, August 20, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, August 27, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 28, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
• Friday, August 30, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 4, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
• Thursday, September 5, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 10, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 11, 9:00-11:00 a.m.
• Friday, September 13, 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Questions for Your Health

When facing medical decisions it is not always easy to think of all the things you should discuss with your physician during an appointment.  It can be helpful to take a family member or friend with you when you go to the doctor’s office. You may feel more confident if someone else is with you. Also, a relative or friend can help remind you about things you planned to tell or ask the physician. He or she also can help you remember what the physician says.  It can also be helpful to bring a list of questions to ask your physician that you prepared beforehand.  Here are some questions you might want answered.

Regarding symptoms or a diagnosis:

• What is the disease or condition?
• How serious is my disease or condition and how will it affect my home and work life?
• What is the short-term and long-term prognosis for my disease or condition?
• What caused the disease or condition?
• Is there more than one disease or condition that could be causing my symptoms?
• Should I be tested for a certain disease or condition?
• What further symptoms should I watch for?
• How can I be tested for a disease or condition, and what will these tests tell me?
• How safe and accurate are the tests?
• When will I know the test’s results?
• Will I need more medical tests?
• Do I need a follow-up visit and if so, when?
• Do I need to take precautions to avoid infecting others?
• How is the disease or condition treated?

Regarding treatment options:

• What are my treatment options?
• How long will the treatment take?
• What is the cost of the treatment?
• Which treatment is most common for my disease or condition?
• Is there a generic form of my treatment and is it as effective?
• What side effects can I expect?
• What risks and benefits are associated with the treatment?
• What would happen if I didn’t have any treatment?
• What would happen if I delay my treatment?
• Is there anything I should avoid during treatment?
• What should I do if I have side effects?
• What should I do if I miss a dose of medication?
• Will my job or lifestyle be affected?

Regarding a possible surgery:

• Why do I need surgery?
• What surgical procedure are you recommending?
• Is there more than one way of performing this surgery?
• Are there alternatives to surgery?
• How much will surgery cost?
• What risks and benefits are associated with this surgery?
• What if I don’t have this surgery?
• What kind of anesthesia will I need?
• How long will it take me to recover?
• How much experience do you have performing this surgery?
• How long will I be in the hospital?

Cataracts

A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of your eye. For people who have cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make it more difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night) or see the expression on a friend’s face.

Signs and symptoms of cataracts include:

• Clouded, blurred or dim vision
• Increasing difficulty with vision at night
• Sensitivity to light and glare
• Need for brighter light for reading and other activities
• Seeing “halos” around lights
• Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription
• Fading or yellowing of colors
• Double vision in a single eye

Use your district VSP benefit and make an appointment for an eye exam if you notice any changes in your vision. However, if you develop sudden vision changes, such as double vision or flashes of light, sudden eye pain, or sudden headache, see a doctor right away.

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This newsletter is reviewed and edited each month by the District 4J and OSEA representatives of the Classified Joint Benefits Committee (JBC).The information in this newsletter is summarized, and is not intended as advice or counsel.