Benefits News
The benefits team is committed to keeping you up to date. This website contains the archives of our benefit news. We send a benefits email out to all benefit-eligible employees twice a month - typically on Tuesdays. If you have any questions on the news items or the emails that you receive, please reach out to us at ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Calendar Year 2023 Benefits News
Newsletter sent on November 7th, November 21st, and November 28th
November 8th - Take control of your financial life: 5 steps to managing money and debt
November 15th - Invest for success: Fine-tuning your retirement strategy
November 15th - You're more than your blood sugar
December 1st - Wellness rebate paid out
December 5th - Live with confidence in retirement: 5 steps to creating your retirement income plan
December 5th - Invest for Success: 5 principles you need to know
December 7th - Make the move toward long-term financial security: Your mid career retirement check-in
December 12th - Write your next chapter: 5 steps to setting your retirement date
December 13th - Establish your retirement plan: A start-to-finish guide
This months news contains information on...
- FINANCIAL HEALTH
- Meet with Fidelity
- Fidelity Engagement Program
- HEALTH & WELLNESS
- Providence Alaska Group Update
- Denali Pharmacy in Fairbanks - Remains In-Network
- The Eye Guys (November Dates)
- WEBINARS
- NEW! Employee Leave Benefits Training (On Demand)
- TIAA December Webinars
- TIAA November Webinars
- You’re more than your blood sugar
- Unmasking ADHD Mimics: Exploring Sleep Disorders, Encephalopathies, and More
- REMINDERS
- Wellness Rebate - Paid out on 12/1/23 Paycheck
- Leave Share Program
- RESOURCES
- Speak with a member of the benefits team directly!
- Get the most out of your Premera plan
- Confused about your EOB (explanation of benefits)?
Financial Health
Meet with Fidelity
UA’s Fidelity Representative, Dan Kline, has added additional meeting times! Mr. Kline
can help with everyday financial needs - from investing in your workplace retirement
plan, to saving for college tuition, and more. To sign up for an appointment, please
go to the Fidelity scheduler webpage, choose your preferred date, and select your time slot. You may also call 800-642-7131
to schedule an appointment at a time that works best for you.
Fidelity Engagement Campaign
Research tells us that when employees are more engaged with their workplace retirement
plans, they are more financially confident and knowledgeable – which directly correlates
with greater employee financial wellness. Yet, many employees are not engaged with
their Fidelity NetBenefits® account because they don’t know how to log on, or they simply do not know what services
Fidelity provides - like personal help and financial support.
Check out Fidelity’s Ask us Anything resources, to gain a better understanding of Fidelity’s services. This site provides contact
information, a scheduler to schedule meetings with Fidelity, and a series of short
videos that go over many of the frequently asked questions.
Health and Wellness
Providence Alaska Group Update
Premera Blue Cross received termination notices for three Providence Alaska groups:
- Providence Medical Group Alaska
- Providence Behavioral Medicine Group
- Providence Imaging Center
Premera is working in good faith to reach a new agreement that provides both quality care and fairly compensates the health system before the contract end date of December 31, 2023. Premera is committed to long-term, realistic, practical solutions that drive down costs and will continue to work with the Providence Alaska groups to meet these commitments.
Premera is obligated to send out notices to affected members 30 days before the termination date, even though they are continuing to work with the Providence Alaska groups on a new agreement. These notices will be sent out by the end of November. We will keep employees up to date as Premera continues to work toward a new agreement over the coming weeks.
Denali Pharmacy in Fairbanks - Remains In-Network
If you use Denali Pharmacy in Fairbanks, please disregard the notice sent that the
in-network coverage would term on 11/27. Paperwork has been completed and Denali Pharmacy
will remain in-network. If you have questions about your in-network pharmacy benefits,
please call Premera’s customer service number on the back of your Premera ID card
or reach out to TouchCare.
The Eye Guys (November and December Dates)
Through a WellVision Exam, The Eye Guys will get a better view of your eyes and overall
health. They’ll look for eye health problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration,
and diabetic eye disease. They’ll also look for signs of health conditions, like high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, and pre-diabetes. Plus, you can discuss day-to-day
concerns like allergies or digital eye strain.
All locations will be open from 9am-6pm. Appointments are appreciated! Schedule by calling 907-376-3917.
- Ketchikan - The Landing Hotel - November 12th - 15th
- Wrangell - Stikine Inn - November 17th - 18th
- Petersburg - Scandia House - November 20th - 21st
- Haines - Ripinski Retreat - December 1st - 2nd
- Skagway - Air B&B at 1325 State Street - December 4th - 5th
- Hoonah - Icy Strait Lodge - December 7th - 8th
- Gustavus - The Annie Mae Lodge - December 9th - 10th
- Yakutat - The Sly Fox Inn - December 13th - 14th
- Cordova - Cordova Civic Center - December 16th - 18th
Webinars
NEW! Employee Leave Benefits Training (On Demand)
Wondering how the many types of leaves UA offers to employees interact? Wondering
when some of these options are available and when they are not?
Good news! The UA HR Benefits and Compensation Team has compiled an on-demand video training focused on the Family and Medical Leave Act, Parental Leave, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, the Leave Share Program, and the UNAC Leave Bank. Geared toward both employees and supervisors, this new training can be watched when it fits into your schedule, on your terms.
If after watching this training, you still have questions, please reach out to the Leave and Accommodations Team at ua-hr-leaves@alaska.edu. Every leave journey is different; we would love to help!
TIAA November Webinars
Join TIAA’s live webinars during the month of November. Access can be found on TIAA’s webinar website. These are open to any employee - not just TIAA members.
- November 8 @ 10:00 a.m. Alaska | Take control of your financial life: 5 steps to managing money and debt
- Learn how to manage your money and balance your priorities so you can enjoy life now and save for the future. This webinar covers balancing income and expenses, creating a spending plan, debt strategies and building your credit score.
- November 15 @ 8:00 a.m. Alaska | Invest for success: Fine-tuning your retirement strategy
- If you’re in or near your peak earning years, move beyond the basics to build a secure retirement. This includes adopting a saving lifestyle, avoiding pitfalls that can sabotage your saving and planning carefully before retiring.
- December 5 @ 11:00 a.m. Alaska | Live with confidence in retirement: 5 steps to creating your retirement income plan
- Prepare your retirement income plan with the help of these five steps! These include
estimating expenses, understanding income sources, building a strategy for lifetime
income, withdrawing retirement assets and other planning tips.
- December 5 @ 12:00 p.m. Alaska | Invest for Success: 5 principles you need to know Register here
- No matter where you are in your career journey, this webinar can help you understand the key principles of investing for retirement. From compounding to taxes to choosing investments, you’ll learn that how you invest for retirement is just as important as how much you save.
- December 7 @ 8:00 a.m. Alaska | Make the move toward long-term financial security: Your mid career retirement check-in
- Review your retirement plan to make sure you’re on the path to lifelong financial
security! This webinar includes considering your priorities, putting together a spending
plan and knowing the ways to save, all while juggling current financial demands.
- December 12 @ 10:00 a.m. Alaska | Write your next chapter: 5 steps to setting your retirement date
- Set your retirement date with the help of these five steps! These include estimating
retirement expenses, closing any income gaps, understanding key milestones that can
impact your retirement finances and protecting your savings.
- December 13 @ 8:00 a.m. Alaska | Establish your retirement plan: A start-to-finish guide
- Developed with women in mind, or for anyone who wants to think ahead about their finances! This webinar will help you understand your income inflow and outflow and how to balance them, saving strategies and creating a solid foundation for financial well-being.
You’re more than your blood sugar
TouchCare Webinar | Wednesday, November 15 at 10am Alaska
Join us for an engaging session with Dr. Elizabeth Sharp, MD, IFMCP, and Elle Bernardo,
MS, RDN, LDN, Head of Nutrition from Health Meets Wellness, as we explore how to take
control of your health and achieve optimal blood sugar levels. Explore how optimizing
your blood sugar levels can enhance heart health, support weight management, and prevent
or manage rising chronic conditions like diabetes.
To register for the webinar, click here.
Unmasking ADHD Mimics: Exploring Sleep Disorders, Encephalopathies, and More
Discover the hidden conditions that mimic ADHD with Dr. Georges Ghacibeh, MD, MS,
FAAN, from Hackensack University Medical Center. This webinar explores lesser-known
culprits such as sleep disorders and encephalopathies, providing insights for accurate
diagnosis and effective management. Join TouchCare on Demand as they unmask ADHD mimics and broaden our perspective on
these complex conditions.
Reminders
Wellness Rebate - Paid out with 12/1/23 Paycheck
The Wellness Rebate will be paid out with the 12/1/23 paycheck. If you have any questions
on the rebate, please call benefits at (907) 450-8242 or email us at ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Leave Share Program
The Leave Share Program has been updated with our new Short-term Disability policy.
The Leave Share Program allows certain employees who are experiencing an approved
Family Medical Leave (FML) event and have exhausted all their own paid leave to receive
sick leave donations from other employees, meaning the employee in leave-without-pay
status can still receive their salary. Importantly, only some FML events and employment
situations are eligible for the Leave Share Program. Please review the Leave Share webpage for information on who is eligible and how to apply.
Resources
Speak with a member of the benefits team directly!
Employees have many ways to get in touch with the benefits team.
- NEW PHONE LINE! The benefits team now has a direct line (907) 450-8242. This line rings to our front line benefits specialists who can help you with all things benefits!
- If you’re interested in setting up some time with one of our specialists, feel free to schedule some time during our benefits open office hours!
- As always, we are available to answer questions at ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Get the most out of your Premera plan
Your Premera Account
Sign in or create an account on the secure premera.com member website to get your current benefit information.
Create an account for everyone enrolled on your plan.
Go Paperless
Ditch the paper! Read your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) online. Premera will send you an email when
a new EOB is available to view.
Premera Mobile App
Check out the Premera Mobile App – your ID card and health info on the go! Available for iOS or Android.
Confused about your EOB (explanation of benefits)?
When you receive healthcare, your provider sends the bill (known as a claim) to Premera.
When Premera pays the claim, we send you an explanation of benefits or EOB. (Don't
worry—it's not a bill.)
The EOB explains how your benefits were applied to a particular claim, including the
following:
- Date of service
- Amount billed and amount paid by your plan
- Amount you owe
- Amount credited toward your deductible
To stay on top of your expenses:
- Review each EOB closely
- Compare it to your provider’s receipt or bill
- Keep the EOB for at least 2 years
Need additional help with your EOB? Call over to TouchCare and they can help walk you through it!
Newsletters sent on October 10th and October 23rd
October 4th - Quarterly economic and market update: understanding volatility and recent trends webinar
October 10th - World Mental Health Day
October 11th - Invest for success: 5 principles you need to know webinar
October 11th - Benefits Survey due today
October 16th - Premera customer service survey sent (complete by October 31st)
October 17th - PERS and TRS DC Member Training and TRS DB Member Training
October 19th - PERS DB Member Training
October 18th - Unmasking ADHD Mimics | TouchCare Webinar
October 19th - Generative AI Cybersecurity: New Insights and Actions to Strengthen Security and Boost
Productivity webinar
October 25 - Maximize your Health Savings Account (HSA): contributions are more powerful than you
think webinar
November 7 - Make the move toward long-term financial security: Your mid-career retirement check-in
(TIAA)
November 7 - Schedule time to meet with Fidelity 1 on 1
November 17 - Schedule time to meet with Fidelity 1 on 1
December 4 - Schedule time to meet with Fidelity 1 on 1
This months news contains information on…
- FINANCIAL HEALTH
- LifeWorks - Financial Resources at your Fingertips with Securian
- PERS and TRS retirement trainings with the Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB)
- Meet with Fidelity
- HEALTH & WELLNESS
- Premera Customer Service Survey
- Premera card updates
- The Eye Guys (October Dates)
- NEW! Livongo - Weight Management Program
- WEBINARS
- Unmasking ADHD Mimics | TouchCare Webinar
- Headache to Headway: Understanding & Managing Migraines | TouchCare Webinar
- TIAA October Webinars
- REMINDERS
- DUE ON WEDNESDAY, 10/11! Benefits Survey
- RESOURCES
- October 10th is World Mental Health Day
LifeWorks - Financial Resources at your Fingertips with Securian
LifeWorks provides telephone consults or 45-minute counseling sessions per issue on
many topics - from budget analysis to tax planning. This also includes online access
to a financial fitness assessment. The best part? This is a free benefit available
to all benefit-eligible employees!
There are quite a few resources available on LifeWorks webpage (including work/life balance, health, family, and more). To log in, go to LifeWorks with user name: lfg and password: resources. To review your financial wellbeing, log into LifeWorks Financial Wellbeing Toolkit using the user name and password above.
Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB) Training
The Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB) will be hosting three (3) training sessions
for Public Employees Retirement Plan (PERS) and Teachers Retirement Plan (TRS) employees.
Below is the training schedule. To register, click on the link and complete the registration
page.
If you are unsure what retirement plan you are in, go to UAOnline > Employee Services > Benefits and Deductions > Retirement Plans or email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
PERS and TRS DC Member Training | October 17th from 12pm - 2pm
Intro to Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plan - Public Employees Retirement
System (PERS) & Teachers Retirement System (TRS).
- This session includes information about the defined contribution account, financial advice services, retiree insurance plans, Health Reimbursement Arrangement, occupational disability, eligibility, vesting, investment options, distribution options and additional resources available.
TRS DB Member Training | October 17th from 4pm - 6pm
The Retirement Process: Teachers Retirement System (TRS) Defined Benefit (DB) Retirement
Plan -Tier I, II
- The interactive session covers the retirement process, eligibility, vesting, service and benefit calculations, early and normal retirement, increasing service credit, survivor options, retiree insurance options, after retirement increases and the timing of benefits.
PERS DB Member Training | October 19th from 2pm - 4pm
The Retirement Process: Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Defined Benefit
(DB)
Retirement Plan - Tier I, II, III
- The interactive session covers the retirement process, Voluntary Savings Plan, eligibility, vesting, service and benefit calculations, early and normal retirement, increasing service credit, survivor options, retiree insurance options, after retirement increases and the timing of benefits.
Meet with Fidelity
UA’s Fidelity Representative, Dan Kline, is available for virtual appointments on
November 7, November 17, and December 4. Mr. Kline can help with everyday financial
needs - from investing in your workplace retirement plan, to saving for college tuition,
and more. To sign up for an appointment, please go to the Fidelity scheduler webpage, choose your preferred date, and select your time slot. You may also call 800-642-7131
to schedule an appointment at a time that works best for you.
Premera Customer Service Survey
Look for an email from premeramarketresearch@premera.com on October 16.
On October 16, 2023, Premera will be conducting a survey for those who have contacted the Premera Customer Service department within the past six months. Your participation in the survey will help Premera improve the service they provide us. Be on the lookout for the survey from Premera’s Market Research Department (premeramarketresearch@premera.com). If you have any questions, please reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Premera Card Updates
Premera will be sending new cards to everyone on a UA Choice Plan. The
only update to the new cards that you will receive is to the plan names: Premium,
Basic, and HDHP. This will align the plan names on the Premera cards with our new
FY24 plan names. If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
The Eye Guys (October and November Dates)
Through a WellVision Exam, The Eye Guys will get a better view of your eyes and overall
health. They’ll look for eye health problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration,
and diabetic eye disease. They’ll also look for signs of health conditions, like high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Plus, you can discuss day-to-day concerns
like allergies or digital eye strain.
All locations will be open from 9am-6pm. Appointments are appreciated! Schedule by calling 907-376-3917.
- Tok - Old Tok Clinic - October 12th - 13th
- Delta Junction - Diamond Willow Inn - October 15th - 16th
- Glennallen - Cross Road Medical Clinic - October 18th - 19th
- Valdez - Valdez Conc. & Civic Center - October 21st - 23rd
- Ketchikan - The Landing Hotel - November 12th - 15th
- Wrangell - Stikine Inn - November 17th - 18th
- Petersburg - Scandia House - November 20th - 21st
NEW! Livongo - Weight Management Program
Livongo has expanded their program to include (1) diabetes prevention, (2) diabetes management, (3) hypertension management, and now (4) weight management!
The Weight Management Program connects you with a certified health coach who helps make living healthy and tackling your weight challenges easier. You will get personalized tips and techniques for you to improve your nutrition, exercise, weight loss, and sleep.
This program is available through your UA Choice medical plan with Premera. If you are eligible for the program, there is no cost to you! To see if you are eligible for any of the four (4) Livongo programs, please call 800-945-4355.
Unmasking ADHD Mimics | TouchCare Webinar
Wednesday, October 18th at 10am Alaska | Register for Unmasking ADHD Mimics here
Discover the hidden conditions that mimic ADHD with Dr. Georges Ghacibeh, MD, MS, FAAN, from Hackensack University Medical Center. This webinar explores lesser-known culprits such as sleep disorders and encephalopathies, providing insights for accurate diagnosis and effective management. Join us as we unmask ADHD mimics and broaden our perspective on these complex conditions.
Headache to Headway: Understanding & Managing Migraines | TouchCare Webinar
On Demand: Watch Headache to Headway here
Are debilitating headaches or migraines disrupting your daily life? This month's TouchCare webinar is designed to help you understand and manage these common neurological conditions. TouchCare will be joined by Dr. Regina Krel, MD, FAHS, Neurologist at Hackensack Meridian Health to discuss underlying causes, triggers, and treatment options for headaches and migraines.
TIAA October Webinars
Join TIAA’s live webinars during the month of October. Access can be found on TIAA’s webinar website. These are open to any employee - not just TIAA members.
- October 11 @ 11am Alaska | Invest for success: 5 principles you need to know
- No matter where you are in your career journey, this webinar can help you understand
the key principles of investing for retirement. This includes compounding, taxes,
choosing investments and more.
- October 19 @ 10am Alaska | Generative AI Cybersecurity: New Insights and Actions to Strengthen Security and Boost Productivity
- Hear from cybersecurity leaders who will share the latest insights on AI cyberattacks
and steps professionals can take to avoid these crimes. This includes the latest higher
education and government initiatives focused on generative AI cybersecurity.
- October 25 @ 8am Alaska | Maximize your Health Savings Account (HSA): contributions are more powerful than you think
- HSAs can do more than cover current healthcare expenses. Learn how this unique fund can support your needs over time. This includes tax advantages and what your funds can be used for today and in the future.
Make the move toward long-term financial security: Your mid-career retirement check-in
(TIAA)
November 7 @ 10:30am Alaska | Register on TIAA’s webinar registration webpage
For anyone halfway down the road to retirement, this webinar is a critical checkpoint. It takes you through the keys to successful money management, how to juggle competing financial demands and retirement saving strategies that can help put you on the path to lifelong financial security.
TIAA will look at how to:
- Understand what you’re aiming for
- Consider your priorities
- Put your spending plan together
- Know the ways to save
DUE ON WEDNESDAY, 10/11! Benefits Survey
University of Alaska Human Resources is conducting an employee benefits pulse survey
to get your feedback on the changes and improvements made to the benefits offering.
On Wednesday, September 27, 2023, you will receive an email invitation with your unique link to the survey. The email will be sent from Qualtrics, our survey platform, with the
subject, “Share your opinions about our benefits program!”
The survey may take up to 10 minutes and your responses are confidential. After the
survey closes, the University of Alaska Human Resources team will use the findings
to improve overall employee experience.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact the UA Benefits team at ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
FY24 Wellness Program is Underway
Employees enrolled in a UA Choice Medical Plan are eligible to participate in the
UA Wellness Program. Spouses/FIPs can participate if they are on a UA Choice Medical
Plan, too. To earn the incentive of $600, a Health Risk Assessment and Biometric screening
must be completed along with 6 other activity points. For additional details on the
program, please review our Wellness webpage.
October 10th is World Mental Health Day
In honor of World Mental Health Day, the UA benefits team would like to provide you with the resources available to you as a UA employee.
1. FREE! Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is offered through ComPsych. This benefit offers a variety of services designed to assist you and your family in resolving work/life issues in order to live happier, healthier, more balanced lives. The EAP provides employees and their family members who are living in the employee’s household up to 8 free counseling sessions per issue. Most importantly, these services are free, completely confidential, and can be easily accessed by calling the 24/7 toll-free helpline at 1-888-969-0155.
The EAP has a dedicated webpage for Mental Health Awareness Day with several resources including two webinars and multiple exercises on practicing good mental health.
2. Talkspace | Virtual Therapy
Talkspace is available to employees on a UA Choice Health Plan. With Talkspace, you can easily connect to therapists and psychiatrists by video, phone call, and text for about the same cost as an in-person visit. To access this service, sign up for Talkspace at Premera's dedicated TalkSpace website, get matched with the best therapist for you, and start messaging your therapist right away.
3. Brightline | Parent/Child Relationships
Feeling like your child is stressed, depressed, anxious, or having to navigate tough
transitions? Interested in more resources or skills to build as a parent or caregiver?
Brightline provides confidential video visits with licensed clinicians, coaching programs
to help tackle everyday challenges, and on-the-go access to content, resources, and
chat with a coach. UA employees covered on a UA Choice Health Plan are eligible to
use Brightline. Get started today!
Step 1: Sign up at Premera's dedicated Brightline website
Step 2: Create an account and access your premium Connect+ membership
Step 3: Answer a few questions to get the right care
Step 4: Schedule your first appointment
If you have any questions, reach out directly to the Brightline team at 1-888-224-7332.
Wait, what does that mean?
Health plans can be confusing. But they make a lot more sense when you know a few
basic terms.
- Deductible: The amount you pay each year for covered healthcare services before your health plan starts to pay.
- Coinsurance: The percentage of covered expenses you pay after you have paid your deductible.
- Copayment/Copay: A fixed amount you pay for each healthcare service. Copays can vary for different services, and they do not count toward meeting your deductible.
- Out-of-pocket maximum: The most you would have to pay for covered services in a plan year. Your out-of-pocket maximum includes the amounts you spend on deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.
Need a bit more information? Call over to TouchCare and they can help apply these ideas directly to your plans!
Protect your health with an annual flu shot
Getting a flu shot is one of the best ways to protect yourself from getting sick.
The flu virus changes every year, so you should get the vaccine each year. According
to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, everyone over the age of 6 months should
get a flu shot. You can get a flu vaccination at almost any in-network pharmacy or
doctor. If you go to an in-network doctor or pharmacy, your flu shot is free*.
* If the flu shot is your only reason for your office visit, the visit will be fully covered. If you have other care or services as part of the office visit, you may be responsible for all or part of the cost of the visit. You may need to pay up-front at your pharmacy. Go to premera.com to download and submit a medical claim form to be reimbursed.
Need help finding an in-network location? Call over to TouchCare and they can help direct you to an in-network facility!
Newsletters sent on September 7th and September 26th
Week of September 11th - TIAA in-person meetings
September 20th - Headache to Headway: Understanding & Managing Migraines Webinar
September 27th - Benefits Survey emailed out to employees via Qualtrics
October 3rd - Write your next chapter webinar
October 4th - Quarterly economic and market update: understanding volatility and recent trends webinar
October 11th - Invest for success: 5 principles you need to know webinar
October 16th - Premera customer service survey sent (complete by October 31st)
October 19th - Generative AI Cybersecurity: New Insights and Actions to Strengthen Security and Boost
Productivity webinar
October 25 - Maximize your Health Savings Account (HSA): contributions are more powerful than you
think webinar
This months news contains information on…
- FINANCIAL HEALTH
- TIAA in-person meetings
- Invest with Fidelity? Check your Financial Wellness!
- Write your next chapter: 5 steps to setting your retirement date
- HEALTH & WELLNESS
- Premera Card Updates
- Premera Customer Service Survey
- Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
- The Eye Guys (October)
- The Eye Guys (September)
- NEW! Livongo - Weight Management Program
- Order your FY24 Biometric Home Test Kit
- WEBINARS
- Headache to Headway: Understanding & Managing Migraines webinar
- TIAA October Webinars (October)
- REMINDERS
- Benefits Website
- Medical, Dental, and Vision - Coverage Begin and End Dates
- The FY24 Wellness Plan year is here!
- Order your FY24 Biometric Home Test Kit
- FSA and HSA - what can I actually use these funds for?
- RESOURCES
- Benefit Highlights - Who is in your corner?
Financial Health
Do you invest with Fidelity? Check your Financial Wellness!
Did you know that if you invest with Fidelity, you can check on your current financial
wellness? Log into your Fidelity NetBenefits portal with your Fidelity login information and take the quick 15 minute quiz to
see where you stand with your current financial goals. See where potential gaps may
be in your planning strategy and review the ways you can improve. Needing more guidance?
Speak with a planning consultant with Fidelity today by calling 1-800-420-2363!
Write your next chapter: 5 steps to setting your retirement date
October 3 @ 12pm Alaska | Sign up for the “Write your next chapter” webinar here.
For anyone starting to think seriously about when to retire, this webinar takes you through five steps to deciding when the time is right, including estimating retirement expenses, closing any income gap and understanding key milestones that can impact your retirement finances. We’ll help you think through how to:
- Estimate what you’ll need
- Adjust as needed
- Consider key milestones
- Protect your savings
Join TIAA on October 3 to better understand where you are on your retirement journey. This is open to all UA employees - not just those who invest with TIAA. Sign up today to attend the “Write your next chapter” webinar!
TIAA In-person Meetings
During the week of September 11th, 2023
No matter where you are in life - just getting started or planning for retirement - a session with Ivana Stanisic or Scott Rethfort can help you create a plan for your goals. These meetings are provided at no cost as part of your retirement plan. You will get an in-depth answer to these questions and more:
- Am I invested in the right mix of investments to meet my goals?
- Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
- How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?
TIAA will be on campus at UAA, UAF, and UAS during the week of September 11th, 2023. Click here to sign up for a session with Ivana or Scott. You do not need to be invested with TIAA to take advantage of these in-person sessions. If you cannot make it in person during this time, you can use this same link to sign up with a TIAA representative and meet virtually at another time.
** If you are having trouble signing up online, please call Scott directly at 775.686.2451. He will assist you with scheduling an appointment during one of the time slots below **
UAA | Bragaw Suite 102 from 10am - 5pm
September 11 - 13th, Ivana
September 14 - 15th, Scott
UAF | Butrovich 109C from 8am -5pm
September 11 - 13th, Scott
UAS | Room 115 of the Eagan Classroom wing from 10am - 5pm
September 14 - 15th, Ivana
Health and Wellness
Premera Card Updates
Premera will be sending new cards to everyone on a UA Choice Plan. The only update
to the new cards that you will receive is to the plan names: Premium, Basic, and HDHP.
This will align the plan names on the Premera cards with our new FY24 plan names.
If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Premera Customer Service Survey
Look for an email from premeramarketresearch@premera.com on October 16.
On October 16, 2023, Premera will be conducting a survey for those who have contacted
the Premera Customer Service department within the past six months. Your participation
in the survey will help Premera improve the service they provide us. Be on the lookout
for the survey from Premera’s Market Research Department (premeramarketresearch@premera.com). If you have any questions, please reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available for all our UA Choice Plan members - this includes your spouse/FIP and children on the plan! Go paperless and save time and money!
You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
- Log into your premera account at premera.com
- Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
- In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
- Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
- All your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
- You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
- You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
- Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
NEW! Livongo - Weight Management Program
Livongo has expanded their program to include (1) diabetes prevention, (2) diabetes
management, (3) hypertension management, and now (4) weight management!
The Weight Management Program connects you with a certified health coach who helps make living healthy and tackling your weight challenges easier. You will get personalized tips and techniques for you to improve your nutrition, exercise, weight loss, and sleep.
This program is available through your UA Choice medical plan with Premera. If you are eligible for the program, there is no cost to you! To see if you are eligible for any of the four (4) Livongo programs, please call 800-945-4355.
The Eye Guys (October)
Through a WellVision Exam, The Eye Guys will get a better view of your eyes and overall
health. They’ll look for eye health problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration,
and diabetic eye disease. They’ll also look for signs of health conditions, like high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Plus, you can discuss day-to-day concerns
like allergies or digital eye strain.
All locations will be open from 9am-6pm. Appointments are appreciated! Schedule by calling 907-376-3917.
- Akiachak - IRA Building - October 1st - 2nd
- Kwethluk - Old High School Building - October 4th - 5th
- Napakiak - City Hall Building - October 6th - 7th
- Tok - Old Tok Clinic - October 12th - 13th
- Delta Junction - Diamond Willow Inn - October 15th - 16th
- Glennallen - Cross Road Medical Clinic - October 18th - 19th
- Valdez - Valdez Conc. & Civic Center - October 21st - 23rd
- Utqiagvik - Inupiat Heritage Center - September 3 (8am-6pm)
- Haines - The Chilkat Tower - September 6th - 8th
- Skagway - 1325 State Street Airbnb - September 10th - 11th
- Kake - Keex Kwann Lodge - September 13th - 14th
- Seward - Harbor 360 Hotel - September 18th - 20th
- Cordova - Cordova Center - September 22nd - 24th
Order your FY24 Biometric Home Test Kit
Biometric home test kits are now available to order. Remember - the biometric screening
is one of the required activities in order to be eligible for the rebate. Please review
the instructions on our Wellness Program webpage for more information on how to order.
Webinars
Headache to Headway: Understanding & Managing Migraines
Wednesday, September 20th, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Alaska (2:00 p.m. Eastern)
Are debilitating headaches or migraines disrupting your daily life? This month's TouchCare
webinar is designed to help you understand and manage these common neurological conditions.
TouchCare will be joined by Dr. Regina Krel, MD, FAHS, Neurologist at Hackensack Meridian
Health to discuss underlying causes, triggers, and treatment options for headaches
and migraines.
Click here to register for the Headache to Headway webinar.
Reminders
Benefits Survey
University of Alaska Human Resources is conducting an employee benefits pulse survey
to get your feedback on the changes and improvements made to the benefits offering.
On Wednesday, September 27, 2023, you will receive an email invitation with your unique link to the survey. The email will be sent from Qualtrics, our survey platform, with the
subject, “Share your opinions about our benefits program!”
The survey may take up to 10 minutes and your responses are confidential. After the
survey closes, the University of Alaska Human Resources team will use the findings
to improve overall employee experience.
If you have questions about the survey, please contact the UA Benefits team at ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Benefits Website
The Benefits website has been updated to reflect all new plan year information. Please
review our website and pay special attention to our new and our updated benefits:
New Benefits
Updated Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage (unbundled coverage)
- UA Pension Plan (increased base wage)
- Basic Life Insurance (increased)
- Supplemental Life Insurance (added spouse/FIP and child(ren) coverages)
Medical, Dental, and Vision - Coverage Begin and End Dates
For FY24, coverage and deduction dates for all healthcare (Medical, Dental, and Vision)
align with pay periods. Please review the information below and reference the chart of pay periods to understand when coverage will begin or end.
| Forms Due | Coverage Begins | Important Information |
|---|---|---|
| Within your first 30 days of employment* |
1. ** First day of employment OR 2. First day of the pay period in which the form is submitted to benefits |
*Default Coverage - new employees have 30 days to select coverage. If an election has not been made, Basic plan, employee-only tier coverage for Medical, Dental, and Vision, will default on the first of the pay period in which their 31st day of employment falls. ** To have first-day coverage, a new employee must submit their health care form no later than 5:00pm Alaska on the Thursday prior to the end of their first pay period. If a form is submitted after that, coverage will begin on the first day of the pay period immediately following submission. |
| Forms Due | Coverage Begins |
|---|---|
| Within 30 days of the life event (60 days after the birth, adoption, or placement of a child) |
1. The day of the life event OR 2. The day the form is submitted to Benefits - whichever is the later date |
| Forms Due | Coverage Ends | COBRA Begins |
|---|---|---|
| Within 30 days of the life event (60 days after the birth, adoption, or placement of a child) |
At the end of the pay period in which the life event occurs |
The next day. To enroll in COBRA, forms are due to BenefitHelp Solutions within 60 days. |
| Forms Due | Coverage Ends | COBRA Begins |
|---|---|---|
|
Submit your intent to separate in writing to your HR Coordinator and your supervisor. Additional paperwork may be required by your retirement vendor depending on the action you are wanting to take (i.e. retire, rollover funds, etc). |
At the end of the pay period in which your last day at work falls |
The next day. To enroll in COBRA, forms are due to BenefitHelp Solutions within 60 days. |
The FY24 Wellness Plan year is here!
There have been a few minor changes to the FY24 Wellness Program. Employees now need
8 points total - a required Health Risk Assessment, a required biometric screening,
and 6 additional points to qualify for the rebate. Review the Wellness Program webpage for more information.
Order your FY24 Biometric Home Test Kit
Biometric home test kits are now available to order. Remember - the biometric screening is one of the required activities in order to be eligible for the rebate. Please review the instructions on our Wellness Program webpage for more information on how to order.
Invite your Spouse/FIP to the Wellness Plan!
If you have a spouse/FIP that is on your UA Choice Medical Plan with you, you can
now send them an email to invite them to the program! Remember, spouses/FIPs can earn
up to a $600 rebate on medical plan premiums, too, if they complete the program themselves.
If you and your spouse complete the program - that's up to $1,200!
To invite your spouse/FIP, log into the Wellness Program Portal using your single-sign on. Then, on the right side of the home page, you will see a box where you will type
the first name, last name, and email of your spouse/FIP for them to receive the invitation!
As a reminder, the rebates are paid out in November of each year. To qualify, you
must
(1) complete the program by the previous June 30,
(2) be on a UA Choice MEDICAL plan when the rebate pays out
(3) be a current employee when the rebate pays out.
FSA and HSA - what can I actually use these funds for?
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are earmarked
accounts that eligible employees can contribute to in order to help pay for qualified
medical expenses. But, have you ever found yourself at the pharmacy holding bandages
and cough drops wondering if they are qualified? ASIFlex (our FSA vendor) has a new
feature available to allow you to quickly search hundreds of items and services to
see if they are FSA eligible, HSA eligible, or both!
No login is required. Simply go to ASIFlex’s Eligible Expenses website to search for eligible expenses!
Resources
Benefit Highlights - Who is in your corner?
TouchCare - FREE to use!
TouchCare is your health care advocate and works directly with UA employees on medical,
dental, and vision questions - whether it is what plan to enroll in, explaining the
differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues
or questions, price transparency, finding a provider and more. Give them a call at
1-866-486-8242!
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - FREE to use!
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is offered through ComPsych. This benefit offers
a variety of services designed to assist you and your family in resolving work/life
issues in order to live happier, healthier, more balanced lives. These services are
free, completely confidential, and can be easily accessed by calling the 24/7 toll-free
helpline at 1-888-969-0155.
LifeWorks - FREE to use!
Securian has partnered with LifeWorks to offer university employees access to professional
services for a variety of needs ranging from legal and financial matters or coping
with loss. LifeWorks offers comprehensive web and mobile resources and consultations.
This benefit is free of charge and available to all university employees.
Newsletters sent on August 15th and 29th
August 23rd at 10am - Understanding Cancer Screenings
August 29th at 12pm - Unum Training
August 30th at 10am - TIAA webinar - Take Control of Your Financial Life
Week of September 11th - TIAA in-person meetings
(on demand) Breaks, Breathwork & Burnout Prevention
This month's news contains information on…
- TIAA in-person meetings and webinar
- Unum leave training
- Two additional TouchCare webinars
- Checking your benefits on UAOnline
- Medical, Dental, and Vision termination dates
- Deductions and arrears process
- Pension Plan updates
- New leave benefits as of July 1, 2023
- Benefits website updates
- The Eye Guys are coming to Alaska (August/September dates)
- FSA/HSA eligible expenses tool
- The FY24 Wellness Plan year has begun!
Webinars
TIAA In-person Meetings
During the week of September 11th, 2023
No matter where you are in life - just getting started or planning for retirement - a session with Ivana Stanisic or Scott Rethfort can help you create a plan for your goals. These meetings are provided at no cost as part of your retirement plan. You will get an in-depth answer to these questions and more:
- Am I invested in the right mix of investments to meet my goals?
- Am I saving enough to create the retirement income I need?
- How do I take income from my retirement account once I stop working?
TIAA will be on campus at UAA, UAF, and UAS during the week of September 11th, 2023. Click here to sign up for a session with Ivana or Scott. You do not need to be invested with TIAA to take advantage of these in-person sessions. If you cannot make it in person during this time, you can use this same link to sign up with a TIAA representative and meet virtually at another time.
UAA | Bragaw Suite 102 from 10am - 5pm
September 11 - 13th, Ivana
September 14 - 15th, Scott
UAF | Butrovich 109C from 8am -5pm
September 11 - 13th, Scott
UAS | Room 115 of the Eagan Classroom wing from 10am - 5pm
September 14 - 15th, Ivana
TIAA Webinar - Take Control of Your Financial Life
Wednesday, August 30th at 10am Alaska
Join TIAA as they go over steps to managing money and debt, improving day-to-day financial skills, and learning how to manage money and balance priorities to help enjoy life and save for the future. Click here to register for Take Control of Your Financial Life.
Unum Training
Tuesday, August 29th at 12pm Alaska
Unum invites you to attend their training where they will be going over Family Medical
Leave (FML), Short-term Disability (STD), and Long-term Disability (LTD). This training
will go over the basics of these leaves including how to request a leave, how to record
a leave, and general responsibilities for supervisors and employees. This training
is recommended for all supervisors and employees to gain an understanding of the responsibilities
you may have serving in each role. Sign up for the Unum training on myUA.
This training will be recorded and provided on our Unum training website.
Understanding Cancer Screenings (live)
Wednesday, August 23rd at 10am Alaska
Cancer screenings play a vital role in identifying cancer at its early stages when treatment options are most effective. We’ll be joined by Dr. Heather Thompson Mackey, DNP, ANP-BC, AOCN®, Senior Director, Cancer Prevention and Early Detection to uncover everything you need to know about preventive screenings: when to get them, age benchmarks, genetic factors, and more. Click here to register for Understanding Cancer Screenings.
Breaks, Breathwork & Burnout Prevention (on demand)
In last month’s webinar, we were joined by Habit Disruption Founder Kevin Munhall,
a functional breathing and stress resilience coach and consultant for a deep dive
into this often overlooked facet of burnout prevention. Kevin shared what to do during
your breaks to optimize recovery, boost mental focus, and increase your energy levels.
Click here to watch the replay of Breaks, Breathworks, and Burnout Prevention.
Resources & Reminders
Check your Benefits
Please take a few minutes to log into UAOnline to check the benefits you are currently enrolled in. If there are any discrepancies, or if you have any questions about your current enrollment(s), please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu for review.
To check your benefits, log in to UAOnline > Employee Services > Benefits and deductions.
Medical, Dental, and Vision Termination Dates
As of July 1, 2023, we have made updates to our Medical, Dental, and Vision start and stop dates. Please review the information below to understand when coverage will begin and end.
- New employees - Coverage can now begin on an employee’s first day of employment. To
have first-day coverage, a new employee must submit their health care form no later
than 5:00pm Alaska on the Thursday prior to the end of their first pay period. If
a form is submitted after that, coverage will begin on the first day of the pay period
immediately following submission. New employees will still have their full 30 days
to select coverage.
- Life event employees (enrolling in coverage) - Coverage for a life event will begin
on the day of the life event or the day the form is submitted to Benefits - whichever
is the later date. Forms must still be submitted within 30 days of the life event
(60 days after the birth, adoption, or placement of a child).
- Life event employees (dropping coverage) - Coverage will end at the end of the pay
period in which the life event occurs. Forms must be submitted within 30 days of the
event.
- Separating employees - Coverage for separating employees will end at the end of the
pay period in which an employee separates from the University. COBRA coverage will
be offered for those enrolled in a UA Choice Plan and, if elected, this coverage will
begin on the next day (there will be no gap in coverage).
Deductions and Arrears
As of July 1, 2023, all employees - regardless of contract length - will now be on a 26 pay period (12 month) deduction schedule. This means that employees who work less than 26 pay periods in a fiscal year (9, 10, and 11-month employees) will accrue arrears for missed deductions.
Arrears will be paid biweekly when you return on-contract at a rate of 40% of the current deduction(s) until the arrears balance is paid.
- Health care
- Dental
- Vision
- Supplemental Life
- AD&D
Arrears will be paid biweekly when you return on-contract at a rate of 100% of the current deduction(s) until the arrears balance is paid.
- FSA medical care
- Corestream
Arrears will not be collected for...
- HSAs
- FSA dependent care accounts
- Pet insurance (Pet insurance payments are made directly with ASPCA and are not included in payroll deduction. Employees are responsible for these premiums.)
You can view your arrears balance at any time on UAOnline by clicking on "Employee Service" > "Benefits & Deductions" > "Arrears Balance."
UA Pension Plan Update
Employees who are eligible for the UA Pension Plan will see an increase in UA contributions this year. The Pension Plan has increased to 7.65% of an employee’s salary up to a $52,000 base wage. The maximum contribution any employee will receive in a fiscal year is $3,978.
New Leave Benefits
There are two new leave benefits for FY24 - (1) Parental Leave and (2) Short-term Disability (STD). Please review an overview of the leaves on our webpage. If you have any questions on the leaves, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Please note that STD has replaced the Leave Share Program. STD provides a more comprehensive and inclusive benefit to UA employees.
Benefits Website
The Benefits website has been updated to reflect all new plan year information. Please review our website and pay special attention to our new and our updated benefits:
New Benefits
Updated Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage (unbundled coverage)
- UA Pension Plan (increased base wage)
- Basic Life Insurance (increased)
- Supplemental Life Insurance (added spouse/FIP and child(ren) coverages)
The Eye Guys
Through a WellVision Exam, The Eye Guys will get a better view of your eyes and overall health. They’ll look for eye health problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetic eye disease. They’ll also look for signs of health conditions, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Plus, you can discuss day-to-day concerns like allergies or digital eye strain.
All locations will be open from 9am-6pm. Appointments are appreciated! Schedule by calling 907-376-3917.
- Ketchikan - The Landing Hotel - August 14th - 16th
- Wrangell, Stikine Inn - August 18th - 19th
- Petersburg, Scandia House - August 21st - 22nd
- Hoonah, Icy Strait Lodge - August 24th - 25th
- Utqiagvik - Inupiat Heritage Center - September 3 (8am-6pm)
- Haines - The Chilkat Tower - September 6th - 8th
- Skayway - 1325 State Street Airbnb - September 10th - 11th
- Kake - Keex Kwann Lodge - September 13th - 14th
- Seward - Harbor 360 Hotel - September 18th - 20th
- Cordova - Cordova Center - September 22nd - 24th
FSA and HSA - what can I actually use these funds for?
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are earmarked accounts that eligible employees can contribute to in order to help pay for qualified medical expenses. But, have you ever found yourself at the pharmacy holding bandages and cough drops wondering if they are qualified? ASIFLex (our FSA vendor) has a new feature available to allow you to quickly search hundreds of items and services to see if they are FSA eligible, HSA eligible, or both!
No login is required. Simply go to ASIFlex’s Eligible Expenses website to search for eligible expenses!
General Wellness Activities
The FY24 plan year is here!
There have been a few minor changes to the FY24 Wellness Program. Employees now need 8 points total - a required Health Risk Assessment, a required biometric screening, and 6 additional points to qualify for the rebate. Review the Wellness Program webpage for more information.
NEW! Invite your Spouse/FIP to the Wellness Plan!
If you have a spouse/FIP that is on your UA Choice Medical Plan with you, you can now send them an email to invite them to the program! Remember, spouses/FIPs can earn up to $600 back, too, if they complete the program themselves. If you and your spouse complete the program - that's up to $1,200!
To invite your spouse/FIP, log into the Wellness Program Portal using your single-sign on. Then, on the right side of the home page, you will see a box where you will type the first name, last name, and email of your spouse/FIP for them to receive the invitation!
As a reminder, the rebates are paid out in November of each year. To qualify, you must
(1) complete the program by the previous June 30,
(2) be on a UA Choice MEDICAL plan when the rebate pays out
(3) be a current employee when the rebate pays out.Newsletter sent on July 18th
Welcome to FY24!
July 19th at 10am Breaks, Breathwork & Burnout Prevention (Live)
(on demand) Protecting the Skin
This month's news contains information on…
- Two webinars
- Update to Parental Leave Effective Date
- Update to UA Pension Plan
- Benefits Website
- The Eye Guys - August locations
- Your EAP
- Electronic EOBs
Webinars
Breaks, Breathwork & Burnout Prevention (Live)
July 19th, 2023 | 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Alaskan
We all know that taking breaks is important to prevent burnout, but do you know how
frequently, how long, and what to do during your breaks to optimize recovery, mental
focus and your energy levels? Join TouchCare and Habit Disruption Founder Kevin Munhall
- a functional breathing and stress resilience coach and consultant - for a deep dive
on this often overlooked facet of burnout prevention.
Burnout is rarely caused by one giant stressful event, but rather the accumulation
of low-grade everyday stressors that build up slowly overtime until overwhelm hits.
This session will teach you how to intervene more frequently to de-stress from these
micro-stressors throughout your day and optimize your body’s natural rhythms of focus
and attention.
You’ll walk away with a better understanding of the root cause of burnout, a game
plan for implementing breaks throughout your workday, and specific research supported
breathing exercises to help you de-stress right at your desk.
Register for Breaks, Breathwork & Burnout Prevention here.
Protecting the Skin (On Demand)
Last month’s TouchCare webinar focused on skin protection & health was a great success!
TouchCare was joined by Dr. Lakshi Aldredge who shared effective strategies for skin
protection, how to recognize suspicious mole or skin changes, and how to adopt a proactive
approach when it comes to skin health.
If you weren't able to join TouchCare, watch the replay of Protecting the Skin!
Resources & Reminders
UPDATE! Parental Leave Effective Date
What is Parental Leave?
Parental Leave is available to employees who are on approved FML for the birth, adoption,
or placement of their child. Employees will receive five (5) days of paid leave. As
an example, this equates to 40 hours of paid Parental Leave for an employee that is
scheduled to work 80 hours in a pay period. This leave is for use in the first six
months of birth, adoption, or placement. Please review the Parental Leave webpage for detailed information on the program.
Represented employees should refer to their respective Collective Bargaining Agreement
or reach out to their union representative.
What updates have been made?
UA Benefits is updating the effective date. Previously, the birth, adoption, or placement
had to occur on or after July 1, 2023 (the start of our plan year). At this time,
we are expanding the effective date of this leave to include employees who have had
an event date within the last 6 months.
To be eligible for the leave under this update, employees must:
- Currently be on approved FML for the birth, adoption, or placement of their child
- Use the leave within 6 months of birth, adoption, or placement
- Have an event date within the last 6 months
Moving forward, Benefits will review FML reporting on a regular basis and provide the leave to employees who are eligible.
What do I need to do to access the leave?
UA Benefits will be completing a NextGen form that is routed to payroll so that the
leave can be loaded for those eligible. Eligible employees will receive a copy of
the NextGen form letting them know they are eligible for the leave and the final day
that the leave can be used.
UA Pension Plan Update
Employees who are eligible for the UA Pension Plan will see an increase in UA contributions
this year. The Pension Plan has increased to 7.65% of an employee’s salary up to a
$52,000 base wage. The maximum contribution any employee will receive in a fiscal
year is $3,978.
Benefits Website
The Benefits website has been updated to reflect all new plan year information. Please
review our website and pay special attention to our new and our updated benefits:
- New Benefits
- Updated Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage (unbundled coverage)
- UA Pension Plan (increased base wage)
- Basic Life Insurance (increased)
- Supplemental Life Insurance (added spouse/FIP and child(ren) coverages)
The Eye Guys
Through a WellVision Exam®, The Eye Guys will get a better view of your eyes and overall
health. They’ll look for eye health problems, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration,
and diabetic eye disease. They’ll also look for signs of health conditions, like high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Plus, you can discuss day-to-day concerns
like allergies or digital eye strain.
All locations will be open from 9am-6pm. Appointments are appreciated! Schedule by
calling 907-376-3917.
- Ketchikan - The Landing Hotel - August 14th - 16th
- Wrangell, Stikine Inn - August 18th - 19th
- Petersburg, Scandia House - August 21st - 22nd
- Hoonah, Icy Strait Lodge - August 24th - 25th
Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Personal setbacks, emotional conflicts or just the demands of daily life can affect
your work, health and family. With help from your GuidanceResources program, they
don’t have to. This company-sponsored benefit is available to you and your family
members at no cost and gives you someone to talk to when life’s challenges threaten
to overwhelm you. The program is staffed by highly trained, caring clinicians who
are available by phone or online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call any time with personal concerns, including:
- Stress, anxiety and depression
- Marital and family conflicts
- Alcohol or drug use
- Job pressures
- Dealing with change
- Grief and loss
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available
for all our UA Choice Plan members. This is your opportunity to go paperless for your
EOBs - saving time and money!
You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
- Log into your premera account at premera.com
- Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
- In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
- Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
- All your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
- You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
- You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
- Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
Are you ready? The FY24 plan year is almost here!
This month's news contains information on…
- Check your benefits on UAOnline
- UA Benefits Website - alaska.edu/benefits
- Paid Parental Leave
- Short Term Disability (STD)
1. Check your benefits on UAOnline
If you have any questions about your plans as they appear on UAOnline, or if you see any discrepancies, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
2. UA Benefits Website - alaska.edu/benefits
We are in the process of updating our website for FY24. We will send another communication out once our website is ready for our next plan year.
3. Paid Parental Leave
The Overview
Five (5) paid days of Parental Leave will be granted to benefit-eligible employees who are parents of a newborn or newly placed/adopted child in the first six (6) months from birth or placement/adoption. As an example, this equates to 40 hours of paid Parental Leave for an employee that is scheduled to work 80 hours in a pay period. Employees must be on approved FML for birth or placement/adoption through Unum in order to access paid parental leave.
Parental Leave is a separate leave that is loaded which is different from any other
accrued/paid leaves. If you are not approved for this leave, or have exhausted the
5 days, this will automatically cascade through your paid sick leave, annual leave
or Faculty Time Off, any applicable personal holidays, and finally, leave without
pay.
Do I need to take action?
Yes. If you believe you may experience an FML event for the birth or placement/adoption of your child, please contact Unum at 866-779-1054 to set up your FML.
Outside of applying for FML through Unum, there is no further application required by the employee to receive Parental Leave. UA HR will review all active FML directly with Unum and process the leave hours into parents’ leave balances.
The leave will automatically be usable on the date of birth or placement/adoption
and end six (6) months after the birth or placement/adoption. Any unused leave will
not be available beyond this six (6) month time frame. There will be no rollover of
this leave.
How do I use this leave if I am approved?
Employees who are approved for this leave allotment, will use earnings code 605, Parental
Leave, on their timesheet. If you have not received an approved notice from Benefits
that your leave has been loaded, or you have exhausted the 5 days, the Parental Leave
code will automatically pull from available sick leave, annual leave or Faculty Time
Off, any applicable personal holiday, and finally, leave without pay.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible, employees must...
Be in a benefit-eligible position and be on-contract or in a paid status. Represented
employees should refer to the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Be on an approved Family and Medical Leave (FML) through Unum for the birth, placement,
or adoption of their child in order to receive Parental Leave. Parental Leave will
be loaded into a unique leave bucket.
Have a birth/child placement/adoption on or after July 1, 2023, when this program takes effect.
FAQs
What happens to unused leave at the end of six months?
The leave will no longer be available to use and does not roll over. You cannot donate or transfer the leave to another employee.
What happens if I use the earnings code before the Parental Leave is loaded?
This earnings code is set up to cascade through paid leaves. If you use the earnings code before the Parental Leave is populated, it will automatically pull from your available sick leave, then annual leave or Faculty Time Off, any applicable personal holiday, and finally leave without pay. If you have questions about when your Paid Parental Leave begins and ends, please reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Both my spouse and I are employees of UA. Do we both get access to our own parental leave?
Yes, if each parent is in a benefit-eligible position and on approved FML for the birth/placement/adoption of the child, then they will receive their own entitlement of Parental Leave.
Can I donate my Parental Leave to my spouse or other eligible employees?
No, you may not donate your Parental Leave to your spouse or to any other employee.
Can I cash out my Parental Leave?
No, you may not cash-out your Parental Leave.
Do I get paid out the Parental Leave after my University employment ends?
No, this leave is not paid out upon separation.
I don’t have any children and I’m not adopting. Will Parental Leave be available on my timesheet?
You will see the earnings code on the drop down menu on your timesheet. However, the leave will only be loaded if you qualify and have an approved FML through Unum for birth/placement/adoption. If you select this leave on your time sheet and do not have any leave loaded into this bucket, it will automatically cascade through sick leave, annual leave or Faculty Time Off, and any applicable personal holiday, followed by leave without pay.
How do I know when my Parental Leave is populated and ready for me to use?
You will receive a copy of a NextGen form that Benefits and Payroll complete together. This will show your start date and end date for the leave. The balance of your Parental Leave hours will also be available to you by going to UAOnline and clicking on “Employee Services” > “Time Off Current Balances and History.”
Short Term Disability (STD)
The Overview
Short Term Disability (STD) helps prevent loss of income when you need to be out of
work for a short period of time. STD will cover 60% of your income up to a maximum
benefit of $800 per week. Benefits begin after a 14-day elimination period and extend
through 11 weeks.
Do I need to take action?
Yes. If you believe you may experience a STD event, please contact Unum at 866-779-1054.
How do I use this leave if I am approved?
Employees will use earnings code 622 on their time sheet. This is an unpaid leave code. This means earnings code 622 on your time sheet will not generate any pay from UA. This is because Unum will be providing payment directly to you for the time you are on STD.
It is very important that you complete your timesheet correctly while on STD to ensure you receive the correct pay.
Do not use earnings code 622 unless you have been approved by Unum for STD. Earnings
code 622 will not generate any pay.
Who is Eligible?
To be eligible for STD, employees must…
Be in a benefit-eligible position. Represented employees should refer to the applicable
collective bargaining agreement.
Have applied for and been approved for STD through Unum.
Meet the required 14-day Elimination Period before the STD benefits begin. This means
you must be out of work due to the disability for 14 days before STD benefits can
begin paying.
Have a date of disability after the plan takes effect on July 1, 2023. Those that have a date of disability earlier than July 1, 2023, are not eligible for STD. Long-term Disability (LTD) may be reviewed in those cases. Please reach out to ua-benefits@alaska.edu if you have any questions.
May 1-5 Open Enrollment
May 1-19 ABCs of Fitness
May 15-16 TIAA in-person meetings (Fairbanks)
May 16-17 Retirement Readiness with Empower (virtual)
May 18-19 TIAA in-person meetings (Anchorage)
Webinars
In-Person Retirement Meetings!
- Pave the way toward your retirement readiness and a lifetime of financial well-being.
Let's make sure you're on the right path. We have in-person meetings with TIAA representative
Scott Rethford!
- May 15-16, 2023, in Butrovich 109c (Fairbanks)
- May 18-19, 2023, at 1815 Bragaw St, Suite 102 (Anchorage)
- Schedule your checkup now by going to TIAA’s website!
- If you invest with TIAA use your TIAA login credentials
- If you do not have a TIAA user ID/password and would like to register for an on campus appointment, they can go to tiaa.org/schedulenow and select “Register for guest access”
- You do not need to be an investor with TIAA to meet with a TIAA financial advisor
Retirement Readiness with Empower
- If you are a member of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Tier IV or Teachers Retirement System (TRS) Tier III Defined Contribution (DC) plans, there are virtual meetings available to schedule a 1:1 with a financial advisor from Empower on May 16th and 17th, 2023. To enroll, go to the Empower website and:
-
- Select “University of Alaska (Virtual)
- Select “State of Alaska Public Employees' Tier IV Defined Contribution Retirement Plan” toward the middle of the list -or- select “State of Alaska Teachers' Retirement System Tier III Defined Contribution Plan” toward the bottom of the list
- Select a time slot!
- Additional time slots will be added based on demand.
- If you are a member of the PERS or TRS DB plans and would like to speak with someone about your retirement plan and readiness, please complete the questionnaire on the DRB’s webpage to schedule an appointment.
- If you are a member of the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), reach out to your financial advisor directly or to your fund sponsor (Fidelity, Lincoln, VALIC, TIAA).
- Unsure what plan you’re in? Confirm your retirement plan on UAOnline by clicking on “Employee Services” at the top, then “Benefits and Deductions” followed by “Retirement Plans.”
Resources & Reminders
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
- The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available
for all our UA Choice Plan members. This is your opportunity to go paperless for your
EOBs - saving time and money!
- You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
-
- Log into your premera account at premera.com
- Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
- In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
- Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
- There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
-
- All your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
- You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
- You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
- Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
General Wellness Activities
ABCs of Fitness - April 24 - May 19, 2023
- The objective of this challenge is to experiment with new exercises, encourage healthy
fitness habits, help participants to think outside of the box and add some variety
to their daily routine. Exercises must start with each letter of the alphabet beginning
with A and ending with Z, and can be either cardio, resistance training, or any other
commonly-known exercise.
- TO REGISTER:
- Login to PreventionCloud.com following the link and instructions on the bottom of the UA Wellness webpage
- Click on "Challenges"
- Click on "Join Challenges" and select "ABCs of Fitness Challenge
- Start the ABCs of Fitness Challenge
- TO REGISTER:
-
- TO RECEIVE CREDIT:
- Each participant must fill in the exercise that they completed for each letter of the alphabet on PreventionCloud. Participants must log onto PreventionCloud every week to mark off 7 days of challenge completion.
- TO RECEIVE CREDIT:
April 17 - May 5 Open Enrollment
Our communications for the month of April targeted Open Enrollment. Please review the Open Enrollment communications above for a history of April's communications.
March 1-31 Fidelity Women Talk Money Webinars
March 7 at 8 a.m. Alaska TIAA Webinar Invest for Success: 5 principles you need to know webinar
March 9 at 8 a.m. Alaska TIAA Webinar Opening Doors to the Future
March 15 at 10 a.m. Alaska TIAA Webinar Cyber Security
March 15 at 10 a.m. Alaska TouchCare Webinar Colorectal Cancer Awareness
March 22 at 8 a.m. Alaska TIAA Webinar Charting your Course
Webinars
Fidelity - Women Talk Money
- Fidelity’s Women Talk Money is a month-long series featuring an all-star lineup of
women who will share stories, tips, and ways that we can be role models for each other
and the next generation of women.
- Marquee events with special guests Jessica Alba and Venus Williams
- Roundtable discussions to inspire change
- Weekly workshops and live Q&As on money moves employees can make today
- How-to-guides and additional resources to take the next step
- To view the events and register, visit the Women Talk Money website. You do not need to be a Fidelity member to access these resources.
TIAA Webinars
- TIAA will be hosting a series of webinars in the month of March. You do not have to
be a TIAA member to participate in these webinars. Brief descriptions and links to
register are provided below.
- Invest for Success: 5 principles you need to know | March 7 at 8:00 am Alaska
No matter where you are in your career journey, this webinar can help you understand the key principles of investing for retirement. Register for Invest for Success by clicking here. - Opening Doors to the Future: Save in a 529 college savings plan | March 9 at 8:00
am Alaska
You can learn how 529 college savings plans work and how to invest in one for a child, grandchild, yourself or another loved one. Register for Opening Doors to the Future by clicking here. - Cyber: Help protect you, your family, and your money | March 15 at 10:00 am Alaska
Are you concerned about identity theft and your family’s security online? TIAA’s Information Security team will discuss how you can protect yourself and your family from cybercriminal social engineering. Register for the Cyber course by clicking here. - Charting Your Course | March 22 at 8:00 am Alaska
Women can face unique financial challenges. You can discover tailored approaches to saving for retirement and tips to make your money work hard. Register for Charting your Course by clicking here.
- Invest for Success: 5 principles you need to know | March 7 at 8:00 am Alaska
Colorectal Cancer Awareness | TouchCare Webinar (live) | Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 10 a.m. Alaska
- Colorectal cancer can impact you at any age and is the third leading cause of death
in young adults. The chance of surviving colon cancer goes up with early detection
and treatment—but only 40% of colon cancers are found in the early stages. In partnership
with the Colon Cancer Coalition, TouchCare is discussing how to identify symptoms,
reduce risks, and the importance of preventive screenings.
Healthy In & Out: Maximizing Immune Health | TouchCare Webinar (recorded)
- Since 2020, there's been a huge focus on immune health. 1 in 5 Americans have tried
a new service or treatment to support their immune health such as incorporating a
healthy diet & exercise, IV therapy, vitamins & supplements, and more. But which of
these are the most effective strategies to support our immune system? Join TouchCare
to discuss the do's and don't of maintaining an optimized immune system.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Training with Unum
- Unum hosted an FMLA training for all employees, supervisors, and HR Coordinators on
Tuesday, January 10, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Alaskan. This training went
over new changes to the FML process and gave an opportunity for a Q&A. A recorded
version of the training can be found on our FML Training website.
Benefits Literacy 101 with TouchCare
- TouchCare has provided a recorded training for on-demand review that goes over basic health care industry terminology. This is a great way to begin preparing for Open Enrollment. Test your knowledge by completing the Health Care Literacy Quiz!
Resources & Reminders
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment | April 17 - May 5, 2023*
- As we continue to prepare for Open Enrollment, we want to highlight a benefit enhancement
that will be available to UA employees beginning July 1, 2023. More Open Enrollment
information will be in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!
-
TRAINING! UA partners with TouchCare - your health care advocate. TouchCare is here to assist you - whether understanding which plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and more. TouchCare will be providing several training sessions during our Open Enrollment this year to go over our plan changes. To sign up for one of the Open Enrollment training sessions below with TouchCare, click here.
Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m Alaska | April 4, April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2
Benefits Literacy 101 TouchCare has provided a recorded training for on-demand review that houses basic health care industry terminology. This is a great way to begin preparing for Open Enrollment. Test your knowledge by completing the Health Care Literacy Quiz!
Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Alaska | April 6
Fridays at 9:00 a.m. Alaska | April 14, APril 21, April 28, May 5
-
- Open Enrollment reminders from our last newsletters:
-
- Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 5, 2023*.
- Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
- Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee who is in a benefited position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
- TouchCare will be hosting several live benefit overview sessions to go over the changes with the UA population. The schedule is being finalized and will be released in the next few weeks.
- ENHANCED BENEFIT! Our Basic Life Insurance will be increasing from $50,000 to $100,000 beginning on July 1, 2023. Remember, this is a UA paid benefit so there is no cost to you! Basic Life Insurance is automatically provided to all benefit eligible employees.**
- *Correction on end date - May 6 was published in our last newsletter. Open Enrollment
will end at the close of business on Friday, May 5, 2023.
- ** Basic Life Insurance is a taxable benefit since it is an employer paid benefit that exceeds the IRS non-taxable limit of $50,000.
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
- The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available for all our UA Choice Plan members. This is your opportunity to go paperless for your EOBs - saving time and money! You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
-
-
Log into your premera account at premera.com
-
Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
-
In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
-
Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
-
- There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
-
-
Your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
-
You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
-
You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
-
Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
-
Fidelity - How You Money
- Fidelity has launched a new platform with short videos covering topics on debt, savings,
retirement, investing, and more. You can search through their catalog on their How You Money website. Videos include:
- And so much more. Visit Fidelity’s How You Money website to search for topics that interest you. You do not need to be a Fidelity member to access these resources.
TIAA - Are you on track with your retirement savings?
- TIAA has an interactive webpage that allows you to check where you are with your retirement planning and saving. Follow the prompts for a quick snapshot of where you are with tips on how you can improve your savings and meet your retirement goals. Click here to visit TIAA’s interactive retirement planning webpage. You do not need to be a TIAA member to access this benefit.
General Wellness Activities
Wellness Calendar
- We have a calendar of events at the bottom of our wellness program page. These are local events that you can participate in - and possibly earn points for the program. Review the calendar and program details on our wellness website. For questions on the program, reach out to Victoria Carver at victoria.c@zomohealth.com.
February 14 at 8 a.m. Alaska Make the move toward long-term financial security: Your midcareer retirement check-in webinar
February 15 at 8 a.m. Alaska Healthy In & Out: Maximizing Immune Health webinar
Webinars
Healthy In & Out: Maximizing Immune Health |TouchCare Webinar (live) | Wednesday, February 15 at 8 a.m. Alaska
- Since 2020, there's been a huge focus on immune health. 1 in 5 Americans have tried
a new service or treatment to support their immune health such as incorporating a
healthy diet & exercise, IV therapy, vitamins & supplements, and more. But which of
these are the most effective strategies to support our immune system? Join TouchCare
to discuss the do's and don't of maintaining an optimized immune system.
Recipe for Successful Aging | TouchCare Webinar (recorded)
- TouchCare brought in Manisha Parulekar, M.D, FACP, AGSF, CMD from Hackensack Meridian
Health. Dr. Parulekar shared helpful tips on how we can successfully adapt to the
changes that come with aging.
Make the move toward long-term financial security: Your midcareer retirement check-in | TIAA Webinar (live) | Tuesday, February 14 at 8 a.m. Alaska
- For anyone halfway down the road to retirement, this webinar is a critical checkpoint. It takes you through the keys to successful money management, how to juggle competing financial demands and retirement saving strategies that can help put you on the path to lifelong financial security.
Resources & Reminders
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment | April 17 - May 6, 2023
- We have many exciting changes happening to our benefit plans for the 2024 plan year. Below are the highlights of some of the changes. We are working on all our open enrollment materials, communication schedule, and a dedicated website and want to share some high level information while we prepare. More information will be coming on February 21st!
-
-
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 6, 2023.
-
Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
-
Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee in a benefit-eligible position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
-
TouchCare will be hosting several live benefit overview sessions to go over the changes with the UA population. The schedule is being finalized and will be released in the next few weeks.
-
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
- The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available for all our UA Choice Plan members. This is your opportunity to go paperless for your EOBs - saving time and money! You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
-
-
Log into your premera account at premera.com
-
Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
-
In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
-
Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
-
- There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
-
-
Your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
-
You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
-
You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
-
Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
-
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The University of Alaska offers an EAP through ComPsych. The program provides confidential
emotional support, legal guidance, financial guidance, and work-life guidance. The
service is available whenever and wherever you need it. These services are free, completely
confidential, and can be easily accessed by calling the 24/7 toll-free helpline at
1-888-969-0155. The benefit is extended to anyone living in your household, too. More
information can be found on our EAP website.
LifeWorks
- The University of Alaska has partnered with Securian to provide LifeWorks to UA employees. Many services provided by this program are free of charge and include financial, legal, and grief counseling services. More information can be found on our LifeWorks website.
TouchCare
- TouchCare is our third party patient advocacy program available to all UA employees
free to charge. TouchCare can help you determine what plan(s) work best for you and
your family, assist with billing questions, finding in-network providers, cost-comparisons,
price transparency, and more. More information can be found on our TouchCare website.
Additional Premera Programs
- Premera offers several additional programs to UA employees enrolled in a UA choice plan. We have telehealth providers, mental and behavioral health programs through TalkSpace and Brightline, substance use disorder assistance through BoulderCare and WorkIt Health, and diabetes and hypertension management through Livongo. To learn more about these additional programs and see if you qualify, please review our Additional Premera Programs website.
General Wellness Activities
Wellness Calendar
- We have a calendar of events at the bottom of our wellness program page. These are local events that you can participate in - and possibly earn points for the program. Review the calendar and program details on our wellness website. For questions on the program, please reach out to Victoria Carver at victoria.c@zomohealth.com.
January 8, 2023 Maintain Don't Gain wellness challenge ends
January 10, 2023 at 10am FML Training with Unum
Webinars
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Training with Unum
-
Unum hosted an FMLA training for all employees, supervisors, and HR Coordinators on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Alaskan. This training went over new changes to the FML process and gave an opportunity for a Q&A. A recorded version of the training can be found on our FML Training website.
Resources & Reminders
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- The University of Alaska offers an EAP through ComPsych. The program provides confidential
emotional support, legal guidance, financial guidance, and work-life guidance. The
service is available whenever and wherever you need it. These services are free, completely
confidential, and can be easily accessed by calling the 24/7 toll-free helpline at
1-888-969-0155. The benefit is extended to anyone living in your household, too. More
information can be found on our EAP website.
LifeWorks
- The University of Alaska has partnered with Securian to provide LifeWorks to UA employees.
Many services provided by this program are free of charge and include financial, legal,
and grief counseling services. More information can be found on our LifeWorks website.
TouchCare
- TouchCare is our third party patient advocacy program available to all UA employees
free to charge. TouchCare can help you determine what plan(s) work best for you and
your family, assist with billing questions, finding in-network providers, cost-comparisons,
price transparency, and more. More information can be found on our TouchCare website.
Additional Premera Programs
- Premera offers several additional programs to UA employees enrolled in a UA choice plan. We have telehealth providers, mental and behavioral health programs through TalkSpace and Brightline, substance use disorder assistance through BoulderCare and WorkIt Health, and diabetes and hypertension management through Livongo. To learn more about these additional programs and see if you qualify, please review our Additional Premera Programs website.
Updates to the HSA and 403(b) from the IRS
- The IRS has released the updated amounts for calendar year 2023 for the Health Savings
Account (HSA) and the 403(b). These increased rates are available beginning January
1, 2023.
- HSA Single $3,850 - HSA NextGen Form
HSA Family $7,750 - HSA NextGen Form
403(b) $22,500 (with an additional catch up $7,500 for those over the age of 50) - TDA NextGen Form
- HSA Single $3,850 - HSA NextGen Form
Pharmacy Updates
-
There are pharmacy updates beginning January 1, 2023, that may affect specific employees on a UA Choice Health Plan. Between now and December 2, 2022, Premera will be sending out notices to those affected with the action items to ensure continued prescription coverage with no disruption. Please keep an eye out for this information to be delivered to your HR address. To review a list of in-network pharmacies, please go to express-scripts.com/findapharmacy. For questions regarding this update, please reach out to Premera by calling the customer service number on the back of your ID card or by logging into your account at premera.com.
Activities
Maintain Don't Gain Wellness Challenge
- The goal of this challenge is to concentrate and maintain weight during the holiday
season while practicing healthy habits. Log and track your weight throughout the entire
challenge from November 21, 2022 through January 8, 2023. This challenge is available
to all UA employees on a UA Choice Health Care Plan. Remember - spouses and Financially
Interdependent Partners (FIPs) can participate if they are on a UA Choice Health Care
Plan, too!
Wellness Calendar
- We have a calendar of events at the bottom of our wellness program page. These are local events that you can participate in - and possibly earn points for the program. Review the calendar and program details on our wellness website. For questions on the program, please reach out to Victoria Carver at victoria.c@zomohealth.com.
Open Enrollment News
CLOSED - Open Enrollment ran from April 17th - May 5th, 2023
This email went out ONLY to those who have not yet done the form as of the morning of May 5th. This message was sent throughout the day.
We have noticed that you have not completed your FY24 UA Benefits Open Enrollment form based on data pulled 4/27/23. Due to the plan design changes and increased benefits,
we are hosting a positive Open Enrollment. Th
EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
If you'd like to take our Health Care Literacy Quiz you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
All Open Enrollment
Again, Open Enrollment runs until next Friday, May 5 at 5:00 PM. All benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before the deadline. If you have questions, please email our benefits team for the quickest response.
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Open Enrollment Website
Benefit News
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
This email went out ONLY to those who have not yet done the form as of the morning of May 4rd.
We have noticed that you have not completed your FY24 UA Benefits Open Enrollment form based on data pulled 4/27/23. Due to the plan design changes and increased benefits,
we are hosting a positive Open Enrollment. Th
EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
If you'd like to take our Health Care Literacy Quiz you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
All Open Enrollment
Again, Open Enrollment runs until next Friday, May 5 at 5:00 PM. All benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before the deadline. If you have questions, please email our benefits team for the quickest response.
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Open Enrollment Website
Benefit News
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
This email went out ONLY to those who have not yet done the form as of the morning of May 3rd.
We have noticed that you have not completed your FY24 UA Benefits Open Enrollment form based on data pulled 4/27/23. Due to the plan design changes and increased benefits,
we are hosting a positive Open Enrollment. Th
EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
If you'd like to take our Health Care Literacy Quiz you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
All Open Enrollment
Again, Open Enrollment runs until next Friday, May 5 at 5:00 PM. All benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before the deadline. If you have questions, please email our benefits team for the quickest response.
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Open Enrollment Website
Benefit News
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
On May 3rd, the UA Benefits team provided HR Coordinators with a list of employees in their TKLs that have not yet completed their Open Enrollment form. HR Coordinators will reach out to their employees and provide support in completing the form.
This text message went out to employees enrolled in non-emergency text message communications and had not completed the Open Enrollment form.
University of Alaska Open Enrollment closes May 5 at 5PM for benefit eligible employees. Please visit the link for info:
[Additional info provided below]
The University of Alaska Human Resources Benefits team wants to remind employees that have not yet completed the Open Enrollment process, the deadline to complete is May 5, at 5 PM. Benefit eligible employees that do not enroll by the deadline will be defaulted to basic employee only coverage. Please visit the following University of Alaska website for further information:
https://alaska.edu/hr/benefits/open-enrollment/
This email went out ONLY to those who have not yet done the form as of the morning of May 1st.
We have noticed that you have not completed your FY24 UA Benefits Open Enrollment form based on data pulled 4/27/23. Due to the plan design changes and increased benefits,
we are hosting a positive Open Enrollment. Th
EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
If you'd like to take our Health Care Literacy Quiz you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
All Open Enrollment
Again, Open Enrollment runs until next Friday, May 5 at 5:00 PM. All benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before the deadline. If you have questions, please email our benefits team for the quickest response.
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Open Enrollment Website
Benefit News
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
This email went out ONLY to those who have not yet done the form as of the morning of April 28th.
We have noticed that you have not completed your FY24 UA Benefits Open Enrollment form based on data pulled 4/27/23. Due to the plan design changes and increased benefits,
we are hosting a positive Open Enrollment. Th
EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
If you'd like to take our Health Care Literacy Quiz you will be entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
All Open Enrollment
Again, Open Enrollment runs until next Friday, May 5 at 5:00 PM. All benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before the deadline. If you have questions, please email our benefits team for the quickest response.
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Open Enrollment Website
Benefit News
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
YOUR PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED: OPEN ENROLLMENT RUNS UNTIL MAY 5, 2023
OPEN ENROLLMENT! Open Enrollment runs from Monday, April 17th to Friday, May 5th, 2023.
PARTICIPATION REQUIRED! Every benefit-eligible employee must submit a form this year - even if opting out of coverage.
NEW! Unable to attend a live TouchCare training? Review a recorded TouchCare Training!
YOU MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting
to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into
a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
WHAT HAPPENS IF A FORM IS NOT SUBMITTED?
If a benefit-eligible employee does not submit an Open Enrollment form by May 5, 2023, the university will take the following steps:
The university will default the employee into the coverages below. This means that your coverage will be moved from your current plan (or current opt-out election) into the default plans as of July 1, 2023. The default will cover the employee only (no spouse/FIP or dependent coverage) and will not include any Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) or Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).
- Basic Medical
- Basic Dental
- Vision
If an employee covers dependents currently, they will be removed from coverage under
the default option as of July 1, 2023. No dependents will be added by the university
while defaulting an employee's coverage.
The university will stop any Health Savings Accounts (HSA) when defaulting an employee.
The Basic Medical plan is not HSA-compatible.
The university will not start any Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) when defaulting
an employee.
The university will make no changes to an employee's previously selected Supplemental Life or AD&D coverages.
If you do not submit an Open Enrollment form and are defaulted, changes can only be made within 30 days of a life event or during
Open Enrollment in April, 2024. For more information on life events, please review our life event webpage.
UNBUNDLED PLANS AND RATES!
Medical, dental and vision are now unbundled - this means you can elect just medical,
just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need! Confirm
the plan rates on the Open Enrollment website under section “4. Plan Resources and Rates” or reviewing page 34 of the Enrollment Guide.
REVIEW OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT WEBSITE!
Our Open Enrollment website is now live! The links to the forms will be added on April 17th when Open Enrollment
officially starts. The website has extensive information on plan updates for this
year, along with how to prepare for open enrollment, documents and resources, and
an FAQ section. If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
OPEN ENROLLMENT QUICK LINKS
- Open Enrollment Website
- Benefit News
- Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
- NEW! Unable to attend a live TouchCare training? Review a recorded TouchCare Training!
- TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
- TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
- Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
TouchCare Live Open Enrollment Webinars
NEW! Unable to attend a live TouchCare training? Review a recorded TouchCare Training!
TouchCare works directly with UA employees on their health care questions - whether it is what plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and more.
During Open Enrollment, TouchCare will be hosting multiple live trainings to go over UA benefits. These are a great opportunity to ask questions, become familiar with the plans, and learn about our partner, TouchCare. Sign up for a TouchCare live training here.
Tuesdays at 1:00 pm Alaska time
- April 25, May 2
Fridays at 9:00am Alaska time
- April 21, April 28, May 5
TouchCare Recorded Open Enrollment Webinars
If you are interested in learning a bit more about common terms used in the healthcare
industry, you can view TouchCare's Benefits Literacy Webinar 101 here.
NEW! Unable to attend a live TouchCare training? Review a recorded TouchCare Training!
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Don't forget to check your understanding by taking a quick Health Care Literacy Quiz! Complete the quiz to enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
Today marks the beginning of Open Enrollment. Due to the plan design changes and increased benefits, we are hosting a positive Open Enrollment. This means all benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 5, 2023. The Open Enrollment form is electronically completed via NextGen and can be found under section 6 of the Open Enrollment website.
There are many positive changes to our benefit plan this year including unbundling our medical, dental, and vision plans; increasing our basic life insurance policy; implementing short-term disability; and providing additional benefits such as hospital indemnity coverage, identity theft, and pet insurance. All Open Enrollment information - including what is new and changing for this year - can be found on the Open Enrollment website.
YOU MUST SUBMIT A FORM - YES - EVERYONE MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into a plan. More information can
be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
UNBUNDLED PLANS AND RATES
Medical, dental and vision are now unbundled - this means you can elect just medical,
just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need! Confirm
the plan rates on the Open Enrollment website under section “4. Plan Resources and Rates” or reviewing page 34 of the Enrollment Guide.
REVIEW OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT WEBSITE.
Our Open Enrollment website is now live! The links to the forms were added today when Open Enrollment officially started. The website has extensive information on plan updates for this
year, along with how to prepare for open enrollment, documents and resources, and an FAQ section. If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
Don't forget to take the quick Health Care Literacy Quiz! Complete the quiz to enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Open Enrollment Website
Benefit News
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
Again, Open Enrollment runs from today through May 5 at 5:00 PM. All benefit-eligible employees are required to submit an Open Enrollment form before the deadline. If you have questions, please email our benefits team for the quickest response.
Reminders for Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment starts next Monday, April 17th!
Open Enrollment runs from April 17 - May 5th, 2023
YOU MUST SUBMIT A FORM!
All benefit-eligible employees must submit a form this year, even if you are wanting
to opt-out of a UA Choice Plan. If no form is submitted, you will be defaulted into
a plan. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24.”
UNBUNDLED PLANS AND RATES!
Medical, dental and vision are now unbundled - this means you can elect just medical,
just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need! Confirm
the plan rates on the Open Enrollment website under section “4. Plan Resources and Rates” or reviewing page 34 of the Enrollment Guide.
REVIEW OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT WEBSITE!
Our Open Enrollment website is now live! The links to the forms will be added on April 17th when Open Enrollment
officially starts. The website has extensive information on plan updates for this
year, along with how to prepare for open enrollment, documents and resources, and
an FAQ section. If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
TouchCare Live Open Enrollment Webinars
Tuesdays at 1:00 pm Alaska time
- April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2
Fridays at 9:00am Alaska time
- April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5
TouchCare works directly with UA employees on their health care questions - whether it is what plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and more.
During Open Enrollment, TouchCare will be hosting multiple live trainings to go over UA benefits. These are a great opportunity to ask questions, become familiar with the plans, and learn about our partner, TouchCare. Sign up for a TouchCare live training here.
TouchCare Recorded Open Enrollment Webinars
If you are interested in learning a bit more about common terms used in the healthcare
industry, you can view TouchCare's Benefits Literacy Webinar 101 here.
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Don't forget to check your understanding by taking a quick Health Care Literacy Quiz! Complete the quiz to enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
Open Enrollment Resources & Reminders
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available
for all our UA Choice Plan members. This is your opportunity to go paperless for your
EOBs - saving time and money!
You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
Log into your premera account at premera.com
Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
All your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
TouchCare Live Open Enrollment Webinars
TouchCare works directly with UA employees on their health care questions - whether
it is what plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax
health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and
more.
During Open Enrollment, TouchCare will be hosting multiple live trainings to go over UA benefits. These are a great opportunity to ask questions, become familiar with the plans, and learn about our partner, TouchCare. Sign up for a TouchCare live training here.
The first TouchCare webinar is today, April 4th!
Tuesdays at 1:00 pm Alaska time
April 4, April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2
Thursday at 9:00am Alaska time
April 6
Fridays at 9:00am Alaska time
April 7, April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5
TouchCare Recorded Open Enrollment Webinars
If you are interested in learning a bit more about common terms used in the healthcare
industry, you can view TouchCare's Benefits Literacy Webinar 101 here.
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Don't forget to check your understanding by taking a quick Health Care Literacy Quiz! Complete the quiz to enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card!
Open Enrollment Resources & Reminders
Open Enrollment Quick Links
Sign up for a live TouchCare Training
TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar (recorded)
TouchCare Benefits Literacy Quiz
Benefit Events Calendar (scroll to the bottom of the page)
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment
April 17 - May 5, 2023
As we continue to prepare for Open Enrollment, we want to highlight a benefit enhancement
that will be available to UA employees beginning July 1, 2023. More Open Enrollment
information will be in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!
OUR WEBSITE IS LIVE! Our Open Enrollment website is now live! The links to the forms will be added on April 17th when Open Enrollment officially starts. The website has extensive information on plan updates for this year, along with how to prepare for open enrollment, documents and resources, and an FAQ section. If you have any questions, please email ua-benefits@alaska.edu.
NEW BENEFIT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM - POWERED BY CORESTREAM! Corestream is our new benefit vendor that will provide UA employees with a Benefit Enhancement Program for discounted services for Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Identity Theft Insurance, Legal Insurance, and Pet Insurance! More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24” and clicking on the “Corestream” tab.
ENHANCED BENEFIT! Supplemental Life Insurance has been expanded allowing employees to purchase coverage for spouses/FIPs or children. More information can be found on our Open Enrollment website under section “2. Changes for FY24” and clicking on the “Supplemental Life” tab.
Reminders from our last newsletters:
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 5, 2023.
Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee who is in a benefited position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
ENHANCED BENEFIT! Our Basic Life Insurance will be increasing from $50,000 to $100,000 beginning on July 1, 2023. Remember, this is a UA paid benefit so there is no cost to you! Basic Life Insurance is automatically provided to all benefit eligible employees.*
TRAINING! UA Partners with TouchCare - your health care advocate. TouchCare is here to assist you - whether understanding which plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and more. TouchCare will be providing several training sessions during our Open Enrollment this year to go over our plan changes. Sign up for a live TouchCare Training or watch the recorded TouchCare Benefits Literacy 101 Webinar.
*Basic Life Insurance is a taxable benefit since it is an employer paid benefit that exceeds the IRS non-taxable limit of $50,000.
Electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
The University of Alaska would like to remind employees that electronic EOBs are available
for all our UA Choice Plan members. This is your opportunity to go paperless for your
EOBs - saving time and money!
You can sign up for electronic EOBs with Premera. Enrolling is easy:
Log into your premera account at premera.com
Click on “my account” in the upper right corner and select “account settings”
In the “Preferences” box, switch the Paperless Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to “on”
Enjoy more room in your mailbox!
There are several benefits for enrolling in the electronic EOBs:
All your EOBs will always be in one place. You can log into your secure Premera account and view current or previous EOBs. This makes referencing your documents a breeze.
You will receive an email notification anytime a new EOB is generated and ready for you to access online. Always know when EOBs are complete.
You will have immediate access to completed EOBs (both current and past). No more waiting for EOBs to come via mail.
Enrolling in electronic EOBs will help the university mitigate administrative costs on our health care plan.
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment
April 17 - May 5, 2023
As we continue to prepare for Open Enrollment, we want to highlight a benefit enhancement that will be available to UA employees beginning July 1, 2023. More Open Enrollment information will be in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!
TRAINING! UA partners with TouchCare - your health care advocate. TouchCare is here to assist you - whether understanding which plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and more. For more information on TouchCare, please visit our webpage.
TouchCare has put together a recorded Benefits Literacy 101 training that goes over basic terminology in the health care industry. This is a great way to prepare for Open Enrollment. Test your knowledge by completing the Health Care Literacy Quiz!
In addition, TouchCare will be providing several training sessions during Open Enrollment this year to go over our plan changes. To sign up for one of the Open Enrollment training sessions below with TouchCare, click here.
Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m Alaska
April 4, April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2
Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Alaska
April 6*
Fridays at 9:00 a.m. Alaska
April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5
*Was previously scheduled for April 7
Reminders from our last newsletters:
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 5, 2023.
Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee who is in a benefited position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
TouchCare will be hosting several live benefit overview sessions to go over the changes with the UA population. The schedule is being finalized and will be released in the next few weeks.
ENHANCED BENEFIT! Our Basic Life Insurance will be increasing from $50,000 to $100,000 beginning on July 1, 2023. Remember, this is a UA paid benefit so there is no cost to you! Basic Life Insurance is automatically provided to all benefit eligible employees.**
**Basic Life Insurance is a taxable benefit since it is an employer paid benefit that exceeds the IRS non-taxable limit of $50,000.
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment
April 17 - May 5, 2023
As we continue to prepare for Open Enrollment, we want to highlight a benefit enhancement that will be available to UA employees beginning July 1, 2023. More Open Enrollment information will be in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!
TRAINING! UA partners with TouchCare - your health care advocate. TouchCare is here to assist you - whether understanding which plan to enroll in, explaining the differences between plans or pre-tax health accounts, assisting with billing issues or questions, price transparency, and more. TouchCare will be providing several training sessions during our Open Enrollment this year to go over our plan changes. We will have links to sign up for these training sessions in our next newsletter.
Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m Alaska
April 4, April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2
Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Alaska
April 6*
Fridays at 9:00 a.m. Alaska
April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5
*Was previously scheduled for April 7
Reminders from our last newsletters:
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 5, 2023.
Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee who is in a benefited position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
TouchCare will be hosting several live benefit overview sessions to go over the changes with the UA population. The schedule is being finalized and will be released in the next few weeks.
ENHANCED BENEFIT! Our Basic Life Insurance will be increasing from $50,000 to $100,000 beginning on July 1, 2023. Remember, this is a UA paid benefit so there is no cost to you! Basic Life Insurance is automatically provided to all benefit eligible employees.**
**Basic Life Insurance is a taxable benefit since it is an employer paid benefit that exceeds the IRS non-taxable limit of $50,000.
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment
April 17 - May 5, 2023*
*Correction on end date - May 6 was published in our last newsletter. Open Enrollment will end at the close of business on Friday, May 5, 2023.
As we continue to prepare for Open Enrollment, we want to highlight a benefit enhancement that will be available to UA employees beginning July 1. More Open Enrollment information will be in our next newsletter. Stay tuned!
ENHANCED BENEFIT! Our Basic Life Insurance will be increasing from $50,000 to $100,000 beginning on July 1, 2023. Remember, this is a UA Paid benefit so there is no cost to you! Basic Life Insurance is automatically provided to all benefit eligible employees. **
Reminders from our last newsletters:
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 5, 2023.
Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee who is in a benefited position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
TouchCare will be hosting several live benefit overview sessions to go over the changes with the UA population. The schedule is being finalized and will be released in the next few weeks.
** Basic Life Insurance is a taxable benefit since it is an employer paid benefit that exceeds the IRS non-taxable limit of $50,000.
COMING SOON! Open Enrollment
April 17 - May 5, 2023
We have many exciting changes happening to our benefit plans for the 2024 plan year. Below are the highlights of some of the changes. We are working on all our open enrollment materials, communication schedule, and a dedicated website and want to share some high level information while we prepare. More information will be coming in our next newsletter!
Mark your calendars! Open Enrollment begins on April 17 and ends on May 6, 2023.
Medical, dental and vision will now be unbundled - this means you can elect just medical, just dental or any combination of the three. Get the exact coverages you need!
Because our plans will be unbundled, all benefit eligible employees will be required to submit a form. In previous years, we required forms only from employees who are making changes to their coverage/dependents or electing a Flexible Spending Account (FSA). This year, if you are a UA employee who is in a benefited position, we require you to submit an open enrollment form. We want to be sure that employees are familiar with the changes for this upcoming plan year and that everyone is given an opportunity to enroll in the exact coverage they need for their family.
TouchCare will be hosting several live benefit overview sessions to go over the changes with the UA population. The schedule is being finalized and will be released in the next few weeks.
Calendar Year 2022 Benefits News
December 14 at 8am Healthy Eating through the Holidays Webinar
December 23 - January 2, 2023 UA will observe the hard closure
January 10, 2023 at 11am FML Training with Unum
Webinars
Healthy Eating through the Holidays Webinar
- Wednesday, December 14 at 8:00 a.m. Alaskan
It's easy to stress eat during the holidays. With all the added responsibilities of the season, it's no surprise that many people fall into bad eating habits. We'll be sharing tips & tricks to keep our health a top priority while still enjoying everything delicious this season offers.
FMLA Training with Unum
- Unum will host an FMLA training for all employees, supervisors, and HR Coordinators on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Alaskan. There have been several updates to the process (including the removal of earnings code 601 and 602) and we encourage all to attend. This training will be recorded and will be added to our FML Training webpage.
- Register for FML Training with Unum on myUA.
Resources & Reminders
Update your beneficiaries!
- UA would like to remind employees to keep their beneficiaries up to date. Remember
- beneficiaries for the accounts below are not maintained in UAOnline.
- All benefit-eligible employees have basic life insurance in the amount of $50,000. Please review the basic life insurance website to update your basic life insurance beneficiaries.
- You can also update your beneficiaries for your supplemental life and AD&D by visiting our Life Insurance webpage.
- If you are a PERS/TRS DC member, please check your beneficiaries with Empower Retirement.
- If you are a PERS/TRS DB member, please check your beneficiaries with the Division of Retirement and Benefits.
- If you are an ORP member, please check your beneficiaries directly with your vendor (Fidelity, TIAA, VALIC, or Lincoln). Contact information can be found on our ORP webpage under "Enrollment / Manage your ORP" and "Manage your ORP."
- If you have a UA Pension Plan, please check your beneficiaries with your vendor (Fidelity, TIAA, VALIC, or Lincoln). Contact information can be found on our UA Pension Plan webpage under "Enrollment / Manage your UA Pension" and "Manage your UA Pension."
- If you have a Tax-deferred Annuity (TDA or 403(b)) you will want to reach out directly
to your vendor to update your beneficiaries.
Vivacity/ComPsych Holiday Tips - Review Holiday tips including intuitive eating and creating a holiday budget.
1:1 with Fidelity Representatives. Schedule yours on Fidelity's website.
Winter Hard Closure
- As a reminder, hard closure will be observed from December 23, 2022 - January 2, 2023.
More information, including soft closure dates, can be found in the Winter Closure Memo from Chief Human Resources Officer, Memry Dahl.
Updates to the HSA and 403(b) from the IRS
- The IRS has released the updated amounts for calendar year 2023 for the HSA and the
403(b). These increased rates are available beginning January 1, 2023.
- HSA Single $3,850 - HSA NextGen Form
HSA Family $7,750 - HSA NextGen Form
403(b) $22,500 (with an additional catch up $7,500 for those over the age of 50) - TDA NextGen Form
- HSA Single $3,850 - HSA NextGen Form
Alaska 529 Reminder
- The Alaska 529 is a versatile, tax-advantaged education savings plan that can be used
for qualified expenses at nearly all colleges, universities, and technical schools
nationwide, as well as for K-12 tuition. Contributions to accounts are taxable, earnings
grow tax-deferred, and are tax-free if used for qualified education expenses. Visit
the Alaska 529 Plan website or contact alaska529@alaska.edu for more information.
An FMLA Update Communication was sent regarding the 601 and 602 earnings codes and the 5-day reporting period.
Pharmacy Updates
-
There are pharmacy updates beginning January 1, 2023, that may affect specific employees on a UA Choice Health Plan. Between now and December 2, 2022, Premera will be sending out notices to those affected with the action items to ensure continued prescription coverage with no disruption. Please keep an eye out for this information to be delivered to your HR address. To review a list of in-network pharmacies, please go to express-scripts.com/findapharmacy. For questions regarding this update, please reach out to Premera by calling the customer service number on the back of your ID card or by logging into your account at premera.com.
Activities
Maintain Don't Gain Wellness Challenge
- The goal of this challenge is to concentrate and maintain weight during the holiday season while practicing healthy habits. Log and track your weight throughout the entire challenge from November 21, 2022 through January 8, 2023. This challenge is available to all UA employees on a UA Choice Health Care Plan. Remember - spouses and Financially Interdependent Partners (FIPs) can participate if they are on a UA Choice Health Care Plan, too!
November is diabetes awareness month
November 7 will end our first wellness challenge of this plan year (Stress Less Wellness
Challenge)
November 16 at 8am Zero Out Prostate Cancer Webinar
November 18 is when the wellness rebate will pay out
November 21 - January 8, 2023 is our Maintain Don't Gain Wellness Challenge
Webinars
Zero Out Prostate Cancer Zero Out Prostate Cancer Webinar - Watch On Demand
- Wednesday, November 16 at 8:00 a.m. Alaskan
According to the CDC, prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the United States. Join TouchCare to discuss prostate cancer risks & symptoms, the importance of early detection, and the support available if diagnosed.
Resources & Reminders
1:1 with Fidelity Representatives. Schedule yours on Fidelity's website
Winter Hard Closure
- As a reminder, hard closure will be observed from December 23, 2022 - January 2, 2023.
More information, including soft closure dates, can be found in the Winter Closure Memo from Chief Human Resources Officer, Memry Dahl.
Livongo
- November is diabetes awareness month. The University of Alaska and Premera work with Livongo to assist with diabetes management. If you are an employee on a UA Choice Plan and you qualify for the Livongo program, you can participate with no charge to you. For more information, please visit the Livongo website.
Updates to the HSA and 403(b) from the IRS
- The IRS has released the updated amounts for calendar year 2023 for the HSA and the
403(b). These increased rates are available beginning January 1, 2023.
- HSA Single $3,850 - HSA NextGen Form
HSA Family $7,750 - HSA NextGen Form
403(b) $22,500 (with an additional catch up $7,500 for those over the age of 50) - TDA NextGen Form
- HSA Single $3,850 - HSA NextGen Form
An FMLA Update Communication was sent regarding the 601 and 602 earnings codes and the 5-day reporting period.
Activities
Maintain Don't Gain Wellness Challenge
- The goal of this challenge is to concentrate and maintain weight during the holiday
season while practicing healthy habits. Log and track your weight throughout the entire
challenge from November 21, 2022 through January 8, 2023. This challenge is available
to all UA employees on a UA Choice Health Care Plan. Remember - spouses and Financially
Interdependent Partners (FIPs) can participate if they are on a UA Choice Health Care
Plan, too!
Wellness Rebate
- The wellness rebate will be paid out with the November 18th paycheck. Remember - to
qualify for the rebate you must (1) have completed all the required activities of
the wellness program from July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022, (2) be a current employee,
and (3) be on a UA Choice Plan when the rebate is paid out. For more information on
the wellness program, visit our wellness website.
Ended on November 7, 2022 - Stress Less Wellness Challenge
- Take control of your stress in this five week challenge from October 3 - November 7, 2022! In this individual challenge, participants will practice a variety of stress management techniques each week. Each week a new healthy habit is introduced. This challenge is available to all UA employees on a UA Choice Health Care Plan. Remember - spouses and Financially Interdependent Partners (FIPs) can participate if they are on a UA Choice Health Care Plan, too!
October is National Save for Retirement Month
October 3 - November 7 is our Stress Less Wellness Challenge
October 10 is World Mental Health Day
October 19 at 8am Supporting your Spine Webinar
October 21 at 12pm Halfway There Webinar
Webinars
- Join Fidelity in their Women Talk Money workshops through the month of October.
Supporting Your Spine Webinar - Watch On Demand
- Maintaining a healthy spine and back is an important endeavor that can prevent serious
pain in the long term. Join TouchCare in learning about spine-healthy tips.
-
Give your retirement savings a checkup and learn steps to help get back on track if you’re behind. This webinar will expand your financial knowledge by exploring the following topics:
(1) Strategies for saving for your ideal retirement(2) Methods to manage and pay down debt
(3) Tools to determine if you are on track to reach your goals(4) How your risk tolerance, time horizon, and unique characteristics shape your personalized investment portfolio
Resources & Reminders
ComPsych - your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Boost your financial security by reviewing these smart money tips from our Employee Assistance Program - ComPsych!
- Need something more in-depth? Review ComPsych's Financial Wellness Guidance Resource
- World Mental Health Day is on October 10, 2022
1:1 with Fidelity Representatives. Schedule yours on Fidelity's website
Activities
Stress Less Wellness Challenge
- Take control of your stress in this five week challenge from October 3 - November 7, 2022! In this individual challenge, participants will practice a variety of stress management techniques each week. Each week a new healthy habit is introduced. This challenge is available to all UA employees on a UA Choice Health Care Plan. Remember - spouses and Financially Interdependent Partners (FIPs) can participate if they are on a UA Choice Health Care Plan, too!
Webinars
The Golden Years Webinar - Watch On Demand
- TouchCare shares ways to help you plan for your healthcare needs as you transition to Medicare. TouchCare will also be sharing how to strategize caregiving for an elder family member.