CWA/IBT 2007 Healthcare

[hp-csr-phx]

With today’s announcement that the West will be using the East's health plan for 2007--can anyone give us a quick rundown on the different plans, premiums, copays etc for both full and part-time employees? The announcement mentioned that it will be switched over to UHC from Blue Cross, but the all of the copays etc will be the same as 2006.

 

[Dorf]

With today’s announcement that the West will be using the East's health plan for 2007--can anyone give us a quick rundown on the different plans, premiums, copays etc for both full and part-time employees? The announcement mentioned that it will be switched over to UHC from Blue Cross, but the all of the copays etc will be the same as 2006.

I thought it was the other way around....the east was switching to the wests plan?

 

[hp-csr-phx]

I thought it was the other way around....the east was switching to the wests plan?

It will be the East plan--but administered by UHC--below is from the Hub:

CWA/IBT
Q I’m in the CWA in Phoenix and I thought I was going to go on Blue Cross Blue Shield next
year. What happens now?
A You will continue with UHC as the network and claims administrator for our medical plans (and
other integrated healthcare services) just like all of our other work groups. However, what will
change for you are the specific plan design options you will be able to select from. This will mean
you will select from one of three East PPO type plans (again, all delivered by UHC) each of which
have the same copay amounts as each other but do differ in deductibles, co-insurance and outof-
pocket maximums and also in the amount of premium that is deducted from your paycheck.
During annual enrollment this year, you will be able to go online to our new benefits enrollment
site (Benefits US) and see detailed information about each of the plans, costs and eligibility
requirements. You can go into the web site as many times as you want during annual enrollment
(which is October 16th through 31st) to compare plan designs and costs and also link to other
information web sites. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL
ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR, BECAUSE YOU MUST MAKE A SELECTION OF THE
COVERAGE YOU WANT IN 2007. If you do not participate you may have no coverage at all or
you may be defaulted into a plan that you might not otherwise want. The annual enrollment
materials you receive before enrollment begins will guide you as to any “defaultsâ€￾ or “no
coverageâ€￾ that will be activated.

 

[PITbull]

With today’s announcement that the West will be using the East's health plan for 2007--can anyone give us a quick rundown on the different plans, premiums, copays etc for both full and part-time employees? The announcement mentioned that it will be switched over to UHC from Blue Cross, but the all of the copays etc will be the same as 2006.

There are 3 plan Employee Contributions for the East.

80/20 90/10 and 100%

Most of labor employees have opted for the third plan (100%) with no out of pocket, other than copay and deductables (that are HUGE).

The monthly employee contributions (payrole deducted by- weekly) for the labor groups are huge especially ALPA. Depending on whether you opt for employee only, employee and child, employee and children, or family...you'll be sick at the employee cost regardless, if they end up imposing East contributions on ya.
It goes up every year, and the labor groups have to renegotiate the contributions by 2008.

You guys on the West should not have to participate in those kinds of contribtuions as these are concessionary for the East.