Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With potential layoffs coming you should review of your medical benefit options during open enrollment. If you are affected, or could be affected, by the reduction in force than you might want to look at a plan that has nationwide coverage. Plan eligibility is based on the zip code of your residence, but this is only a factor if someone enrolls in an HMO or HMO-like plan. All the EPO, PPO, and HSA plans have national networks. Reviewing your options could save you from using out of network benefits. The only time a plan election can change is when there is a qualified event (e.g. birth marriage), or during annual enrollment. Please keep your address up to date.
AFLAC
The Teamsters Airline Division has reached out to AFLAC for help for our membership. With possible furloughs coming and the loss of benefits, we are now able to provide the following options with no change in premiums:
if you have or will retire in 2020, we can help you port (keep) your coverage;
if you are furloughed, you can keep some or all of your coverage, or get hospital coverage if you are losing your UAL insurance;
if going on furlough, you can also choose to suspend your coverage (no premium or coverage) for up to 6 months and re-activate it when you are ready, and
if you do not have any AFLAC coverage, you can enroll now and go on direct pay without any payroll deduction.
The IBT relationship with AFLAC has helped our membership with affordable coverage that offers whole life, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity coverage. This hospital coverage should be of great interest to many of you as it will provide $3,000-5,000 cash in the event of a hospitalization. Call, text or email one of our AFLAC representatives to answer your questions and assist you:
Bill Loweth – (713) 446-4800 BillLoweth@wbpinsure.com
Crystal Mulville – (832) 257-6201 CrystalMulville@wbpinsure.com
Vickie Beene – (713) 261-9935 VickieBeene@wbpinsure.com
Ed Marlette – (716) 316-1639 EdMarlette@wbpinsure.com
'Prescription Service
In a continued effort to help you make the most of your UAL benefits and to help you save money at a time when every dollar counts, we have a new benefit now available to you as part of your United-sponsored medical plan. *
This new benefit, Rx Savings Solutions, is free, confidential and designed to help you save money and better manage your prescription costs. It automatically alerts you with an email or text if you’re paying too much for one of your prescriptions and will help you find other ways to get the same treatment for less money.
With Rx Savings Solutions, you can:
locate better prices for your prescription drugs at pharmacies near you;
identify different medications with a lower out-of-pocket price that perform the same as your current or prescribed medication (which you can review with your own doctor);
search and compare prices and other options before being prescribed a new medication;
learn how to talk with your doctor or prescriber about making any changes to your prescriptions, or Rx Savings Solutions can do the work for you – providing access to certified pharmacy technicians for personal assistance, and
easily see all the ways you can save money on your personal prescriptions, according to your particular medical plan.
You can find out more and start saving today by activating your new benefit at myrxss.com. We are excited to introduce this option and hope you use it to find new ways to save on your prescriptions!
*Rx Savings Solutions is available to United Airlines employees and their covered spouse/qualified domestic partner and adult-aged family members enrolled in the following medical plans: $350 PPO, $750 PPO, $1,250 PPO, Traditional PPO, Bronze EPO, Silver EPO, Gold EPO, Platinum EPO, Core EPO, Core PPO, Core HDHP, Healthy Rewards PPO, and Healthy Advantage HSA.
Fraternally,
Ken Meidinger
International Representative & UAL Benefits Coordinator
Airline Division