The Results Are In

Open Enrollment '98 Choices Effective July 1, 1998

More than 4,700 state employees took advantage of open enrollment to make changes in their health care coverage. The choices made during open enrollment will remain in effect from July 1, 1998, to June 30, 2000.

The Open Enrollment period provides state employees with the opportunity to review your health care coverage, and, if you wish, make changes which best suit your current health care needs.

As the next open enrollment will not occur until Spring 2000, changes in coverage will be limited to:

• adding or deleting dependents from your coverage (or change your coverage status from single to family) only if you get married; gaining a child through birth or adoption; losing health care coverage provided through your spouse’s employer, or returning to work from an authorized leave of absence.

• changing your choice of health plan only if you move out of your current plan’s service area.

Any change you wish to make as a result of one of these qualifying events must be made within 31 days after the event occurs.

 

Did You Get Your Booklets?

Is your Employee Benefits Handbook box getting full? It should be. In the last two months, all state employees should have received these booklets:

• Dependent Care
• Disability, Workers’ Compensation, and Unemployment
• Health Care Comparison Chart & Guide

If you are an exempt employee, you also should have received your Life Insurance and Dental and Vision booklets.

Watch for your new Life Events booklet and an updated Health Care booklet coming soon. If you did not receive one or more of the booklets listed above (for which you are eligible), please call your agency’s payroll/personnel officer.

Employee Assistance Program Corner --

Dealing with Difficult Teenagers

Raising kids can be a formidable task -- just ask anyone who has a teenager.

Normal development involves both internal and external conflict as teens test boundaries and search for independence. It’s normal. (Try to remember what you were like when you were a teen.) The following are warning signs which may indicate a need for professional counseling for your teen:

• prolonged depression
• continual negative statements
• excessive anger
• talk of suicide
• physical or emotional abuse
• drastic change in appetite, personality, or friends
• loss of interest in school

During this time, it is important to be available to talk to your teenager, but avoid making quick judgments. Allow your teen to learn the hard way a few times, but be sure to be supportive when they fall. Be generous with praise when you approve of their actions, but be patient when you disapprove unless you fear that they will be harmed. If you have any questions on this topic, please call the Ohio EAP at 1-800-221-6327.

Information obtained from Parlay International

JHCC Updates Communication Plan

The JHCC is in the process of updating its communication plan for the next three years. The plan specifies how we will develop and distribute materials you receive regarding your health care benefits, including this newsletter.

To assist in this effort, DAS has contracted with a professional communications consultant, Buck Consultants.

In June, Buck conducted focus groups with randomly selected state employees. These employees were asked what they thought about the open enrollment materials, their employee handbook and this newsletter. They were also asked about their individual access to the Internet, and how they felt about receiving benefits-related information via the Internet or an automated telephone system.

The updated communication plan should be completed soon. Highlights will appear in an upcoming issue of Health Benefits Update.

Benefits Website Provides Current News

Benefits Administration Services now has its own page on the World Wide Web. Currently, it offers the following information on-line:

• Employee Benefits Handbook
• Open enrollment Health Care Comparison Chart
• previous editions of the Health Benefits Update
• links to the home pages of all health plans offered to state employees

To reach our site, simply direct your browser to: www.das.ohio.gov/hrd/benindex.html

Why not check it out . . . today?

More Is Better!

Improvements in Ohio Med Prescription Drug Programs Benefit Subscribers

Changes to the Ohio Med prescription drug program took effect July 1, 1998.

1. The changes increase the maximum number of "supply days" of medication that you can receive with each prescription:
   • From 20 supply days to 30 -- for retail prescriptions

   • From 60 supply days to 90 -- for mail order prescriptions

   While the number of supply days per presciption has increased, your copays have not. This means two things for you: you will get more medication for your money, and you won't have to renew your prescriptions as often.

2. In addition, there is a new toll-free number -- 1-800-903-8030 -- to call if you have any questions regarding your Ohio Med prescription benefits.

3. You will need to use your new Ohio Med ID card to obtain your prescriptions at your local pharmacy; there is no longer a need to carry two separate cards. After July 1, your PAID Prescriptions drug card will not work at your local pharmacy.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:
What is it?

If you have a hand-intensive job or hobby and are experiencing tingling pain or swelling in your wrists and hands, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. The carpal tunnel is a narrow opening in your wrist which protects the median nerve. If prolonged stress produces swelling in this tunnel, the nerve is compressed and pain will result. If not treated, it can result in a complete loss of feeling in some fingers.

Symptoms:

• Tingling or numbness in your fingers or hand
• Pain radiating or extending from your wrist into your forearm or down into your palm or fingers
• A sense of weakness; dropping of objects

What you can do:

• Vary your activities; stretch your hands and wrists once an hour.
• Consider wearing a wrist splint when you sleep at night.
• If the symptoms continue or get worse, consult your doctor.

Health Tip:

Treating Minor Injuries

During the warm weather, families enjoy outside recreational activities. In participating in these outside activities, you or a family member may be more prone to sustaining a minor injury. To help speed recovery and ease discomfort of a minor injury, remember the acronym RICE.

Rest: Give the injured tissues time to heal. Don't try to exercise with pain.

Ice: Ice can reduce swelling, pain, bleeding, and inflammation. Apply an ice pack for 15 to 20 minutes (no longer) 3 to 4 times a day.

Compression: Apply an elastic bandage, not too tightly. If you have numbness, tingling, or color change of your skin, loosen or remove the bandage.

Elevation: When possible, elevate the injured area above your heart to improve circulation and reduce swelling and bleeding.

If symptoms do not improve after two days, consult your doctor.

Information obtained from the Department of Health

Disease Management

A Better Approach to Health Care

Disease management is an approach to patient care that can help you prevent, reduce or slow the progression of illness. Disease management programs have three focus points: prevention, early diagnosis and care management.

What can a disease managment program do for you? There are two main benefits:

1. You can live a longer, healthier life.
2. You are assured of getting the most appropriate care for your condition.

Currently, all health plans covering state employees must have disease management programs in place for two of the following three conditions: diabetes, asthma or hypertension. In the future, disease management programs may be required for other common conditions such as: back conditions, depression/anxiety states, arthritis, breast cancer, leukemia, ovarian/uterine cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome, stroke, congestive heart failure, allergies, and end-stage renal disease. The JHCC is currently working with Medical Mutual of Ohio to expand its disease management initiatives for Ohio Med.

Ohio Med Enrollees to Share in Court Settlement

If you were enrolled in Ohio Med between 1989 and 1994, you may have received a mailing from the Court of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga County. The mailing advises that you may share in the proceeds of a court settlement.

The court settlement requires Medical Mutual of Ohio, the state’s third party administrator for the self-insured Ohio Med plan, to refund portions of hospital copayments made by enrollees between 1989 and 1994. The amounts most persons will receive are expected to be $20 to $30.

To receive any amounts you are due, you do not need to do anything at this time. If the final settlement details are approved, checks should be mailed by September. If you wish to be excluded from the settlement and retain the ability to pursue whatever legal rights you have, follow the instructions on page 12 of the booklet you received in the mail, "Notice of Pendency of Class Action, Proposed Settlement."

If you have questions, call the Plaintiff Counsel's Copayment Litigation Line: 1-800-747-1632.