To our employees:
We’re committed to offering our employees competitive benefits and we endorse a health plan that promotes healthy lifestyle choices. However, INI is in the same boat as the rest of the country, we’re struggling to cope with seemingly out-of-control increases in health care costs.
We’ve recently finished the annual review of INI benefits. There are no changes to INI employee group benefits program. All other deductibles and coverage terms remain the same, however, please carefully read this summary of the benefits programs so you understand how it affects you or your dependents. The new Plan Year begins August 1, 2008.
The basic participant premium for medical coverage will increase from $80 to $92 per pay period. We’re able to offer a tobacco-free discount again this year. Participants who apply and qualify for this discount will pay $84 per pay period. We’ll also continue to offer a healthy initiatives plan and a wellness/prevention component to the plan.
The prescription drug premium will increase to $22 per participant per pay period. The co-pays also remain the same at $5 for generic drugs, $25 for brand drugs and $45 for non-formulary drugs. Please carefully review the changes below under Prescription Drug Plan so you understand any changes that affect you or your dependents.
The dental coverage premium drops slightly from $12.75 to $12.50 per participant per pay period.
All regular full time employees are eligible for group benefits. Spouses may also qualify. Unmarried children (biological and adopted or placed in the home for adoption) may also be eligible provided they are under the age of 19 and more than 50% dependent for support. (Court-ordered medical coverage may also qualify for dependents not in the home). Unmarried children up to age 25 who are full-time students can be covered under the Medical Plan provided a Student Certification Form (available from Blue Cross) is submitted by August 1 each year. Newly hired INI employees who sign up for benefits begin receiving them after 3 full calendar months of service.
There will be no change to the Long Term Disability premium or the premium for Supplemental Life insurance this year.
Enrolling or changing your coverage is easy. If you’re already enrolled in INI’s group benefits plan, and you don’t want to make any coverage changes for you or your dependents, you won’t need to do anything.
Open Enrollment for the 2008-2009 Plan Year begins July 14 for employees who qualify for coverage or want to change their current benefits. (Enrollment ends on July 28). The Plan Year starts August 1, 2008 and ends July 31, 2009.
To change your benefits or enroll during Open Enrollment log onto Ceridian Self Service at https://sourceselfservice2.ceridian.com/independentnewspapers and select the Open Enrollment flag which appears at the top of the Self Service screen. If you have problems with Open Enrollment please contact inipayroll@newszap.com for help.
If you do not have access to a computer and you’d like to arrange to use a company computer to handle your enrollment, please contact inipayroll@newszap.com or call 1-800-426-4192, or 302-741-8274 if calling from Delaware.
To see a complete review of INI’s group benefits go to VIII. Benefit Summary Plans in initoolbox. Below is the 2008-2009 Overview.
Medical and Prescription Drug Benefits Summary
(August 1, 2008 through July 31, 2009 Coverage Year)
Medical Plan
Independent Newspapers Inc. offers a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plan through Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Delaware. The PPO allows you to access care at a lower cost when using ‘In Network’ providers without obtaining a referral. When using an Out of Network provider, you will pay a higher portion of the costs, and you are responsible for charges in excess of the plan’s allowable benefit.
Plan features and premiums:
-$2 million lifetime coverage. This means a covered participant has $2 million in total lifetime coverage while on the plan. Until 2007 the total lifetime coverage was $1 million.
-100% Wellness Prevention coverage for approved checkups and tests. Some milestone checkups and tests are considered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware as important for maintaining good health and they are 100% covered. They include physicals, well-child visits, immunizations, gynecological exams, cholesterol and blood sugar testing, age milestone tests such as mammogram, colonoscopy and more. For complete coverage details visit www.bcbsde.com or call 1- 800-633-2563.
-BluePrints for Health (previously Healthy Dividends). This Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware program rewards exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation. This program is available to all who participate in the Medical Plan. The program offers reimbursement to those who take steps to quit smoking, exercise or lose weight through the plans offered under Healthy Dividends. Check the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware web site at https://blueprintsforhealth.myhealthways.com/ or call 1-800-633-2563 for details.
-Tobacco-free Discount* is offered to any Medical Plan participant who qualifies. To be eligible, you must attest that you (your dependents) and your household have been tobacco-free for the past 12 months. (This means that no one uses tobacco products of any kind, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, pipe tobacco etc.). If you qualify, you will pay a reduced premium for you and any dependents on the plan. The discounted participant rate will be $84 per person per pay period instead of this year’s regular per participant premium of $92 per pay period.
*Employees who receive the Tobacco-Free Discount are REQUIRED to notify INI within 30 days if the tobacco status in their household changes. Providing untrue information about tobacco use in order to qualify for this discount could result in lifetime suspension of medical benefits coverage for you and your dependents.
Spousal coverage requirement. Please keep in mind that your spouse is not eligible for coverage under INI’s plan if he or she is able to receive coverage through another employer or provider. If you elect coverage for your spouse you’ll need to confirm in the Enrollment form that your spouse is not eligible for medical coverage through any other plan. If your spouse is already enrolled in INI’s medical plan and employer coverage DOES become available at some future date, you’ll want to quickly choose that option to avoid loss of benefits for your spouse. (INI benefits will be cancelled when other employer coverage is available).
Deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays and maximum out of pocket limits. The chart below outlines coverage limits. In-Network coverage continues to be the less expensive option.
Out-of-Pocket Maximums: In-Network: $1,500 Individual/$2,250 Family Out-of-Network: $4,500 Individual/$6,750 Family
Coinsurance Level: In-Network: 85% Out-of-Network: 70%
Lifetime Maximum: $2,000,000
Physician Services: In-Network: $20 co-pay per visit Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Physicals: In-Network: 100% Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Well-child Visits: In-Network: 100% Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Hospitalization*
Inpatient: In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Outpatient: In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Diagnostic Testing: In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Pregnancy & Maternity: In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Emergency Accident: $75.00 Co pay
Outpatient Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapies: In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Mental Health*
Inpatient (Up to 31 days per year): In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Outpatient (Up to 30 visits per year): In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
Substance Abuse* (Inpatient and Outpatient; up to 31 days per year): In-Network: 85% after deductible Out-of-Network: 70% after deductible
This is a brief description of the medical program. Actual benefit payments made in accordance with the master contract.
Prescription Drug Plan
The prescription plan is separate from your medical coverage. This means you must choose prescription coverage if you wish to have prescription benefits. The plan has a three-tier co-pay and a mail order feature for your maintenance/long term medications.
Generic Drugs: $5 co-pay
Preferred Brand Name Drugs: $25 co-pay
Non-Preferred Brand Name Drugs: $45 co-pay
The Plan has a mandatory generic drug requirement. If a generic drug is available but a brand name drug is dispensed, you will be required to pay the brand co pay plus the price difference between the brand and the generic.
Dental
The dental benefit is provided through Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Delaware. You may receive services from any licensed dentist in your area. Routine exams include cleanings and x-rays, and are recommended twice per year. All benefits are paid based on the BCBS of DE allowable charge.
Deductible: $50 Individual/$150 Family
Maximum: $1,000 per person per plan year
Preventive: 100% - Deductible waived
Basic: 80% after deductible is met
Major: 50% after deductible is met Basic Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Independent Newspapers provides every regular fulltime employee with a basic life insurance benefit in the amount of $10,000. An additional Accidental Death & Dismemberment benefit for the same amount applies to a death resulting from an accident or certain injuries. These benefits are provided free to qualified employees.
Voluntary Life Insurance
Independent Newspapers offers qualified employees the option of purchasing additional life insurance in units of $10,000 to a maximum of $200,000.
New employees: All newly hired regular fulltime employees can buy additional coverage up to $100,000 as part of their initial benefits sign up. New employees who want to purchase coverage above that amount (up to a max. of $200,000) will need to satisfactorily complete the Evidence of Insurability form and approval process.
All other regular full time employees: Any qualified employee not already covered can add life insurance during Open Enrollment. Any covered employee can buy additional coverage during Open Enrollment. In both cases, the same coverage limits (above) apply and coverage is contingent upon successful completion of the Evidence of Insurability form and approval process.
Spouses and dependents: Covered employees may also buy life insurance coverage for a spouse. Coverage may be up to or equal to 50% of the amount of insurance purchased for the employee, rounded to the nearest $10,000. The Evidence of Insurability rules apply. Coverage for dependent children from 6 months to age 26 can be bought in the amount of $1,000, $2,000, $4,000, $5,000 or $10,000. Evidence of Insurability is not required for dependent child coverage.
Voluntary Long-Term Disability
This plan provides qualified employees (regular fulltime) with income continuation protection should injury or illness extend beyond a 180 day ‘elimination’ period. For disabilities that commence after 8/1/2004, the benefit pays 60% of an employee’s monthly base salary up to a maximum of $10,000 per month. Evidence of Insurability is required for any employee choosing to sign up for this coverage during Open Enrollment.
Employee Contributions
The premium(s) for medical, prescription, dental, voluntary life and voluntary long-term disability insurance are taken on a bi-weekly basis through payroll deduction. The contribution amount is determined by the level of benefits selected.
Medical: $92 per covered person (tobacco-free discount: $84.00 per covered person)
Prescription Drug: $22.00 per covered person
Dental: $12.50 per covered person
Basic Life & AD&D: Company-paid benefit
Voluntary Long-Term Disability: $0.275 per $100 of covered payroll per month
Voluntary Life Insurance: Age-banded rates
Key Benefits Contacts
DENTAL INSURANCE: Go to www.bcbsde.com to submit your questions about dental benefits or claims, or call Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware at 800-633-2563.
DISABILITY INSURANCE: Email inipayroll@newszap.com
DRUG BENEFITS: Go to www.expressscripts.com to view information about drug coverage or claims, or call Express Scripts at 800-451-6245.
HEALTH INSURANCE: Go to www.bcbsde.com to submit your questions about health benefits or claims, or call Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware at 800-633-2563.
LIFE INSURANCE: Email inipayroll@newszap.com.
401K PLAN: To check account balances, view selected funds and review monies in these funds, access your 401k account information through the Internet, by going to www.jhpensions.com. Existing users should select 'sign in' and first time users should select 'register'. When asked for a contract number, enter 61386 and then follow sign in or sign up instructions. 401k participants can also call Manulife/John Hancock at 800-395-1113. (rev. 3/05).
QUESTIONS ON 401K PLAN? Email Liberty Benefit's Pension Analyst at pensions@lbg1.com. Or, you can contact the Participant Service team at Lincoln Benefits Group at (800) 826-7859.
CHANGE OF 401K DEFERRALS? Log onto Ceridian Self Service at https://sourceselfservice2.ceridian.com/independentnewspapers and select 401(K) Elections under Benefits.
IF ALL ELSE FAILS: Email inipayroll@newszap.com with your questions.
