A look at what's new in University benefits

Open enrollment, set for Oct. 8-19, will allow faculty and staff an opportunity to select individualized benefit plans.

University officials are encouraging review of the benefit packages as
M-CARE plans will be replaced at the end of the year. Open enrollment books will be distributed to faculty and staff through Campus Mail by the end of September.

Highlights of the enrollment period:

M-CARE medical plans replaced

The M-CARE HMO, M-CARE POS, and M-CARE PPO PLUS plans will be discontinued at the end of 2007 and U-M Premier Care will be added to the plan offerings. Current M-CARE HMO, POS and PPO PLUS members who do not elect a new plan for 2008 will be automatically enrolled in U-M Premier Care to prevent any lapse in coverage.

Introducing U-M Premier Care

The U-M Premier Care plan (administered by BCN Service Company) will be available only at the University and offers access to all U-M providers, University Health Service and nearly the entire current M-CARE provider network. For more on U-M Premier Care and a link to an online directory of providers, visit: benefits.umich.edu/events/oe.

GradCare continues

GradCare will continue for benefits-eligible graduate students and will be administered by BCN Service Company of Blue Care Network of Michigan in 2008. Current GradCare members will be automatically enrolled in the GradCare plan administered by BCN.

Care Choices now Priority Health

Care Choices has been sold to Priority Health. In most cases, Care Choices members may continue seeing the same doctors and using the same hospitals. Anyone currently enrolled in Care Choices who does not elect a new plan during open enrollment automatically will be enrolled in the Priority Health HMO plan for 2008.

Benefits discontinued for same-sex domestic partners

U-M will discontinue SSDP benefits after the expiration of current plan contracts Dec. 31. (Date may vary for individuals covered by a collective bargaining agreement.)

New benefits eligibility for Other Qualified Adult

An Other Qualified Adult (OQA) is an individual who can be covered on the benefits plans of a U-M employee beginning on Jan. 1, 2008, if specific eligibility criteria are met. For more on OQA, go to www.benefits.umich.edu/eligibility.

For more information, go to www.benefits.umich.edu or e-mail benefits.office@umich.edu. Call the Human Resources/Payroll Service Center at 765-2000 (Ann Arbor campus), 734-615-2000 (local or off-campus) or (866) 647-7657 (toll-free long-distance).

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