When can I call?
You or your eligible family members may contact ComPsych^® directly 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at (866) 465-8934 or use the TDD at (800) 697-0353. Telephone or in-person consultations will be set up for program participants at their convenience, depending on the type of need or problem.

How much does it cost?
For most types of problems, you and your eligible dependents are entitled to receive up to six counseling sessions per topic. All charges for the EAP have been prepaid by the University of Alaska. There are no co-payments or fees, but if you are referred to additional resources for help, their charges, if not covered by the health plan, may be your responsibility. You may check with your regional human resources office for coverage issues.

Who helps me?
All EAP advisors are fully qualified in their area of service. The program’s staff includes experienced clinicians, work-life specialists, attorneys and financial professionals. Your identity, as well as any information revealed to EAP staff, is held in the strictest confidence as required by law.

What do I expect when I call?
You will be asked to describe what’s happening that’s causing you concern. The intake worker will assist you in developing a plan to deal with the situation. This may consist of scheduling a face-to-face assessment or, in the case of an emergency, offering you assistance right over the phone.

What about legal issues?
You may receive access to legal information via a telephone consultation. If you require representation, you can be referred to a qualified attorney in your area for a free 30-minute consultation with a 25 percent reduction in customary legal fees thereafter. Call anytime with issues including divorce and family law, bankruptcy, civil lawsuits, criminal actions and contracts.

What kind of help can I get with financial questions?
Financial professionals will discuss concerns and provide you with the tools and information you need to address your finances, including getting out of debt, retirement planning, credit card or loan problems, saving for college, tax questions and estate planning.

What kind of help can I get for work-life needs?
If you need help finding child or elder care in your area, planning for college, buying a car or a myriad of other issues, work-life specialists will help you sort out the issues and provide information with helpful resources and information. You will receive a personalized reference package containing helpful resources.

What kind of help can I find online?
GuidanceResources® Online provides in-depth information on help sheets on a variety of topics, including personal and family concerns and legal and financial matters. You may also search for lawyers with particular specialties and child and elder care in your area. For first-time users, refer to the login information above.

Who can answer other questions about the program?
Contact your regional human resources office for further information about the Employee Assistance Program.

Flexible Spending Accounts

What is the plan year?
The plan year for both the Medical FSA and the Dependent Care FSA runs from July 1-June 30. All claims must be submitted by Sept. 30 following the end of the plan year.

Who is eligible?
If you are a regular or term-funded employee and eligible to participate in the university’s health care plan, you are eligible to participate in the FSA Plan. Current employees may sign up for a flexible spending account either during open enrollment or within 30 days after a major life event.

How do I enroll?
To become a participant, you must fill out and sign a UA Choice Supplemental Benefit Election form. If you are a new employee, this form should be completed and signed prior to receiving your first paycheck, but no later than 30 days after you become eligible. You may also sign up during open enrollment, which runs from mid-April to mid-May. A new election form must be signed for each plan year. If you do not complete a form, you will not be eligible to participate in the plan until the following July 1, unless you have a major life event.

How much can I contribute?
You may contribute a maximum of $5,000 to a medical flexible spending account. See the enrollment form for the dependent care maximum.

Health Plan - COBRA

Who is eligible?
You may continue coverage for yourself and your dependents for up to 18 months after one of the following qualifying events: You retire, you are terminated (for reasons other than gross misconduct) or your employment status is changed to a position that does not include benefits.

Your spouse and/or dependent children may continue coverage for up to 36 months after one of the following qualifying events: You are divorced or legally separated or your dependent children cease to qualify for coverage because of age. They may also qualify for coverage if you die. In this case, the University of Alaska will pay your spouse and dependent children's first 12 months of coverage and will count this time concurrent with COBRA.

What if my eligibility changes?
Under the COBRA regulations, you (the employee) or a family member has the responsibility to notify the University of Alaska upon a divorce, legal separation, or a child’s loss of dependent status. To notify the University of Alaska of a qualifying event for spouse or dependent child, you must submit a dependent enrollment/drop form to your regional human resources office. You or a family member must provide this notice no later than 60 days after the date of divorce, legal separation or a child losing dependent status. If you or a family member fails to provide notice during this 60-day period, any family member who loses coverage will not be offered the option to elect COBRA continuation coverage.

If you or a family member fails to notify the University of Alaska, and any claims are mistakenly paid for expenses incurred after the date of the divorce, legal separation or a child losing dependent status, then you and your qualifying family members will be required to reimburse the plan for any claims paid.

In what circumstances will individuals be no longer eligible for the continued coverage?

You or your dependents fail to pay the required premium for a participating individual on a timely basis.
You or your dependents become covered under another group health plan with no preexisting condition clause after the date you elect COBRA coverage.
You or your dependents become entitled to Medicare benefits after the date you elect COBRA coverage.
An eligible spouse remarries and becomes covered by a group health plan.
You or your dependents are no longer subject to the preexisting condition clause of another group health plan.
The university ceases to provide a group health plan.

What is the coverage under COBRA?
The continuation coverage provides the same benefits as the university’s health plan you or your dependents had while you were an active employee. No medical examination is required for continuation; however, the election must be made within 60 days of either the date coverage was to end due to the qualifying event or the date you are notified of your continuation rights, whichever is later.

What does it cost?
Should you wish to continue plan coverage, you and/or your dependents are required to pay the cost of the insurance premiums. You will receive an information packet with rates and application after you experience a qualifying event.

Health Plan - Dental

Is it a good idea to get an estimate of dental charges beforehand?
Blue Cross strongly recommends getting an estimate so that benefit questions are answered before your treatment begins. Your dentist may submit an estimate of benefits request to Blue Cross for any dental service or series of services for which the total charge will exceed $500. It is important that any cast or porcelain restorations, prosthetic appliances or periodontal surgeries be sent for an estimate of dental benefits.

What happens if the treatment changes after I get an estimate?
Ask your dentist to submit a revised plan.

Health Plan - Pharmacy

What pharmacies participate in the PharmaCare network?
PharmaCare has a nationwide network with more than 56,800 pharmacies including most major chain, discount, grocery and independent pharmacies. To locate a participating pharmacy when you are traveling, please call the PharmaCare customer service number on the back of your pharmacy card or use the "Find a Pharmacy" feature on PharmaCare Web site. Your customized benefits booklet also lists the nine closest participating pharmacies, based on ZIP code.

What kind of help can customer service offer?
You may speak to a pharmacist about a prescription, get additional information about your benefits, request additional ID cards and determine if your local pharmacy is part of the PharmaCare network. The customer service number is (800) 503-3241. The service center is open 24 hours weekdays, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (EST) on Saturday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday.

What is the PharmaCare HealthLine?
The HealthLine is a telephone information and education center members can call for answers to common health and medication related questions. You can call (866) 744-4848 toll free to be connected to pharmacists and technicians who have received training in various health care areas.

How do I submit a manual claim for a prescription I had to pay full price for at the counter?
If you did not have your prescription drug card with you at the time of service or if you used an out-of-network pharmacy, you can submit a Direct Member Reimbursement Form (pdf) to PharmaCare.

When can I use mail service?
Mail Service is designed for maintenance medications, which are long-term medications used to treat conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, heart conditions, high blood pressure, etc. You can receive up to a 100-day supply of your medications through PharmaCare Direct, with free home delivery.

How do I use the mail service?
When your doctor prescribes a maintenance drug, ask to have the prescription written for up to a 100-day supply. If your medication must be taken immediately, ask your physician to issue two prescriptions: one for a 30-day supply to be taken to your local pharmacy, and a second for a 100-day supply to be mailed to PharmaCare Direct. Complete a Confidential Mail Service Enrollment form (pdf), which is available on PharmaCare's Web site and in your benefit booklet.
You only need to complete this form for your first order. Write your employee ID number on the back of each prescription and mail the enrollment form, along with the original prescription and copayment to PharmaCare Direct. Your medication will usually be delivered within two weeks.

What should I do if I need an additional or replacement PharmaCare prescription drug cards?
You can call PharmaCare customer service or you can visit the MyBenefits section oPharmaCare's Web site (click on card request) and request that a replacement card be sent to you and/or you can print a temporary card to take with you to the pharmacy.

What is the PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy?
Patients with complex, chronic medical conditions work one-on-one with the PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy, which provides a full complement of specialized drugs and services for patients with cancer, infertility, hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, and several other conditions. For more information on the PharmaCare Specialty Pharmacy, visit (800) 621-4787 or visit the Member Services section of www.pharmacare.com.

Health Plan - Preventive

What is preventive care?
Routine or preventive care is undertaken without any indication that you are sick. You might want to establish a baseline (a physical), screen for diseases (a mammogram), or get an immunization to offset the chance of catching something (a flu shot). Routine care is covered at 100 percent up to but not exceeding $400 under the preventive care provision subject to usual and customary fees.

What is diagnostic care?
You seek diagnostic care because you are exhibiting symptoms that point to a health problem—a persistent cough, pain, trouble breathing or other difficulties that indicate something is wrong. If you are seeking medical care because you want to know what is causing a problem or to monitor an ongoing condition, that is diagnostic care. and is not covered under the preventive benefit. This type of care is covered under the medical plan and is subject to a deductible and copayment.

If I go in to monitor a long-term health care condition, will that be covered under preventive care?
No, even though you may not be exhibiting symptoms at that time. Preventive care only applies to tests and procedures that are used to establish your health status or prevent a health problem. Care for existing health conditions are covered under the medical plan.

What happens if my preventive care is more than $400?
Preventive care expenses above $400 are not transferred to the medical plan; all nondiagnostic charges above $400 are the full responsibility of the patient. For example, if your screening tests cost $475, the remaining $75 will be a personal cost to you. Get an estimate of the total cost beforehand and plan your preventive care accordingly.

How do I know if my procedures will be processed under the $400 preventive benefit?
It is important that you our physician be informed up front that you are seeking preventive care. Your physician must code your claim as routine in order to be processed as a preventive benefit. Also, some procedures do not fall under routine care, check with your physician to see if the procedure you want is considered a routine or preventive measure.

I have chronic health care conditions; can I ever use the $400 preventive benefit?
Anyone can request a routine physical or screening as part of this benefit, but you need to be sure that your physician understands that this is a routine office visit. Your physician may ask about ongoing health problems as long as the entire visit is treated as a routine physical, not as maintenance of your chronic condition. In any visit in which diagnostic care is performed, including monitoring a long-term health care condition, the diagnostic code will take precedence making the claim subject to the medical plan.

What if my physician wants to run some lab tests at the same time as my routine physical?
Your office visit may still be treated as a routine physical even if the lab tests are diagnostic as long as the lab tests are submitted separately. The office visit will be paid under the $400 preventive benefit and the lab tests will be paid under the medical plan.

I went in for a routine physical and routine lab tests but the lab tests found something wrong; how will the follow-up visits be processed?
The first office visit and related lab work were routine and will be covered under the $400 preventive benefit. However, all follow-up visits will be used to diagnose the findings of the lab work so they are paid through the regular medical plan coinsurance.

What if my routine office visit is miscoded?
Your physician may resubmit your insurance claim with the office notes from that visit. If the office notes support that your visit was for routine care only, the claim will be reprocessed under the $400 preventive benefit. If the office notes contain evidence of diagnostic care (care related to an illness or symptoms of an illness), your claim will not be reprocessed.

What happens if my office visit includes both routine and diagnostic care?
Every office visit has an overriding office code attached to it; a visit with both routine and diagnostic codes will be processed as a diagnostic visit, which is subject to the deductible and regular coinsurance. You will need to have a separate office visit for preventive care.

Health Plan - Vision

What happens when I use a non-VSP provider?
The same allowances for exams and glasses apply to non-VSP providers, however VSP cannot guarantee satisfaction or extend the additional discount toward materials or any options that you may choose. When using a non-VSP provider, pay the full amount of the bill and request an itemized copy. The bill needs to show the charges for the eye exam and materials, including lens type. Send a copy of the itemized bill along with a completed Out-of-Network Reimbursement Form (pdf) and send to: VSP, P.O. Box 997105, Sacramento, CA 95899-7105.

Health - Wellness

How do I use the WIN for Alaska Web site?
Register on the program's Health Activity Tracker Web site, which is also the program's information center. It will list upcoming activities in your area. You may also enter your health-related data and track your activities online. No one will view your personal information except you.

How does WIN for Alaska decide which programs to offer?
The company relies on feedback from employees to plan events of interest to as many employees as possible. It will also use the WebMD health risk assessment to plan events aimed at reducing the greatest overall risk factors identified in the assessment. In 2006, the most serious health risks reported by UA employees completing the health risk assessment were poor nutrition, cardiovascular disease and stress. Anyone with program ideas, may e-mail WIN For Alaska, or call toll-free at (866) 248-0797.

What do I get when I complete the health risk assessment?
You will receive an evaluation of your health, including an overall "wellness score," information about health risks that apply to you, suggestions on reducing your risks, and a summary you may share with your doctor. You and you spouse will also receive a $100 rebate on your UA health care deduction just for each questionnaire completed.

Who is eligible to complete the questionnaire?
All University of Alaska employees and their spouse or FIP (financially interdependent partner) who were enrolled for UA health care coverage in the university's database by the deadline.

Will my information from the questionnaire be kept confidential?
All information in the health risk assessment and the personal health report is personal and confidential, as protected by federal law. The University of Alaska will never see the individual results for you or your spouse or financially interdependent partner. A third-party vendor, WebMD Health Management, processes the assessment information and provides data in aggregate form without individual reports.

What if I have other questions?
If you have any additional questions regarding the wellness program, the questionnaire, or the rebate, please e-mail UA Benefits or call (907) 450-8200.

Life Insurance

How will benefits be paid?
If you die while covered by the plan, your beneficiary may choose to take the benefit in a lump sum, in a series of payments over a predetermined period (annuity) or withdrawn as needed from an interest bearing account. The size of these payments would vary, depending on how many payments are made, the lump-sum value of the benefits, and prevailing interest rates.

What if I become disabled?
If an employee becomes totally disabled while insured and before reaching age 60, life insurance coverage will remain in effect without further premium payment as long as the disability continues or until age 65, whichever is sooner. Proof of your inability to work because of total disability must be furnished annually. If disabled prior to age 60, life insurance coverage will continue as long as you are disabled, but not past age 65. Application for the waiver of premium should be made within the 90-day waiting period prior to the commencement of long-term disability benefits, but no later than six months after you become disabled.

What is the conversion privilege?
You may arrange to continue your life insurance protection under an individual policy, without medical examination, if you apply for it within 31 days after the date your group insurance ceases. Because the Group Life Insurance will be payable for death occurring during the 31 days after the date your insurance ceases, the individual policy will not become effective until after the 31-day period has expired. In addition, the individual life insurance benefits may not be the same as the University Group Supplemental Life Insurance plan.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment

What are the exclusions to coverage?
Benefits will not be paid if the loss results directly or indirectly from any of the following:

War or an act of war, whether declared or not
Taking part in a riot or insurrection, or an act of riot or insurrection
Service in the armed forces of any country, combination of countries, or international organization at war, whether declared or not
Any physical or mental disease
Any infection, except a pyogenic infection that occurs from an accidental wound
An assault or felony you commit
Suicide or attempted suicide while sane or insane
Intentional self-inflicted injury, while sane or insane
The use of any drug, unless you use it as prescribed by a doctor
Your intoxication, which is limited to operating a passenger vehicle while you are intoxicated; "intoxication" and "intoxicated" mean your blood alcohol level at death or dismemberment exceeds the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle in the jurisdiction in which the loss occurs. "Passenger vehicle" means a four-wheel car of the private passenger type, including pickup trucks, motor homes and vans with a load capacity of one ton or less.

Long-term Disability

Who is eligible?
If you are an active regular or term-funded employee working at least 20 hours a week, you are eligible for long-term disability coverage. Your eligibility begins on the first day of the month following the day you are hired. Disabilities resulting from pregnancy are covered on the same basis as an illness or injury.

How is disability defined?
During the first 36 months, disability means that you unable to perform with reasonable continuity the essential functions of your own occupation. After you receive long-term disability benefits for 36 months, you are considered disabled if you are unable to perform the essential functions of any gainful occupation for you are qualified by education, experience or training.

When do the benefits begin?
The long-term disability benefits start after you have been disabled for the longer of these qualifying periods:

During the waiting period prior the beginning of long-term disability benefits, the university continues its portion of the payment for your basic health benefits. Your regional human resources office must be contacted in order to ensure coverage will continue. If you are able to return to work in some capacity, you may still be eligible for benefits.

What income would I receive?
That depends on your monthly earnings at the time you are disabled. The maximum monthly benefit is the lesser of 60 percent of your monthly earnings or $3,000. The maximum disability benefit is reduced by benefits you receive from other sources.

Travel Benefits

How does the travel benefit work?
Benefits for transportation will be provided to the nearest hospital equipped to furnish special care deemed medically necessary for treatment of injury or illness if the injury or disease is life-endangering, if surgery is required that cannot be performed locally, or if a condition exists that cannot be treated locally. The attending physician must certify the necessity of any charges for special transportation. Although prior approval by Premara Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska is not required before benefits can be provided, you or your physician are encouraged to contact Blue Cross to see if the proposed travel will meet the requirements of this benefit.

What does the travel benefit cover?
Up to three round-trip tickets to the nearest facility capable of treating your condition. If the patient is a minor age 17 or younger, air fare will be paid for one accompanying parent or guardian for each trip.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Employee Assistance Program