Healthcare Benefits in 2010

To Bowdoin Faculty and Staff,

The College—like other organizations, businesses, and individuals—has clearly been affected by increases in the cost of healthcare, but we are pleased to announce that we have been able to hold those increases to an absolute minimum for our employees.

Our new plan, which will become effective on January 1, 2010, contains small monthly increases for health and dental coverage. Employees earning $40,000 or less per year will see healthcare premium increases of $2 per month (employee only); $7 per month (employee plus children); or $10 per month (full family). Employees earning $40,001 or more per year will see increases of $3 per month (employee only); $11 per month (employee plus children); or $14 per month (full family). In some cases, these healthcare premium increases will be offset by additional benefits. The monthly contributions for the Bowdoin College dental plan are increasing by $1 per month for all employees covered by the dental plan.

Employee costs at Bowdoin continue to be significantly lower than other colleges and businesses in Maine, and the benefits offered are extensive. The following are key features of the 2010 plan:

  • Anthem will be retained as the third party administrator under Bowdoin's self-insured health plan;
  • We will change from a "Point of Service" plan (referral required) to a "Preferred Provider" organization. This feature permits employees to see specialists within the Anthem network without a referral from their primary care physician;
  • "Condition Care," a voluntary program that assists patients with diabetes, coronary heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart failure;
  • Increased prescription drug co-payments from $7 to $10 for generic brands, and from $40 to $45 for non-preferred brands. Copayments for preferred brand prescriptions ($25), and discounts for filling a 3-month supply for maintenance drugs remain unchanged;
  • Expanding the employee assistance program to an Anthem network. Local providers include Anne Funderburk, our current EAP provider;
  • Increasing the amount permitted in a Health Reimbursement Account for employees who earn less than $40,000;
  • Adding domestic partner benefits as announced last week by President Mills;
  • Adding urgent care facilities to the plan. These facilities will charge a $30 co-payment, which is less than the cost of visiting a hospital emergency room;
  • All other co-payments and deductibles will remain unchanged.

For more detailed information about open enrollment and the new benefit plan and costs, please visit http://www.bowdoin.edu/hr/open-enrollment/bowdoin-health-plan.shtml.

Human Resources personnel will be conducting numerous information sessions across campus over the next few weeks. Please check the Human Resources calendar at http://www.bowdoin.edu/hr/calendar/index.shtml for more information.

Sincerely yours,

Katy Longley

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