August 26, 2016

Purdue trustees approve medical plans for 2017

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue faculty and staff will see a slight increase of 4 percent in medical plan premiums in 2017. The Purdue Board of Trustees on Friday (Aug. 26) approved the 2017 premiums and medical plans. University costs under the plans will also increase by 4 percent.

In 2014 Purdue redesigned its medical plans to offer two consumer-driven health plans with health savings accounts (HSA 1 and HSA 2) and one traditional preferred provider organization (PHP) plan. As a result, Purdue’s premium costs for 2014 decreased 8.9 percent from 2013 and employees’ total health care costs (premiums and out-of-pocket) were reduced by 7.7 percent.

Due to employee participation in the consumer-driven health plans and the active management of the plans by the benefits department, Purdue’s costs continue to trend below 2013 levels. The costs to both the university and employees for 2017 — even with the addition of the benefits last year and this year — continue to be less than the expenses in 2013.

“Again we applaud our employees for being informed health care consumers,” said Eva Nodine, director of benefits in Human Resources. “The 4 percent increase for 2017 is necessary due to increased medical and prescription costs, but we are pleased our increase is less than half of current medical inflation trends that are reported at 8 and 9 percent. We hope by making this slight adjustment now, it will help us avoid a future rate increase that is at or above the national trend.”

In 2015 and 2016 Purdue held employee rates flat while adding several benefit improvements, including preventive dental, bariatric surgery and extended autism coverage to include applied behavioral analysis (ABA) therapy for all Purdue benefits-eligible employees and their covered dependents. 

The same three medical plan options with Anthem will be offered again in 2017. Changes to the three health plans for 2017 include:

* Preventive Dental: Addition of full-mouth panoramic X-rays every five years.

* Prescription drug coverage: Changes will be made to align preventive medications with a more standardized list of drugs. This will ensure ongoing compliance with requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

* Expanded coverage, as required under the ACA, which no longer prohibits the explicit, categorical (or automatic) exclusions or limitation of coverage for all health services related to gender transition when medical necessity criteria are met.

* Expanded health service options through Anthem’s Live Health Online: This allows some forms of medical treatment to be provided via computer and/or mobile device with Internet access.

During 2017, Purdue will continue to give priority via the Healthy Boiler project to the partnership between Human Resources and Student Life to review the scope of services at both the Center for Healthy Living and the Purdue University Student Health Center. The purpose is to determine if there is a potential to integrate or share services.

Other efforts will continue to focus on employee wellness initiatives to help reduce medical inflation by improving the health of university employees. The Center for Healthy Living on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus will continue to play an integral role in employee wellness.

The center provides numerous health management and wellness offerings throughout the year at no cost to benefits-eligible faculty, staff and their spouses covered on a Purdue health plan.

Wellness programs are also available at the Calumet, Fort Wayne and North Central campuses.

Source: Eva Nodine, 765-496-1967, enodine@purdue.edu

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