September 20, 2016

Approved tobacco cessation programs still available to avoid additional 2017 medical plan premium

There is still time to begin and complete an approved tobacco cessation program in order to avoid the $500 per person tobacco-user additional premium in 2017, but time is running short. 

The additional premium applies to employees and covered spouses. If both individuals in the couple use tobacco and are covered by the plan, the additional annual premium will be $1,000.

Remember, a tobacco user is a person who has used tobacco in the past 12 months. This includes cigars, cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco or any other tobacco product.

Employees and spouses who have used tobacco during the past 12 months may qualify for a waiver of the additional premium by completing an approved tobacco cessation program. Approved programs completed between Sept. 1 and Nov. 11 qualify for a full waiver of the 2017 additional premium. Programs that were completed before Sept. 1 only qualify for a waiver of the additional 2016 premium. Certificates of completion must be submitted to Hattie Sturgill in Human Resources by Dec. 22 to qualify for the waiver of the 2017 additional premium.

"Now is the time to take charge of your physical and financial wellness, and the tobacco cessation program and waiver can help you do that," says Eva Nodine, benefits director in Human Resources.

Tobacco users on all campuses still have a variety of no-cost approved cessation programs available that they may complete in time for a January 2017 waiver. As a reminder, those are:

* Phone program for all campuses (Indiana Tobacco Quitline): Begin by Sept. 30. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to start the program.

* Portal program for all campuses (Be Well portal): Begin by Sept. 30. Call the Center for Healthy Living on Purdue University's West Lafayette campus at 49-40111 to register.

* Health coaching at West Lafayette: Begin by Sept. 30 for one-on-one health coaching at the Center for Healthy Living on Purdue University's West Lafayette campus. To register, call 49-40111.

* Group program at West Lafayette: The last group program will begin Sept. 28 at the Center for Healthy Living on Purdue University's West Lafayette campus. To register, call 49-45505 by Friday (Sept. 23).

For tobacco cessation options specific to regional campuses, please visit their respective websites:

Purdue University Northwest

Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne

Employees who do not enroll in time to earn a January waiver may complete an approved program later in the year for a partial waiver of the 2017 additional premium. See the bottom of the Tobacco Cessation page for additional details.

Employees will certify their tobacco-user status and that of their covered spouses during the online benefits open enrollment process this fall. Those covered by a Purdue medical plan who do not certify their status will be considered tobacco users and will have the $500 additional, annual premium applied in 2017. They will also have a $500 additional, annual premium if they cover a spouse.

To qualify as a non-tobacco user and avoid the additional premium, a person must have been a non-tobacco user for at least 12 months immediately prior to completing the 2017 benefits enrollment or must have completed an approved tobacco cessation program as outlined above. Open enrollment will take place Oct. 24 through Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Anyone with questions may contact Human Resources at 49-42222 or hr@purdue.edu or the regional campus Human Resources departments. 


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