News Briefs

OPT Changes Go Into Effect April 1, 2000

Employees Enhance Jefferson, Other Community Resources With Gifts to United Way

JCAHO Video Conferences Available at Jefferson

OPT Changes Go Into Effect April 1, 2000
Recently, Jefferson employees received information regarding the JHS Healthcare Benefits Program which will become effective April 1, 2000. The JHS Healthcare Benefits Program is being simultaneously offered to all JHS members (Main Line Health, Einstein, Frankford, Magee and Methodist). The new healthcare program replaces various medical, dental and prescription drug coverages offered by JHS members.

Through the new JHS Healthcare Benefits Program, Jefferson employees will continue to have a choice of medical options offered by the two largest managed care organizations in the Delaware Valley, Aetna US Healthcare and Independence Blue Cross. Employees will also have the added advantage of receiving care from physicians and hospitals within JHS’ own network, JeffPLUS, where most services will be covered at 100 percent. Implementing the JHS Healthcare Benefits Program has allowed Jefferson, effective April 1, to reduce employee premium co-pay amounts by 8.7 percent to 9.3 percent depending upon the level of coverage you select.

Below is a summary of changes to current medical and dental insurance plans:
• New three-tier JeffPLUS Personal Choice replaces the current Personal Choice plan
• New three-tier JeffPLUS Aetna PPO plan is being offered
• The CompSelect Program will no longer be available
• A choice of two new dental plans – Delta Dental and Prudential DMO replace the current United Concordia plan which will no longer be available
• New Prescription Plan Administrator (National Prescription Administrators) for HMO and PPO subscribers
Remember...
• If you are currently covered under the CompSelect plan and didn’t make another election on your OPT form, you will not be enrolled in any coverage and will not receive medical credits
• If you are currently enrolled in the United Concordia dental plan and didn’t make a change on your OPT form, you will automatically be enrolled in the Delta Dental plan 
• If you elected Delta Dental, you will not receive a dental card. You simply need to let your dental provider know that you are covered under the Delta Premier Dental Plan and give him/her your social security number for billing purposes
• If you elected Prudential DMO, you will receive a new dental card
• If you are an HMO or PPO subscriber, you will be receiving new medical and prescription cards.

Please stop in the Benefits Office on the first floor of the Martin Building or call the office at 3-7858 if you have questions or would like additional information about the above changes.

Employees Enhance Jefferson, Other Community Resources With Gifts to United Way
Jefferson’s United Way Campaign achieved great success this year. It ranked first in contributions among all academic/healthcare institutions that supported United Way campaigns in Philadelphia, according to 1999 cabinet chair Kevin J. Donahue, Jefferson’s Director of Accounting and Systems for Physical and Human Resources.

The 2,712 employees of Thomas Jefferson University and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (which includes the Ford Road and Methodist locations) who contributed a total of $244,935 to United Way, enabled Jefferson to surpass its goal of $230,000. This included 208 employees who contributed $21,083 to the Hospital for its new Obstetric and Neonatal Center. 

“The generosity of University and Hospital employees will benefit some of the region’s most fragile babies and hundreds of families,” said Thomas Jefferson University Hospital President and CEO Thomas J. Lewis. “We are very grateful for this support.”

“By giving to United Way, we are reaching out to more than a million people in our area,” said University President Paul C. Brucker, MD. “We are helping our neighbors and making a vital contribution to our community.”

JCAHO Video Conferences Available at Jefferson
Jefferson is participating in the Joint Commission Satellite Network, which conducts video conferences on various survey topics throughout the year. All employees at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Center City, Ford Road and Methodist Hospital Division are invited to attend. Reservations are not necessary. Viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions during the conference using the videoconferencing call-in feature.

This program has been accredited as a provider of continuing education hours by the American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, National Association for Healthcare Quality, American College of Healthcare Executives and the American Health Information Management Association. 

If you are unable to attend a session and would like to borrow its videotape, contact the Performance Improvement Department, at 955-8131.

Following is the schedule through July 2000. All programs are from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at 105 BLSB, except the July 20 session at 107 BLSB. Watch for the schedule through December 2000 in a future issue of JeffNEWS.

March 9 – New, Changed and Challenging Standards for the Year 2000
April 13 – Implementing the New Pain Management Standards 
May 18 – Performance Improvement: Achieving Results 
June 15 – Survey Readiness
July 20 – Managing the Environment of Care (107 BLSB)

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