EHA News
EHA News
Dependent Eligibility Verification Appeals Extension Announcement
The Educators Health Alliance (EHA) Board at its April 29th, 2013 meeting gave the authorization for Xerox to extend the Dependent Eligibility Verification Process (DEV) Appeals Period until May 31st of 2013. This will give members an extended period of time to satisfy the requirements to verify dependent eligibility. It is strongly recommended that any member who has not met the requirements of the DEV do so in an expedited manner.
The coverage termination date remains March 31 for dependents that are determined to be ineligible or do not provide sufficient evidence of eligibility. If your dependent has had coverage terminated and is successful in appealing this determination before May 31, 2013, their coverage will be reinstated back to March 31, 2013. If the appeal occurs after May 31, 2013 the member that lost coverage will not be able to get the coverage backdated to March 31 coverage; even if the appeal is successful.
The DEV will also allow verifications between June 1st and August 31st. If the eligibility has been approved during this period the dependent will be reinstated the 1st of the month following the approval.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska has sent to EHA subgroups a list of employees whose dependents whose coverage has been terminated. If your subgroup has not received such a list it is because all your employees have satisfied the DEV requirements.
If you have any problems you are strongly encouraged to contact Xerox at 855-874-8505.
Thank you,
Greg Long
Your EHA Field Representative
EHA Early Retiree Plan Benefit Options
Click on the headings below to view the informational power points.
Affordable Care Act Plan Year and Shared Responsibility Issues
Educator Health Alliance Summary of Coverage Booklets
The EHA and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska have posted the following 2013-2014 summary of coverage booklets. Please click on the links below to view.
2013-2014 EHA Medical/Dental Renewal Rates
The EHA Board of Directors met on Tuesday, October 16th and finalized the medical and dental renewal for our membership for the 2013-2014 contract year. Below are the documents for the upcoming renewal period.
IRS Delays Reporting of Group Health Plan Cost on W-2 Forms
On October 12, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released Notice 2010-69, which provided a one-year delay in the Health Reform Act (PPACA) requirement to report the cost of coverage under an employer-sponsored group health plan on Form W-2. The IRS stated that this delay was necessary to allow employers to make changes to their payroll systems or procedures in preparation for compliance with the new PPACA requirement.
Previous to this announcement, the new rule was to apply for employees' tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2010. It will now be for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2011, so payroll systems need to be updated for this change by January 2012.
The IRS also issued a draft W-2 Form for 2011, which would allow employers to voluntarily provide information about the cost of coverage.
Educators Health Alliance Launches New Wellness Program
The Educators Health Alliance (EHA) has announced a new wellness initiative aimed at assisting its members achieve higher levels of wellness.
EHA Board Chair Dr. Dan Ernst stated, “The EHA is pleased to offer a comprehensive wellness program to our members and looks forward to the benefits the program is designed to realize in individual members’ health and wellbeing. Nearly all of Nebraska’s public schools participate in the EHA and the wellness program seeks to achieve improved health for school employees, plus the financial benefits of reduced health care costs and lower absenteeism for school districts.“ The EHA is managed by a collaborative effort of the Nebraska Association of School Boards, the Nebraska Council of School Administrators and the Nebraska State Education Association.
The EHA Board of Directors has selected Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) and the Wellness Council of the Midlands (WELCOM) to design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive wellness program for all the approximately 35,000 employees of EHA participating employers throughout Nebraska. The program is an expansion of a successful EHA pilot wellness program initiated a year ago and managed by BCBSNE and WELCOM.
The expanded wellness program will begin in early 2011 and provide members opportunities to improve and manage their health. EHA will offer the program to its members at no charge. The first phase of the program consists of developing a supportive work environment and creating regional wellness teams, which will help in the delivery of wellness programs and services.
Participants in the program will complete a personal health assessment (PHA) to provide feedback to each individual and determine the health risks, interests, and knowledge levels of the population. Following this confidential process, BCBSNE and WELCOM will work with each wellness team to analyze the health risk data and implement a targeted wellness action plan that will focus on maintaining or improving members’ current level of health and reducing lifestyle-related risk factors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet, and obesity.
The program will undergo a rigorous evaluation to measure its overall effectiveness in improving members’ health status and lowering their health care costs
For more information, please contact your EHA/BCBSNE Regional Representative.
Sue Warner: 402-982-6836
Tara Stevenson: 402-982-8859
Notice of Privacy Practices- Educators Health Alliance
The Educators Health Alliance (EHA) is a fully insured health plan. The Alliance negotiates an annual contract with a health insurance carrier to provide health insurance coverage to employees of multiple employers who are members of the Alliance. The current insurance carrier is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.
To transact its business, the EHA receives only summary health information from Blue Cross Blue Shield regarding utilization of medical services and plan benefits. The plan neither tracks nor requests information from Blue Cross Blue Shield regarding individuals or employer/employee groups covered by the plan. Nor does EHA request or maintain any Protected Health Information (PHI) as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, other than Summary Health Information. Protected Health Information is defined as an individual’s individually identifiable health information, including demographic information collected from the individual or created or received by a health care provider, his/her employer’s health plan, or the health insurance carrier which provides coverage.
Any inquiry regarding a plan participant’s personal services and insurance claims under the provisions of the plan should be directed to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska. Any dispute regarding coverage or unpaid claims will be handled by Blue Cross Blue Shield consistent with that company’s appeal procedure and the Nebraska Health Carrier Grievance Procedure Act.
