10.13.17 – (LAA/LUS) – More Info on 2018 Benefits Enrollment

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Friday, October 13, 2017

Don’t forget that Benefits Enrollment for 2018 begins next week on 10/16/17 and runs through 10/27/17.

Please make time to review your options so that you make the best possible choices to meet your health needs for the upcoming year.

Union Benefit Planners Voluntary Coverage

The following voluntary coverage options are being offered to APFA members by Union Benefit Planners for 2018:

– Short Term Disability Insurance

– Universal Life Insurance with Long Term Care

– Critical Illness Insurance

– Accident Insurance

Members who are interested in the voluntary coverage from Union Benefit Planners (UBP) can log on to https://uenroll.net/APFAOE17 beginning on October 10, to elect any of these options. Note: The preceding UBP enrollment link and the information line will only be available between 10/16/17 and 10/27/17.

If you have questions or to find out more information before enrolling, please call 855-874-0236.

These are individual policies that are portable, therefore, they are not linked to AA payroll deduction. This means that even if your employment with AA ends, these policies will continue as long as you keep paying the premiums.

If you elect any of the voluntary options, you will be prompted to set up payment arrangements when you enroll.
These voluntary coverage options are not associated with AA or AA Added Benefits.

Plan Comparisons and Useful Information

APFA PHL Base Council Representative Paul Frishkorn has kindly put together some useful information with some examples about how the different American Airlines health plans work:

1. What is a deductible?

A Deductible is a fee that is applied to your health insurance policy that you must meet prior to the insurance paying for certain covered services. In many cases this includes hospital stays, x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, etc. In the case of the Standard Plan and Core Plan it also applies to visits to Specialist Physicians.

2. What is an Out of Pocket Maximum?

An out of pocket maxim is the co-insurance amount you pay for covered health care services after the deductible is met. This also includes the co-payments on prescription drugs. Once this is met on the Core and Standard Plans you do not owe any additional funds. The Value plan still has you paying for services even if you meet your out-of-pocket maximum for PCP and Specialist and urgent care visits.

3. What if I have a serious and expensive health issue such as a heart attack?*

Standard Plan: Once you meet your $2,850 deductible and Out-of-Pocket maximum on the Standard Plan you owe no additional money for your 12 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation and cardiologist visits.

Value Plan: Under this plan, you would be paying $45 each time you went to see the cardiologist and $45 per session for 12 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation (about an additional $1,620.)

Core Plan: Until you meet the $2000 deductible you would pay 100% of any medically necessary expenses. Once the deductible has been met, you would be responsible for 20% of the cost. After you meet the out-of-pocket maximum, an additional $2000, the company would pay 100%.

4. What is the difference between Standard and Value for an ACL repair on my knee?*

Standard Plan: Once you meet the $2850 deductible and out-of-pocket maximum, you would pay $0 for physical therapy and any follow up with the orthopedic doctor.

Value Plan: Under this plan, you would pay $45 each time you saw the doctor and $45 each time you went to physical therapy (3 times per week for 6 weeks = $810.00.)

* Examples above based on Individual coverage

5. What about pricing comparisons for the premiums?

The Value Plan for a single person costs $1089.36 more per year than the Standard Plan (the Standard Plan deductible is only $850.)

The Value Plan for an Employee and Spouse is $2,292.36 more per year than the Standard Plan (the Standard Plan deductible for both participants is only $1700.)

The Value Plan for an Employee and Child(ren) is $1960.80 more per year than the Standard Plan (for employee and 2 or more children deductible is $2550.)

The Value Plan for a Family is $3,812.76 more per year than the Standard Plan (deductible is $2550 for the entire family.)

If you put the price difference between the Value and Standard away in a savings account, you would have your deductible and then some toward your Out-of-Pocket maximum should you need it.

The Core Plan may be the least expensive in terms of premiums, but the combined deductible and out-of-pocket maximum for a single person is $4000.

Remember, all health care plans (Core, Standard and Value) cover the same conditions, you just pay different amounts for the care you receive depending on the plan.

All of the AA Health Plans cover preventive care at 100%.

Kim Coats Tuck
APFA Interim National Health Chair
[email protected]