Author: sipiorsk@uwgb.edu

Using Telemedicine For Medical Care When You Need It Fast

Would you like the ability to seek basic medical care from the comfort of your own home?
If so, the telemedicine services in the State Group Health Insurance Program may allow you to do so.  Take these steps to get you started:

What is telemedicine/telehealth (used interchangeably)?
The remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of electronic communication. This means that for non-urgent medical care, you may be able to access care through video chat or a virtual house call. Through telemedicine, a doctor may be able to recommend treatment, prescribe medication, refer you to a specialist or tell you, based on your symptoms, if you should see a doctor in-person.
Note: These services vary among insurance carriers in the State Group Health Insurance Program.

Why should you consider telemedicine services?
You may receive care quicker and it may be more convenient than going to your doctor’s office or to urgent care. They are also typically less expensive than an office visit or urgent care visit.

How will your telemedicine service be covered by your State Group Health Insurance?
This will depend on which plan design you are enrolled in.

  • Health Plan: Telemedicine services are covered at 100%.
  • High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP): Telemedicine services are covered at 100% after you meet your deductible. This is necessary to comply with Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility requirements as well as coverage mandates per the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

How can you obtain additional information regarding telemedicine services?
Generally, health plans offer telemedicine services through their online portals and/or through a mobile app. If you’re unable to find telemedicine information through your health insurance plan online portal, contact your health plan directly by calling the toll-free number on your health insurance ID card.

Source: UW System Human Resources

Summer Prepay Insurance Premium Deductions

Summer prepay insurance premiums deductions will be deducted from spring paychecks along with regular monthly insurance premium deductions for the following employee groups.

  • Academic (9-month) employees who will return to UW employment in the fall of 2020 will have April 1, May 1 and June 1 deductions.
  • Academic (9-month) employees with a summer service/summer session appointment will have April 1, May 1 and June 1 deductions.
  • Academic (biweekly non-exempt employees) will have March 26, April 9 and 23, May 7 and 21 and June 4 deductions.

Affected employees will receive an email prior to these paychecks with an estimated Summer prepay deduction amount. Deductions will be taken for State Group Health and any other insurance programs in which the employee is enrolled.*

Why are Summer Prepay Insurance Premiums Deducted in the Spring?
The additional summer prepay insurance premium deductions are taken to continue an employee’s insurance coverage through the summer (contract break) months. The Summer prepay deductions must be taken in the spring since these insurance premiums cannot be taken during a contract break and cannot be deducted from summer service/summer session earnings.

What if an Employee’s Employment Status Changes?
If an employee’s summer 2020 or fall 2020 employment status changes after they have had summer prepay deductions, they may receive deduction refunds. If an employee will be terminating employment, and will not return in the fall, they should contact their human resources office to determine their employment termination and insurance coverage end dates.

Employees who anticipate that they will experience any other status change; marriage, adoption, birth, divorce, etc., should contact their human resources office so they understand the impacts to their insurance benefits.

What if an Employee does not Have Summer Prepay Insurance Premiums Deducted?
If an employee does not have summer prepay deductions taken in the spring, and then has a summer session/summer service appointment, they will be billed directly for payment of the additional premiums due to provide them with insurance coverage during the summer months.

Payment must be made by the billing invoice due date to insure that insurance benefits are not canceled due to non-payment. If benefits are canceled due to nonpayment, the next opportunity to add the insurance benefits may be during the fall 2020 Annual Benefits Enrollment period with an effective insurance coverage date of January 1, 2021.

For questions, contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu.

* Does not include Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) deductions which are calculated based on a 9-month schedule for academic (9-month) employees.

* Does not include Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) and Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) deductions.

* Opt-Out Incentive and Health Savings Account (HSA) employer contributions will be processed in the summer months.

Source: UW-Shared Services, Service Operations

NEW Form W-4 for Tax Withholding

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has recently published a newly designed Form W-4 due to federal tax law changes.

Why Has the IRS Published a New Form W-4?

The new W-4 is designed to help employees more accurately calculate their withholding allowances. Federal tax law changes have removed personal and dependent exemptions from the W-4. In the past, the value of a withholding allowance was tied to the amount of a personal exemption. This is no longer the case.

Who Should Complete a New Form W-4?

Current employees are not required to submit a new form. It is only required if you are a new hire in 2020, OR if you wish to update your current W-4 for payrolls dated after January 1, 2020.

Each employee must make withholding decisions on their own, or with the assistance of their individual tax consultant. Withholding is a very individual decision based on each person’s financial and personal situation. The UW is not authorized to provide tax advice.

To help you decide if you should complete a new W-4, review the resources below, and consider if you have had any personal or financial changes in the past year. Remember, you are not required to submit the new form.

New Form W-4 Resources

To help employees learn about and complete the new W-4, FAQs are posted on the IRS website. In January 2020, an IRS Tax Withholding Estimator will be added to the IRS website to further assist employees in making decisions about the new form.

If You Want to Complete a New Form W-4

If you decide after reviewing the new W-4 and applicable resources that you would like to complete a new form, you can submit a Form W-4 at your campus human resource office. Before completing the 2020 form, read the instructions included with the form.

  • You must complete Step 1 (personal information) and Step 5 (signing the form).
  • Steps 2, 3, and 4 are optional, but completing them will help ensure that your federal income tax withholding will more accurately match your tax liability. Step 2 is for households with multiple jobs. Step 3 is used to claim tax credits for dependents. Step 4 is for other adjustments (additional income such as interest and dividends, itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction, and extra tax you want withheld).

NEW Employee Self-Service Form W-4

Early in 2020, it is planned that electronic self service will be available for employees to update their W-4 on the MyUW portal. Stay tuned for updates on this as we begin the new year.

Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu if you have questions.

Source: UW System Human Resources

SECC Annual Statewide Campaign

SECC 2020

The State & UW Employees Combined Campaign (SECC – Statewide) for employee giving has begun! You can make a pledge to nearly 500 charities anytime between now and November 30 this year.

SECC raises money to support a wide range of nonprofits doing important work like protecting our natural resources, defending civil and human rights, providing critical social services, and so much more. This campaign was created for you and other State and UW employees across the state.

You decide:

  • How you want to give – choose payroll contribution, credit card, EFT, cash or check.
  • Where your dollars go – when you designate your gift to specific charities, only the charities you choose will receive money from you. Pick from nearly 500 state, national and international charities.To make your pledge:
    • Choose the link for giving for UW employees
  • To login click on “Login Now” in the upper right hand corner OR click on “Log In” in the middle of the screen.
    •  Username:  Your university email address (if you have issues logging in please try entering your email address in all CAPS)
    • Password:  “wi” + birth month + birth day. (example: wi0804)
  • Find out more information about the charities available to support
  • Follow the instructions on the website to pledge or make a donation

For additional information, if you have any questions, or if you would prefer to give through a paper pledge form, please call 608.256.1066 ext. 202 or email vboucher@communityshares.com.

Annual Benefits Enrollment Period Ends October 25, 2019

The Annual Benefits Enrollment (ABE) period is September 30 – October 25, 2019. ABE is your annual opportunity to make changes to most of your benefits unless you have a qualifying life event. Changes made during ABE are effective January 1, 2020.

Reminders:

  • Review your current benefits and visit the ABE website for 2020 benefit changes.
  • Confirm that the doctors, clinics and hospitals you currently use will still be in-network in 2020 for the plan you select.  You may view a list of providers by using the Health Plan Search on ETF’s website.
  • The following benefit plans require that you enroll each year to participate.  If you would like to participate in one of these plans, you will need to enroll/re-enroll through online benefits enrollment:
    • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA’s)
    • Health Savings Account (HSA) is required each year you are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan
    • State Group Health Opt-Out Incentive
  • You may decide to enroll in, change, increase, decrease or cancel coverage for the plans listed below.  For some plans you can add or remove dependents.
    • State Group Health Insurance
    • Uniform Dental
    • Preventative Dental Insurance
    • Supplemental Dental Insurance
    • Vision Insurance
    • AD&D
    • Accident Insurance
    • Flexible Spending Accounts
    • Health Savings Account

Use the My UW Portal to make your elections online:

  1. Log into the My UW Portal
  2. Go to the ‘Benefits Information’ module
  3. Click on the ‘Enroll’ link

Don’t miss your chance to enroll in or make changes to your benefits for 2020! All benefit elections must be submitted by 4:30 p.m., Friday, October 25, 2019.  Attend an Open Benefits Lab or contact HR at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.

Office Hours & Institutional Closure – Friday, November 29, 2019

Consistent with HR 14-17-3 “Office Hours and Institutional Closure Policy”, Interim Chancellor Van Gruensven has authorized the closure of applicable offices on Friday, November 29, 2019 for all UW-Green Bay Campuses.  Area leaders will have the discretion to determine essential and non-essential functions and subsequent individual office closures for the day.  Areas which are identified as essential functions under the policy will be required to be staffed on November 29.  The provision of essential services on the Branch Campuses will be covered by the Green Bay Campus Offices (e.g. GBOSS will function as the office for all Branch Campuses).

Employees who choose to work on Nov. 29, 2019 must receive approval from their immediate supervisor and may be subject to reassignment based on institutional needs. Employees who elect to take this day off must submit the absence request through HRS and have sufficient vacation/personal days to be absent on Nov. 29. This closure does not represent an additional holiday.

Offices that close are asked to post notice on the departmental website and display a notice of office closure a week in advance, including notice of when normal business hours will resume.

Open Benefit Lab Sessions

The Annual Benefit Enrollment period is September 30 – October 25.  Stop in at a Open Benefits Lab to have your Annual Benefits Enrollment questions answered or to get help with your online benefits election process from one of our Benefits Specialists.

Green Bay Open Lab Sessions (IS-1004)

  • Thursday, Oct. 3:  1:00-2:00 p.m.
  • Monday, Oct. 7:  11:00-12:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 16: 8:30-9:30 a.m.
  • Monday, Oct. 21: 3:00-4:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 23: 12:00-1:30 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 25:  9:00-10:30 a.m.

Manitowoc Campus Open Lab Sessions

  • Thursday, Oct. 10: 9:00-3:00 p.m., Room F146

Marinette Campus Open Lab Sessions

  • Tuesday, Oct. 8: 9:00-3:00 p.m., Room M-150

Sheboygan Campus Open Lab Sessions

  • Wednesday, Oct. 9: 9:00-3:00 p.m., Room 3103

Why Drive to the Pharmacy if You Don’t Have To?

For All State Group Health Insurance Program Participants

Getting your prescriptions in the mail can save time and money.  Use Serve You home delivery pharmacy to have your medications delivered right to your door. Benefits of the Serve You DirectRx Pharmacy include:

  • Lower cost for a larger supply.
    • Get a 3-month supply of your medication for only 2 copays, instead of the 3 you pay at retail counters.
  • Easy refills. Order online or sign up for Free EZAutoFill – no calls to the pharmacy necessary!
  • 24/7 pharmacist support.
  • Safe and secure packaging.
  • Orders are shipped within 24 hours of receipt.

Source: Dept. of Employee Trust Funds