Open Enrollment is your once-a-year opportunity to make certain changes to your health and welfare plans, add eligible family members, and to enroll/re-enroll in the Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. All changes will be effective January 1, 2010.There are a range of materials and resources, as well as on-line planning tools, to provide you with all of the information you need to "make informed choices". Take the time to review these materials and ask your questions.
This blog is another place you can receive timely information, as well as ask questions or make comments. We (UCSF HR/Benefits staff) are here to support you and share resources. We encourage all faculty and staff to post questions and comments to this blog. (Comments will be moderated to ensure no personal information is shared.) Your question or concern is likely shared by many others - please ask.
Please stop by often to check out our new posts (or subscribe to this blog). We will be addressing questions and concerns shared in the comments, in addition to sharing specific benefits information related to Open Enrollment choices. For now, review your Open Enrollment materials, determine your questions, and make your Open Enrollment choices early.
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My saga for requesting Transition of Care assistance today:
ReplyDelete1. I referenced the Transition of Care site at http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/index.php/medicalgrpchanges/article/2943;
2. Then called Anthem Blue Cross Customer Service 888-209-7975 and asked for assistance with the Transition of Care option (where I will not change my PCP to Hill Physicians since she is staying with Brown and Toland);
3. Told the Anthem Blue Cross representative on the phone that I think I meet the medical condition criteria to be considered for Transition of Care assistance with my UCSF specialist. Ref: http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/index.php/medicalgrpchanges/article/2943 (#3) Surgery or other treatment that was previously recommended and documented by the provider…;
4. Was told that Transition of Care option does not exist at all, that the rep couldn't help me, and that the only way I can be seen by a UCSF specialist after 1/1/2010 is if I change my PCP to Hill Physicians;
5. Reiterated that I believe that the Transition of Care option exists for one year (through 2010) for certain medical conditions, and that I believe I meet one of the six criteria listed on the website;
6. Eventually, the representative told me that she could submit a Transition of Care application on my behalf; she asked me a bunch of questions; put me on hold several times during the process;
7. Finally, she told me that she had successfully submitted the application on my behalf, and she started to say goodbye…that someone would call me at some point;
8. I interrupted her before she could hang up and I asked what to expect…how long until I might hear back to learn if my application had been accepted? She responded that the application process takes 72 hours, and she started to hang up again;
9. I quickly asked her for her name and phone number/extension so that I could call back on Tuesday to check on the status of my application (which has no confirmation number or reference number);
10. The Anthem representative gave me her name and extension;
11. To be continued…I'll call on Tuesday...
Is this normal?