BENEFITS CORNER
by Al Horan
In this article I would like to update you on Chevron’s Medical Plans and to share with you good news about CRA’s Dental Program.
Chevron Medical Plans
I am pleased to report that Open Enrollment for 2014 went very well. Thanks to Chevron’s Benefits Team, there were very few questions. I also understand that for the most part, members remained with the same medical coverage they had in 2013.
Contrary to what we’ve been hearing about employer medical plans being out of compliance with the Affordable Care Act, I am pleased to report that Chevron’s Medical Plans are in full compliance. Again, thanks to Chevron’s Benefits Team, Chevron stays ahead of the curve.
CRA Dental Program
Speaking about Open Enrollment, I have good news – MetLife has agreed to reoffer CRA’s Dental Program to all dues paying members of CRA. Open Enrollment will run from February 1 through March 31, 2014. This is important since the last Open Enrollment was held in 2010.
The Program offers members and their families the choice of participating in one of two plans – the Low Plan (Option 1) that covers maintenance and basic type services; or the High Plan that covers maintenance and basic type services as well as various major procedures, including restorative protocols. Maintenance and basic services include oral exams, x-rays, cleanings, fillings and extractions. Major procedures include oral surgery, root canal treatment, scaling, implants, and dentures. The annual maximum benefit under the Low Plan is $750 and under the High Plan it is $1,500. These are group plans and as such they offer competitive coverage at reasonable premiums. A CRA member’s premium is determined by where they reside.
The Program offers substantial savings when an individual uses a dentist that is a MetLife preferred provider. The fees agreed to by MetLife and preferred provider dentists are generally materially less than what an individual would pay if they did not have insurance. The discounted fees also apply if a non-covered procedure is performed, e.g. a member elects Low Plan coverage and a major dental procedure is performed. The patient would pay the discounted fee. The power of the CRA Dental Program lies in using a MetLife preferred provider dentist. MetLife has more than 150,000 participating dentists. (You can find preferred providers where you live by visiting MetLife’s website, www.metlife.com/mybenefits) The following examples were prepared to help illustrate the substantial savings that can be realized by using a preferred provider dentist:
| | | RETIREE’S COST |
| | FEE/CHARGE | NO INSURANCE | LOW PLAN | HIGH PLAN |
| TYPE A – CLEANING | | | | |
| In-Network | $54.00 | Not Applicable | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Outside-Network | $115.00 | $115.00 | $23.00 | $23.00 |
| | | | | |
| TYPE B – FILLING | | | | |
| In-Network | $80.00 | Not Applicable | $24.00 | $24.00 |
| Outside-Network | $185.00 | $185.00 | $81.40 | $81.40 |
| | | | | |
| TYPE C – CROWN | | | | |
| In-Network | $680.00 | Not Applicable | $680.00 | $340.00 |
| Outside-Network | $1,479.00 | $1,479.00 | $1,479.00 | $887.40 |
| | | | | |
| Where applicable, it is assumed that the Deductible was previously satisfied. |
Dental insurance is important because research has shown that there is a direct link between good oral health and general health. According to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, an oral exam can help identify an individual’s risk for diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and other health concerns. We owe it to ourselves and our families to maintain our health. We cannot overlook the necessity to make periodic visits to our dentists. The CRA Dental Program is a way of making it easier and a more efficient way to deal with oral health.
The CRA Dental Program will be open to all dues paying CRA members. The primary objective of the Program is to make available dental coverage for CRA dues paying members who do not qualify for Chevron’s Dental Plans. (Anyone who retired from Texaco, Getty, Gulf, Unocal or Caltex is not eligible for Chevron dental coverage.) The secondary objective is to make available the CRA dental coverage as an alternative to Chevron’s dental coverage for eligible Chevron retirees in case MetLife has a more extensive network of preferred provider dentists in the area where a retiree resides.
An Open Enrollment kit plus a letter from the Association President, Dennis Dauphin, will be mailed by MetLife beginning approximately January 15th.
In closing I would like to wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy New Year.