2023 Medical Plan Third-Party Administrator Announcement

Dear Colleagues,

We are writing today to announce that Aetna has been selected as the third-party administrator of the University’s medical plan. After completing an extensive evaluation of competing proposals, Aetna emerged as the third-party administrator that best met both the primary criteria – minimizing member disruption, offering a variety of network options, and minimizing financial impact – as well as Workday integration capabilities, comprehensive member services, strong implementation processes, and responsive customer support.

Medical & Prescription Coverage from Aetna

Human Resources and the Fringe Benefits Committee (FBC) received significant feedback throughout this process, and two of the most commonly voiced concerns were increased costs and provider disruption. Aetna was able to offer competitive financial discounts with minimal provider network disruption. Our analysis of claims data indicates that 97% of current medical providers utilized are anticipated to be in-network with Aetna.

Additionally, we are consolidating our medical and prescription third-party administrators to streamline the services provided and offer more enhanced care coordination. Prescription coverage will transition from OptumRx to Aetna for the 2023 plan year.

Behavioral Health Coverage

We understand that access to behavioral health is critical for the wellbeing of our campus community and this coverage is especially important to many faculty and staff. The selection of a behavioral health administrator has not been finalized at this time. As we continue our due diligence, minimal provider disruption remains a top priority. We will share updates with campus as they become available.

Next Steps

Now that the third-party administrator has been selected, plan modeling will continue through the summer. The plan options, including possible tiers and member costs, such as premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums, will not be finalized until fall. Final plans will be informed by the most recent claims information available and will allow the University to offer the most comprehensive plan within the University’s budget. HR looks forward to sharing the final plans, member costs, and additional resources to navigate this transition prior to open enrollment, which is scheduled for October 3-21.

Human Resources and Gallagher Benefits Services, the University’s benefits consultant, will meet with the FBC in the summer to collect feedback on plan modeling; colleagues may share their feedback by completing this form.

We appreciate your ongoing engagement and are grateful for the valuable input shared by many of you throughout this process.

Sincerely,

Hof Milam
Executive Vice President

Dedee DeLongpré Johnston
Vice President, Human Resources & Sustainability

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