NOTE: Open enrollment for 2023 has concluded.
The deadline to complete your enrollment is midnight on the night of Friday, May 12. This open enrollment period allows you an opportunity to review all benefit choices offered by Ballad Health and select what works best for you and/or your family.
This is an active enrollment year. If you would like to receive Ballad Health benefits or currently receive benefits, you will be required to enroll. Even if you do not need to make any changes to your current benefit elections, you must go online and confirm your benefit choices for July 1.
If you do not complete your benefit enrollment by the deadline, your current benefits will end June 30 and you will be enrolled in the Ballad Health paid benefits, which include EAP (Employee Assistance Program), Basic Life/ADD and Long-Term Disability option one. After the enrollment period closes, your next opportunity to make benefit changes will be during the next year’s open enrollment period, unless you have a qualified life event that allows a mid-year change.
- Log into the HR & Payroll Service Center on the Ballad Health intranet to review your benefits and start the open enrollment process.
- Click here for our FY24 detailed benefit guide which includes open enrollment instructions on Page 8.
- NOTE: You must be on a Ballad Health network device to access the intranet.
Details about the FY24 benefits package
Medical/Pharmacy – Ballad Health will continue to offer two high-deductible health plans (Choice and Bronze) and a PPO plan through BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee (BCBST).
Choice/Bronze plans – No change in benefit plan design. The naming of the benefit tiers for the Choice plan is changing July 1 to match the configuration for BlueCross BlueShield Tennessee (BCBST). Tier 1 and Tier 2 will include Ballad Health facilities, Ballad Health Medical Associates and Ballad Preferred Providers. You will pay the lowest coinsurance when using Tier 1/Tier 2 providers. Tier 3 will continue to include BCBST Blue S and PPO network providers. There is no change to the tier structure for the Bronze plan.
PPO plan – There are a few benefit plan design changes.
- Tier 1 will have an added deductible of $250 individual/$500 family. The plan will continue to pay 100% (no coinsurance) after the deductible is met.
- Tier 2 and Tier 3 will have an increased deductible from $600 individual/$1,200 family to $800 individual/$1,600 family.
- The Pharmacy benefit deductible will increase from $600 individual/$1,200 family to $800 individual/$1,600 family.
Medical Coverage Benefit Tiers
- As indicated previously, the naming of the tier structure will change to match the BCBST configuration. More information on the tier structure can be found in the benefit guide. As a reminder, facilities and providers can be added, deleted or have a change in benefit tier during the plan year. You should periodically review the online directory at bcbst.com before services are rendered so you understand what benefit tier of coverage the facility/provider is in. If you are not a registered user, you will need to create a username and password. You can then search for providers by clicking on the Get Care/Find Care tab. The online provider directories can also be viewed on the Ballad Health Benefits page.
Premiums – There will be an increase in the biweekly premium you pay for medical coverage this coming year. As health costs, both locally and across the nation, remain on an upward trend Ballad Health will continue to absorb much of that increase for the coming year, however team members will see a slight increase in the biweekly premium they currently pay for coverage.
Nicotine Attestation – All team members will need to complete the online nicotine attestation during the online enrollment process. If you and/or your covered spouse are a tobacco user, you will still pay a higher premium than those who do not use tobacco. The tobacco surcharge premium is increasing from $60/pay period to $90/pay period. Tobacco cessation courses will be offered to you and/or your spouse to qualify for the discounted non-tobacco premium. Team members and/or spouses wanting to lower their premium will need to complete the course for FY24. More information will be shared on next steps after the open enrollment period ends.
Current Biweekly Medical Premiums
FY24 Biweekly Medical Premiums
Health savings account (HSA) – For eligible team members enrolled in the Choice plan, Ballad Health will continue to make a $500 contribution for team member-only coverage and a $1,000 contribution for team member/children and family coverage to your HSA. Contributions are made twice per plan year – half in July and half in January. You can make your own tax-free contributions to the HSA plan if you are enrolled in the Choice or Bronze plan.
2023 HSA limits
- Individual – $3,850
- Family – $7,750
- Catch-up (age 55 or older) – $1,000
Flexible spending accounts – To enroll in or continue the medical and/or dependent care spending account, an election must be made during this open enrollment period. Remember to carefully estimate your spending needs for the FY24 plan year. Any unused balances are forfeited under the IRS use-it-or-lose it rule. Note: If you enroll in the HSA plan you are not eligible for the flexible medical spending account. If you enroll in the PPO plan you are not eligible for the HSA, you can enroll in the medical flexible spending account.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – All benefit-eligible team members and covered dependents on the medical plan are eligible for 10 EAP visits each plan year at no cost. Additional visits are available and will be filed with your medical plan coverage, subject to plan benefits, which may include deductible and coinsurance amounts.
Diabetes program – The diabetes management program is available to team members and dependents enrolled in one of the medical plans who have a diagnosis of diabetes. This program is designed to support the foundational doctor-patient relationship by providing ongoing support in the form of education, coaching, diabetes medications and supplies at no out-of-pocket cost. Participation is free. If you are currently participating in the program, additional information will be sent to you regarding the program requirements. For more information about this program, please call 423.952.2187 or email tmwellness@balladhealth.org.
Pharmacy – No change. Please review the updated drug listings online at optumrx.com for July 1.
Dental – No change in plan benefits or premium.
Vision – No change in plan benefits or premium.
Supplemental life insurance – Team members not currently enrolled in supplemental life coverage can elect their one times yearly salary in coverage, without completion of an evidence of insurability (EOI) form. Team members currently enrolled in coverage can increase an additional one times year’s salary coverage without EOI. Additional life coverage requested will require completion of an EOI form.
Dependent spouse life and child life insurance – Team members not currently enrolled in dependent spouse coverage will need to complete an EOI form. Team members currently enrolled in coverage can increase one level ($10,000) in coverage without EOI. Additional requested spouse life coverage will require completion of an EOI. Child life coverage in any amount can be elected without EOI.
Supplemental accidental death and dismemberment insurance – Team members can enroll in coverage in any amount without completion of an EOI form.
Short-term disability – Short-term disability can be elected or increased without completion of EOI during this enrollment period. New or increased coverage elections are subject to pre-existing conditions. Short-term disability will be paid after the waiting period and is supplemental to any PTO/MML usage.
Long-term disability – Team members can elect to increase coverage without completion of EOI during this enrollment period. The increased coverage election is subject to pre-existing conditions.
Voluntary benefits – Team members can enroll in the following plans on the HR & Service Center Portal in Lawson: critical illness/accident, legal insurance, and identity protection insurance.
Team members will also be able to enroll in pet insurance, home/auto and purchasing power. The enrollment links are available on the Ballad Health Benefits page by clicking on the “Voluntary Benefits” button.
Whole life insurance (only available annually during open enrollment) – The Whole Life with Long Term Care benefit offers life insurance that stays in force after employment with a premium that locks in at enrollment age and does not go up in the cost. It also offers a new affordable solution to long-term care planning. To enroll, call the VB Call Center at 800-684-2318 during the hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
AirMedCare Membership – Team members will again be able to enroll or renew membership in the Air Flight program through AirMedCare’s online portal at airmedcarenetwork.com/businessplanregistration. The coupon code is 7544AMCN. Payroll deduction is available over one pay period for an annual or multi-year membership plan.
Resources and information
There are multiple resources available to you during this open enrollment period. All detailed information for open enrollment is available on the Ballad Health Benefits page on the intranet. You can access the Benefits page by looking on the Ballad Health intranet main page under “Quick Links” on the left. The detailed benefit guide is available there, or you can obtain a copy from any human resources location. You can also call HR4U with questions at 423-431-HR4U (4748) or email HR4U@balladhealth.org.
While not part of the open enrollment process specifically, it’s a good time to also review your retirement contribution and any beneficiaries listed.
