MINUTES UMKC FACULTY SENATE
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MINUTES UMKC FACULTY SENATE
September 17, 1996 (Approved 10/01/96) |
3:00 P.M. Jean Braun called the meeting to order:
Jean introduced Dr. Ken Hutchinson (Associate V.P. Human Resource Services) and Mike Paden (Director of Faculty and Staff Benefits). Dr. Hutchinson gave an overview of the new contract in place for health care. Dr. Hutchinson explained that UM administration has made a conscious effort to listen to each campus’ concern on health care, staff benefits, and retirement issues. Each campus has a committee that deals with these issues and brings them to the table for discussion. Kansas City did the best job of organizing and discussing the problems on that campus. There was more dissatisfaction on the UMKC campus due to the competition of health care organizations in this area. The HMO route was chosen because of the strengths offered by managed care and the viable low price indemnity alternative to go outside the network if necessary. Dr. Hutchinson passed out several handouts that compared past plans with the new contract. There is now only one (and much improved) POS plan for Kansas City. Premiums for the new plan have to be paid in advance (prior to Jan. 1st) so the biweekly employees need to be put into the system quickly. The choices now available for a primary health care physician allow you a 98% chance that you can retain your current doctor and hospital. The list of preferred care physicians in the POS plan will expand by about 100%. There is still concern that employees at UMKC will not be given enough advance time to review materials on the different health care plans. There is still a problem with HealthNet and GenCare communications. Dr. Hutchinson asked that the UMKC Staff Benefits Oversight Committee continue to meet and report these types of problems to Mike Paden. The suggestion was made that UM add colon & testicular screenings (breast and uterine screening are already available on the plan) to wellness checkups. Standards (with financial penalties) have been created in order to review the health provider’s performance during the new contract. There has been a historic problem with turnover of primary care doctors in the plan. UM audits all insurer data to determine satisfaction in health care. Kansas City should consider assigning an ombudsman as a coordinator for reporting health care concerns. UM is looking at a Kansas City firm that does this kind of monitoring but this could also be done in-house. UM is committed to responding to this campus’ needs so as to avoid the problems we have had in the past.REVIEW OF HEALTH CARE OPTIONS: 1. a POS Multi-Option Plan "A" & "B" New features: --Option "A" (in network) - no deductible; co-insurance is 100% rather than 80-20% --Option "B" (out of network) - after deductible co-insurance is 80-20% rather than 60-40% 2. elimination of Plan "E" - Catastrophic Plan; POS Multi-Option Plan "B" will be the alternative. 3. POS II - in UM survey for KC "negative consumer satisfaction" Blue Net is the gatekeeper and of 150,000 KC participants only 400 are POS II. Price for "employee only" will increase approx. $30+ if switch to BlueCare HMO, less if another choice made. Recommendation: POS II participants transfer to Blue Care HMO or another KC option. Discontinue offering POS II. 4. Premium will increase 5% if presently in GenCare HMO. 5. In most plans individual premiums will increase while the premiums for family or spouse will decrease. 6. For prescription drugs, there is a $50/person deductible, with 80% paid thereafter for participating network pharmacies and 60% paid thereafter for non-participating network pharmacies. Mail order drugs will have a $10 co-pay for generics and $20 for brand name drugs. The date for having the new information delivered to each campus is October 15. UM plans to put some information (summaries, premiums, etc.) on their Web page (http://www.umsystem.edu:80/hrs.welcome). Hospital and physician lists are often considered proprietary and many health care providers will not allow the lists to be mounted locally. The enrollment deadline is November 15. Those in the Humana HMO, POS I, and Catastrophic plans will not need to re-enroll unless they wish to change coverage. Human Resources representatives will be on campus last week of October/first week of November to answer questions.Academic Issues: The first meeting of the Academic Issues Committee will be on Thursday, September 26 at 9:30 a.m. in room 337 of the School of Education. MAFS (Missouri Association of Faculty Senates): UMKC belongs to this organization but it is comprised mostly of colleges rather than universities and it is important to continue with this group so that we know what is being said concerning Missouri colleges. A motion was moved and seconded (all ayes, no abstentions) to continue membership in this group. The next meeting is scheduled for October 21st and Barbara Glesner-Fines will attend.
Faculty Welfare Issues: The motion was made to delay recommending a statement on sexual orientation to the Chancellor until after the November elections. The motion was seconded and passed with all ayes, no abstentions. If the Board rejects the statement we can resend it again if necessary.
Present: Christine Angolia, Gary Bennett, Valerie Blanco, Jean Braun, Les Chafetz, Julie Cheslik, Robert Cleary, Ray Coveney, Rafael Espejo-Saavedra, Alfred Esser, William Frederickson, Richard Gentile, Barbara Glesner-Fines, Rich Hamilton, David Harris, Joseph Hughey, Steve Krantz, Kathy Loncar, James McKinley, Janet McKinney, Ed Mills, Jerry Place, Dennis Pyszszynski, Jan Russell, David Schwarzer, Khosrow Sohraby Nancy Stancel, Jakob Waterborg, Excused: Julie Cheslik, John Rapley, Hans Uffelmann
Sincerely, Nancy D. Stancel