Questions and Answers
Click on a question from the list below to "jump" to the answers you need!
What happens if I don’t enroll by my wave deadline?
If you don’t enroll for your Matter of Choice benefits by your deadline, you will automatically default to your current options (if available) and coverage categories under your benefits plans. And you will continue your current contribution levels under the salary redirection Health Care and/or Dependent Care Accounts.
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I’ve completed my enrollment for my 2007 benefits. What happens next?
After you enroll, you can return to the site or call the Xerox Benefits Center voice response system to change or confirm your elections as many times as you like before your enrollment wave ends. Once your enrollment wave ends, your last elections on file will be final.
Here’s what you can expect after you enroll:
- If you enroll by phone, a statement confirming your elections will be mailed to you. Please keep this statement for your records.
- If you enroll online, you can print a confirmation statement directly from the Your Benefits Resources web site; you won’t receive a confirmation statement in the mail.
- The health plans will send plan ID cards to all participants toward the end of the year. If you don’t receive your card by January 1, call the health plan directly. (Note that if you’re staying in your current plan for 2006, your health plan may not send you a new card.)
- If, after you have enrolled for 2007 coverage, you have a qualifying change in status before the new plan year begins (for example, you get married or have a baby), you’ll need to make new elections for your 2006 coverage. To do so, go to the Your Benefits Resources web site or call the Xerox Benefits Center voice response system. You’ll also need to reconfirm your 2007 coverage elections to make sure they’re consistent with your status change.
- In some cases, you may need to take some additional steps after you submit your elections. For example, if you elect a level of life insurance coverage that requires evidence of insurability, the insurance company will contact you directly to obtain the appropriate information.
Where can I get answers to my enrollment questions?
For answers to your enrollment questions, look to these Xerox-provided resources:
- The Your Benefits Resources web site (http://resources.hewitt.com/xerox/). You’ll need your password to access the site. The site offers a number of tools and other information to help guide you through your enrollment decisions. These include the Health Plan Comparison Charts, Medical Expense Estimator, HealthGrades, Why Use a Health Care Spending Account, Health Care Account Estimator, and more.
- You can also submit questions by going to the “Contact Us” section and clicking on the “Use Email to Send a Question to a Benefits Center Representative” link. Your question will go directly to a Xerox Benefits Center representative, who will post the response to “Your Secure Mailbox” on the site. An email will be sent to your preferred email address letting you know that a response has been posted.
- The Xerox Benefits Center at 1-888-979-9961 (TTY: Call your local relay service).
- Representatives, including Health Specialists prepared to answer enrollment-related questions, are available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.
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We keep hearing about ever-increasing health care costs. What’s driving these increases?
As you’re probably aware, health care benefit costs have risen at double digit rates over the past few years, which is far higher than underlying inflation. Part of the increase is attributable to underlying medical price inflation, which has been running at about 5% per year.
While 5% is high compared with recent increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), it is only part of the story. Several other significant factors are driving these cost increases. They include:
- An aging population in general and an aging workforce in particular, who use more care (and more complex and more expensive care) more often.
- New medical technologies and treatments, which can offer significant advantages over older methods but which are frequently much more expensive.
- Increasing numbers of uninsured Americans, whose health care costs must be absorbed by private plan sponsors (i.e., employers like Xerox).
- Continued consolidation among health plans and hospital systems, which reduces negotiation leverage and leads to higher prices.
- Employee insulation to the true costs of health care services through copayment-based health plan designs, which make it easy for employees to consume care without regard to need.
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What will I be expected to pay at my doctor’s office for expenses subject to the deductible and coinsurance? Will I have to pay the entire expense up front?
This will vary for expenses received in-network versus out-of-network as well as by provider. In most cases, for in-network expenses, your doctor’s office will submit a bill for your expense to your health plan carrier first. Your doctor will then bill you for your share of the covered expense and you’ll need to send your payment directly to your doctor.
For out-of-network expenses, in most cases, you’ll be responsible for paying the doctor the full amount at the time of service and you will submit the bill to your health plan carrier. Your health plan carrier will then determine your benefit and reimburse you the appropriate amount.
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Can Xerox employees "opt out" of their Xerox coverage and enroll in a personal plan?
Yes. Xerox employees or any group employee can enroll in the personal plan.
However, if an active employee "opts out" of their Xerox coverage, they will be eligible to enroll in a Xerox plan the following open enrollment as long as they are still an active employee.
If a retired employee "opted out" of their Xerox coverage, they will no longer be eligible to enroll in a Xerox plan, unless you lose your other coverage through no fault of your own.
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How does the billing work?
We have asked providers to bill Preferred Care directly for services and then bill the member once the claim has been processed. While we encourage the providers to do this, a provider can request payment up to the allowed amount from the member at the time of service and/or their coinsurance. Therefore some providers will bill Preferred Care and then bill the member and others will request payment when services are rendered. The member should also verify that the provider will submit a claim to Preferred Care for processing.
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What can I use to track my costs?
Xerox health plan members will be mailed explanation of benefits (EOBs) for all claims except for claims that process with a copay. If a member satisfies their out-of-pocket maximum, the member will continue to receive EOBs for services that would normally processed with a coinsurance.
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What is the difference between the Blended health plan option and the Coinsurance option?
Xerox offers a Blended option that combines design elements of both coinsurance and copayments into a single health plan option. The Blended option covers many in-network outpatient services with only a flat copayment; there is no need to first meet a deductible. Examples of services that have a flat copay under the Blended option include: visits to your Primary Care Physician (PCP), specialist visits, outpatient clinic care, allergy injections, outpatient surgery, outpatient physical therapy, prenatal and postnatal care, urgent care centers, outpatient mental health care, chiropractor care, and home health care.
Under the Coinsurance option, after the annual deductible has been met, members are responsible for paying 20% of the cost for most in-network services, while the plan pays 80%.
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Last updated: October 12, 2006
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