Representatives of the UT-AAUP Executive Board met this morning via WebEx for a short meeting of about 25 minutes with HR Benefits on health benefits. This meeting is the first information the UT-AAUP has received from HR and the Postel Administration regarding health benefits for calendar year January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
The UT-AAUP health benefits attorney Jeremy Rodriguez, from Allotta Farley, was present. Also at the meeting were Tim Brakel, UT-AAUP President, Don Wedding, UT-AAUP Vice President & Grievance Officer, Kim Nigem, UT-AAUP Treasurer, and Collin Gilstrap, UT-AAUP Board member. The Law School was represented by Professors Joe Slater and Eric Chaffee.
Our two PPOs – Paramount and Front Path – are being replaced by a single PPO-Medical Mutual of Ohio. There also will be a High Deductible plan.
Medical Mutual of Ohio has an extensive network in Ohio. There is also extensive coverage outside Ohio with the Cigna Network. Faculty may want to check current providers on the Medical Mutual of Ohio website. The Postel Administration said that about 99% of the current faculty providers are covered by Medical Mutual.
The Postel Administration was unable to provide any premium information. This may be available in September. A WebEx will be offered on September 1 for all employees. Jeremy Rodriguez believes premiums should be about the same or a little less because we are going from two PPO providers to one. We are requesting a special presentation to UT-AAUP members by HR Benefits later in September or early October when more information may be available.
The UT-AAUP continues to negotiate with the Postel Administration on a one-year extension of the T/TT and Lecturer CBAs with a retroactive pay increase. We will report more later this week. In the meantime, our CBAs that expired on June 30, 2022 remain in force.
UT-AAUP Executive Board