by Melissa Sortman, MEA Uniserv Director
This month’s More You Know information session is Benefits: Health Care and Beyond. Wages and health coverage are typically the top issues for APA members, but the other benefits in a union contract can make the difference in quality working conditions and quality of life.
The Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) provides the right to bargain collectively for all wages, hours and working conditions (www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-336-of-1947.pdf). If the members of APA were not organized in a union with the right to collectively bargain, these benefits would be up to the sole discretion of the University and could be unilaterally changed or eliminated.
Benefits typically refer to health care and supplemental benefits such as dental, vision, life insurance and long-term disability. The employer-paid benefits such as health care, dental, life and long-term disability are bargained and enforced by the collective bargaining agreement. Currently, the employee-paid benefits such as vision and optional life insurance are determined by the University. https://hr.msu.edu/benefits/benefits_docs/Benefits_Summary.pdf
Health Care Coverage
The health care coverage for APA members is bargained with the University. APA members that are health benefit eligible have fully-funded health coverage through December 31, 2017 currently provided by Blue Care Network (BCN) with the option to pay the premium difference between BCN and Blue Cross/Blue Shield Community Blue PPO. The unionized support staff members pay no premium for BCN, while the academic staff pay a significant portion of the premium. This is a direct result of the collective bargaining process and collaboration between the University and the Coalition of Labor Organizations (CLO). The Joint Health Care Committee (JHCC) consists of representatives of the eight support staff unions on campus and the University benefit team staff. JHCC representatives meet twice a month to work together to identify innovative health care solutions for MSU that improve quality and help constrain health care costs. The Wage and Health Care Memorandum of Understanding contains the benefit coverage: http://lay.wyz.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/MOU-2014-2017.pdf.
Best Doctors, a medical service review for medical review, find an expert doctor or get medical recommendations, is a component of the health care coverage. This service is part of ongoing efforts to improve quality and to help members make more informed decisions about your health care. It is intended to supplement, not replace, the work of your own doctor, and most doctors find that collaboration with other experts can only help in complex situations. Best Doctors service can be used for any medical condition including a review of pharmaceutical recommendations. For more information, call Best Doctors at (866) 904-0910 or go to members.bestdoctors.com. For the Best Doctors Welcome Kit: https://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/benefits_docs/BestDoctorsKit.pdf
Dental
APA Members have fully paid dental and may choose between the Delta plan which has a greater access to a wider network and AETNA (DM0) that is a more limited network with enhanced coverage based on a co-pays instead of a premium share. You can compare the dental coverage to determine the best coverage for you and your family: https://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/dental.htm
Life Insurance
APA members have employer-paid life insurance that is equal to your base annual earnings rounded to the next higher dollar to a maximum of $50,000. You have the option to purchase coverage to a maximum of $2,000,000. There are additional options to purchase life insurance for your spouse/OEI and children. The life insurance coverage can be found here: https://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/benefits_docs/MSULifeInsuranceBrochure.pdf
Other Contractual Benefits
Benefits provided by your bargained contract including extended disability, long-term disability and various leave time can be found in the APA Collective Bargaining Agreement. http://lay.wyz.mybluehost.me/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/APA-2015-2019-Contract.pdf
Supplemental Benefits
Additional employee-paid benefits including vision coverage can be found here: https://www.hr.msu.edu/msubenefitsplus/
Auto and Home Insurance
As an APA member, you are eligible for group discounts through MEA Financial Services. Many members have saved a significant amount of money by getting a quote for auto and home insurance. For more information call (800) 292-1950 or visit www.meafs.com and let them know you are a MSU-APA member.
Member Benefit Discounts
Another benefit of APA membership includes discounts on many daily expenses such as shopping, entertainment and services. Go to www.mea.org/mea-advantage to sign up!
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding benefits, contractual issue or your particular working situation, please contact the APA office at (517) 999-4004 or at [email protected].