Health Benefits 101

The first step to making the most of the benefits the Company offers is to understand what’s available and how it works. In addition to traditional health, insurance, and retirement benefits, we offer a range of:

• Voluntary benefits to help you save money and protect your financial situation
• Paid time off and leaves of absence to help you balance work and life
• Family-focused benefits to help you along the path to parenthood and beyond
• Programs to help you continue your education
• Much more 

This website is the best place to learn more about what’s available to you. Start here: Get to Know Your Benefits

Benefits can be complex, and we’re here to help! To help you understand your benefits and discuss them with your family, carrier, provider, and/or Included Health, take a moment to review this resource: Learn Healthcare Benefit Terms. 

Preventive care is critical! While you may “feel” healthy, staying on top of routine exams and screenings helps you identify any risks or issues early on to avoid more invasive and costly care down the road.

Under the Company medical plans, preventive care will not cost you anything. That includes an annual physical, recommended immunizations, and certain cancer screenings, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, etc. Your recommended screenings depend on your personal situation—including your age, sex assigned at birth, family history, existing health conditions, current lifestyle, and more—so discuss what you need with your primary care physician (PCP) at your annual physical each year.

Support is available to manage chronic conditions throughout the year. If you or a dependent suffers from a chronic condition such as asthma or diabetes, use the resources available to help you manage your health:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS participants): Work with TrueCare360
• Kaiser participants: Work with Kaiser

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health! And, it’s critical to your overall wellbeing. Take advantage of the many behavioral health benefits the Company offers you and your eligible family members. 

You have more options than ever to choose how and where you receive quality care. Don’t wait until you’re sick or hurt to make decisions. Have a plan in place and be ready to get the most convenient and cost-effective care when you need it.

Here are several options for the different types of care you can receive under our medical coverage, ranked on a scale for cost ($) and convenience (+).

When you need care, do some research and find the provider that offers the highest quality at an out-of-pocket cost that fits your budget. You may be surprised by the cost difference from one provider to the next—even if you’re comparing in-network providers. Contact Included Health for help comparing costs for specialist visits, routine lab work and imaging services (such as x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans), and more.

Since you’re responsible for paying for a portion of the costs you incur, it’s in your own interest to control the total cost as much as possible. Here are a few tips to help you save you money throughout the year:

• Use tax-advantaged accounts. Save pre-tax money from your paycheck to pay for eligible expenses. You’ll lower your taxable income and won’t be taxed when funds are used for qualified healthcare expenses. Check out this example for a look at your potential savings when you use one of these accounts.
  
  The account you’re eligible for is based on the medical plan you enroll in:
  • The Health Savings Account and Limited Purpose Health Care Flexible Spending Account are available when you enroll in the Consumer Choice Plan.
  • The Health Care Flexible Spending Account is available when you enroll in the Core Plan, Buy-Up Plan, Kaiser HMO (available to California participants only), or a non-high deductible plan from another source, such as your spouse’s employer.
• Visit in-network providers. These providers have agreed to negotiated rates for services and supplies. Your share of the cost will be lower than if you visit out-of-network providers. Find in-network providers here:
  • BCBS participants, search for providers here
  • Kaiser participants, search for providers here
• Be smart about your medications.
  • Research what your doctor is prescribing and ask for less expensive alternatives, such as generic equivalents or other brand-name drugs that cost less.
  • Remember, EMD Serono drugs marketed in the U.S. are covered at 100% in the BCBS medical plans. For the Consumer Choice Plan, this means there will be no coinsurance after you have met your deductible.
  • Order 90-day supplies of maintenance medications. You can save time and money by filling your recurring, long-term maintenance prescriptions through home delivery or Smart90 Walgreens to pick up in-store. Home delivery medication is ordered in a 90-day supply at a discounted cost. If you choose not to use the home delivery option for your maintenance drugs, you will pay a higher copay for a 30-day supply at a network pharmacy.
• Get reimbursed for eligible fitness and weight loss expenses.
  • Receive a reimbursement of up to $150 per family per year for qualified fitness expenses, such as gym memberships and fitness classes.
  • Receive a reimbursement of up to $150 per family per year for weight management programs, such as WW, Meetings Online Plus, iDiet Engage, and Jenny Craig
• Take advantage of available discounts.
  • Our two dental plans offer discounts on electric toothbrushes, water flossers, and more. Find more information here.
  • Our vision coverage offers a discount on hearing aids. Find more information here.

Included Health offers personalized support to help you make informed healthcare decisions and fully understand your benefits and coverage. If you’re enrolled in a Company medical plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Included Health can also connect you to TrueCare360 for help overseeing and coordinating your healthcare.

Visit the Personalized Healthcare Support page for details.