<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:p="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:powerpoint" xmlns:a="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:access" xmlns:dt="uuid:C2F41010-65B3-11d1-A29F-00AA00C14882" xmlns:s="uuid:BDC6E3F0-6DA3-11d1-A2A3-00AA00C14882" xmlns:rs="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:rowset" xmlns:z="#RowsetSchema" xmlns:b="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:publisher" xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet" xmlns:c="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:component:spreadsheet" xmlns:odc="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:odc" xmlns:oa="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:activation" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:q="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:rtc="http://microsoft.com/officenet/conferencing" xmlns:D="DAV:" xmlns:Repl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/repl/" xmlns:mt="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/meetings/" xmlns:x2="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2003/xml" xmlns:ppda="http://www.passport.com/NameSpace.xsd" xmlns:ois="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/ois/" xmlns:dir="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/directory/" xmlns:ds="http://www.w3.org/2000/09/xmldsig#" xmlns:dsp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/dsp" xmlns:udc="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:sub="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/2002/1/alerts/" xmlns:ec="http://www.w3.org/2001/04/xmlenc#" xmlns:sp="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/" xmlns:sps="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:udcs="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/soap" xmlns:udcxf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/xmlfile" xmlns:udcp2p="http://schemas.microsoft.com/data/udc/parttopart" xmlns:wf="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/workflow/" xmlns:dsss="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig-setup" xmlns:dssi="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/digsig" xmlns:mdssi="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/digital-signature" xmlns:mver="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:mrels="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/package/2006/relationships" xmlns:spwp="http://microsoft.com/sharepoint/webpartpages" xmlns:ex12t="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/types" xmlns:ex12m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/services/2006/messages" xmlns:pptsl="http://schemas.microsoft.com/sharepoint/soap/SlideLibrary/" xmlns:spsl="http://microsoft.com/webservices/SharePointPortalServer/PublishedLinksService" xmlns:Z="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:" xmlns:st="" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Book Antiqua";
panose-1:2 4 6 2 5 3 5 3 3 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Brush Script MT";
panose-1:3 6 8 2 4 4 6 7 3 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1391146825;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1550492594 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>At its December 8, 2011 Board meeting, the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) board voted to give educational entities the ability to provide more choice in medical, dental and/or visions plans available to employees and early retirees eligible for benefits through the OEBB benefits program.<span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>We wanted to share this recent OEBB board decision with you now to allow some time for you to let us know what we can do to better assist you in the year to come and in planning for the 2012 Open Enrollment scheduled to begin in August. The Board has not finalized plan designs or rates for the 2012-13 plan year.<span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>In the past, in May and early June, the Board allowed each employee group to select up to four medical plans; up to three dental plans; and one of the vision plan options from the menu of 11 medical, ten dental, and six vision plan options, respectively. These limits were patterned after options available through benefit plan sponsors prior to OEBB. While not all plan decisions for the upcoming 2012-13 plan year have been made, an example of what the Board’s recent decision could mean is that an employee in the Salem or Portland area could choose from up to 11 medical plans; up to seven dental plans; and up to five vision plans during the 2012 Open Enrollment period. An employee outside of the Salem or Portland area could choose from up to nine medical, up to six dental and up to four vision plan options.<span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>The former limitations:<span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>often resulted in individual employees and early retirees not having the ability to consider a medical, dental and/or vision plan that would better fit their individual or family’s needs.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>limited many employees’ access to plans available through an organized system of care promoting an increased focus on wellness and prevention, better care coordination and better management of chronic disease.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>precluded some entities from making the lowest cost plan available to employees and early retirees (ODS Medical Plan 9). While one of the repercussions of this was that there are individuals who would like to save in monthly premiums, more importantly, future healthcare reform provisions will assess penalties on employers based on the cost of the medical plans available to employees. Having Plan 9 as one of the options available to all employees could help entities avoid the possibility of significant monetary penalties set to begin as early as January 2014.<o:p></o:p></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:6.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Entities and insurance committees will still have the option of limiting the number of plans available for selection at the employee level, but there is no pre-set plan option limit. The OEBB board wants members to have choice among plans in recognition of the variety of needs in our member population. The Board also wants members and entities to be able to save money and avoid unnecessary penalties and/or costs. <span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>As in past years we will make comparative benefit plan information available to members and entities on our website and through mailings to employees’ and early retirees’ home addresses. We will also be available to attend meetings around the state during May to talk to insurance committees and during August and September (open enrollment) to make presentations about the various options. This year during open enrollment meetings we expect to be able to share research on OEBB medical plan selection from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and to provide access to additional tools that can help members select the plan that best meets their individual and/or family’s needs.<span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or comments regarding this Board decision, please send them to: <a href="mailto:OEBB.Board@state.or.us">OEBB.Board@state.or.us</a>. Thank you. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT";color:navy'>Denise L. Hall<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Denise L. Hall, Deputy Administrator</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Oregon Educators Benefit Board</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://egov.oregon.gov/DAS/OEBB"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>http://egov.oregon.gov/OHA/OEBB</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>(503) 378-5133</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>(503) 378-5832 FAX</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:red'>OEBB encourages all members to stay healthy and be happy!!!! Pass it on..... </span></b><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/OEBB/WellLinks.shtml"><b><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"'>http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/OEBB/WellLinks.shtml</span></b></a><b><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:red'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:red'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"'>*****CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE*****<br><br>This e-mail may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or otherwise exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee or it appears from the context or otherwise that you have received this e-mail in error, please advise me immediately by reply e-mail, keep the contents confidential, and immediately delete the message and any attachments from your system. <br><br>************************************</span> <span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>