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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> HALL Denise * OEBB
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 24, 2012 2:46 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'OEBBSUPERINFO@listsmart.osl.state.or.us'; 'OEBBBUSMAN@listsmart.osl.state.or.us'<br>
<b>Cc:</b> OEBB Benefits<br>
<b>Subject:</b> OEBB -- EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR PLAN SELECTION ASSISTANCE!!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Dear Superintendents, Business Managers and Benefit Administrators:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">OEBB has been working with researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on a project to assess the past medical plan choices of OEBB enrollees. I would first like to thank
all who have provided the requested contribution information in support of this research project. The MIT researchers have found this data invaluable and will soon report back on their findings on how well OEBB employees have done in past years in choosing
their insurance plans. In the meantime, OEBB and MIT have expanded this project in an exciting and important direction: investigating whether “decision support” tools can help employees choose the right health insurance plan for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">In recent years outside groups have developed innovative new “decision support” tools that help with plan choice. But we don’t yet know how often these tools are used by employees, whether
they actually change plan choices, or whether those changes are beneficial to employees. The purpose of this new project is to assess how a decision support tool would be used by OEBB employees and whether it can improve their medical plan choices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Many of the attributes of the OEBB benefits program make OEBB members perfect for a study like this. Most employees have multiple medical plan options available to choose from and receive
a defined contribution amount to apply toward purchasing their medical coverage, leaving the employee paying for a portion of the monthly premium. These factors will allow MIT to use the results of this study to determine whether having a tool available will
help individuals make a better decision when they have multiple medical plan options available to them through a health exchange or an employer (or multi-employer sponsored medical benefit program like OEBB). And the results of this study will be very informative
to OEBB as it considers how to design its medical plan options in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">To accomplish this, OEBB will have three separate tools available during the upcoming open enrollment period. We will provide access to one of the three tools to your employees and early retirees.
The specific tool available to a member will vary by entity, allowing MIT researchers to determine which one is most effective in helping individuals select the medical plan option that is the most cost-effective choice for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Attached is a listing of the educational entities participating in the OEBB benefits program and the grouping (we refer to each group as an “Arm” of the study) assigned by the researchers at
MIT. The spreadsheet also provides a short description of what the Arm assignment will mean to the members in that Arm. We hope this will be helpful if you receive any calls about the study or expectations of the groups, but please feel free to refer calls
or emails you receive from your employees to the OEBB Member Services team at: <a href="mailto:OEBB.benefits@state.or.us">
OEBB.benefits@state.or.us</a> or 888-469-6322.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">We will have staff trained to support employees with questions about each of the tools. We are also planning a training webinar during the week of August 6 that will be open to entity benefit
representatives participating in Arms 2 and 3 of the study. The tools used for these two Arms are administered by a third-party vendor and is separate and distinct from the OEBB benefits program. As soon as the training is scheduled, we will notify you of
the actual date(s) and time(s). We will send a link to the tool that will be used by entity employees under Arm 1 to those entities’ benefit representatives the latter part of the week of August 6 and OEBB staff will be available to answer any questions that
come up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On or around August 13, we will send a postcard to each of your active employees and early retirees to provide them with a web address that will include an overview of the study and help them
prepare to use the specific tool available to them. The postcard will also contain a link to their specific tool. All employees will need to know what their monthly employer benefit contribution will be for the 2012-13 plan year. We understand most entities
communicate this information to employees in preparation for the open enrollment period. If your entity doesn’t typically communicate this to employees at this time, we ask that you consider doing so this plan year so your employees can make the best use
of the tool available to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Employees in Arms 2 and 3 will need to know their OEBB E-number (E followed by an eight-digit number), their date of birth and residential zip code, as well as their dependent(s)’ E-number(s),
if applicable. Most of this information is readily available to an employee, but some may need to inquire about the E-number(s). The webpage will explain how they can find out what their and/or their family’s E-numbers are by going out to MyOEBB, but we
also anticipate this requirement may generate some telephone calls to both OEBB staff and entity benefit staff. We hope the disruption for you and your staff is minimal.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">We are excited to provide OEBB members with this opportunity to participate in a study that could very well have an impact on how states prepare to offer health exchanges under health care
reform and help develop valuable tools that could be made available to employer groups and benefit sponsors in the future.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please call me at 503-378-5133. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sincerely,</span><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>
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<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>
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