HEALTH TRUST HISTORY

 

Why Did We Form The Health Trust?

INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WILL BE CHANGING JAN 2005
Prior to the formation of the Health Trust, the City changed Insurance carriers every two (2) years. Costs were always going up, benefits were always going down. Physician lists, hospitals and procedures changed every two years. Retirees had virtually no coverage at all. We had no control of our own destiny. Since the formation of the Trust, multiple benefits have been added, costs have been controlled and we have the stability of the same physicians, hospitals and procedures for years. Our retirees now have significant coverage in all areas of the country either in or out of network. We now control our own destiny. The Trust is our plan and its our money. The City Insurance has seen steady increases , while their benefits have decreased significantly. They have never added benefits, only reduced them.
Since the Trust formed in 1990, health care costs have increased between 150-200 %, while prescription prices increased a whopping 400%. Over the next 5 years we can expect yearly double digit inflation in both health care and RX costs. The Trust will continue to do its best to control our costs, while continuing to have the best benefit plan possible for our members. Over our first 8 years of operation, because the Trust was operating in the black, we elected to pass this savings on to our members. During this time, there were no increases in premiums and the following benefits were added:
1. Comprehensive Prescription plan. (The Trust spends an average of twenty thousand dollars a month on prescriptions.)
2. Optometric exam and eye glasses.
3. RK corrective surgery for sworn officers. 

In 1991 we added a Limited Lasik surgery benefit and a yearly physical-something we could never get the City to give us. Also added are Prescription Birth Control pills. We also have continually fine-tuned and improved the plan literally dozens of times throughout our years, and we will continue to do so in the future.

 

How are our rates determined?

 
Please read your FOP contract for this information. 

 

Prescription
Remember, our Rx plan allows you to buy in 30 day (for short term use) or 90 day supplies (long term use) via mail order by UHC. Co-pays of $10, $30  apply for short term use. Co-pays of $20, $60  for 90 days supply still apply. Your get 3 months for the price of 2.

Board of Trustees
...................


 


NETWORK CHANGE FROM BEECHSTREET

TO UNITED HEALTHCARE

11/08/04:

The Health Trust will be making a major change beginning this January first. This change is necessary to maintain our benefit levels without increasing the costs to you, the participants. Most of our expenses go to pay claims, the amount of money that is sent to your Doctors. The amount they receive is based on contracted amounts between themselves and the BeechStreet Network. The discounts to BeechStreet Providers run about 28%. By switching to the United Healthcare network, our discounts will increase to 52%-64%, with the higher end discounts here in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. With this savings, we can keep our benefits as they are and reduce the impact of medical inflation and increased projected claims over the next year. The net effect is that we will



Beginning January 01, we will be switching to the United Health Care Network for medical and prescription drug claims. RX America/Precision RX and ASI (Administrative Services) will be eliminated, though ASI will continue to provide our office management, eligibility determinations, and insurance consulting.



Soon you will receive mailers from the Trust with forms and information. Included will be new enrollment forms, provider books and prescription information. New member cards will be made without your social security numbers on them. It is imperative that your new enrollment forms be filled out and returned ASAP. When filling these out, make sure ALL dependent information is correct and your correct address is included.



I will be putting as much information on our web site as possible as this information becomes available. You may start your research however at www.myuhc.com the United HealthCare web site.



Remember, your insurance remains Miami Beach FOP Health Trust, our self funded plan, which UHC will be administering. We are making no changes to the plan, premiums or co-pays. This switch involves a change in claims administration and Doctor network only.


Gary Kluger, Chairman