Benefits Committee

Dear Colleagues,

Your health and well-being—and that of your families—are a priority for the University. With this in mind, the University strives to provide you and your family the education and tools needed to make excellent healthcare decisions and access to quality health benefits at a reasonable cost.

Did you know…?1. Every time you use your health plan, Princeton pays the difference between the cost charged to you and

the actual amount charged for the office visit, test, or prescription. On average, Princeton pays 95% of the cost of healthcare and you, the patient, pay 5%.

2. Healthcare costs paid by the University have grown 8–9% each year for five years. Your cost during this same period has grown only 1-2% as Princeton has absorbed the balance of the increasing costs.

Our ChallengeThe annual cost of health care to the University is over $60 million; therefore, absorbing an 8–9% increase each year is not sustainable.

If we cannot work collectively to lower this percent increase, a greater portion of the annual increase will need to be shared with you in the future.

How can you reduce your healthcare costs without compromising the quality of your care?1. Use the right provider at the right time:

a. Preferred labs or specialists for tests, office visits, and outpatient services

b. Independent radiology centers for MRI, ultrasound, and similar testing

c. Centers of Excellence for surgery and life-threatening diseases

d. Telemedicine for minor medical situations

e. Urgent care centers instead of emergency rooms

f. Emergency rooms for potential life-threatening situations

2. Use the resources Princeton provides to help you make healthcare decisions:

a. My Health Coach to establish a partnership with a personal coach regarding your health, nutrition, exercise, and chronic conditions

(over)

b. My Medical Expert by Best Doctors to find high quality physicians or hospitals when needed, review treatment plans and diagnoses, provide second opinions from experts around the country, and much more

c. Medical concierge services now available to you at Aetna and UHC. Call the new customer service team assigned to Princeton, staffed with experienced representatives to help you find the right provider, answer questions about coverage and cost, resolve claim issues, and more. They are also trained to know all the health resources offered by Princeton to help you, not just services provided by Aetna or UHC.

d. Confidential calls made to you from Aetna or UHC to discuss all available services and resources you need to maximize quality of care, minimize cost, and take advantage of programs Princeton provides to help you treat and recover from serious illnesses or injuries

Read the enclosed Managing Healthcare Costs 2016 for additional details and suggestions. If you have any questions, contact the Benefits Team at (609) 258-3302.

Regards,

Princeton University Benefits Committee