Centerviews
A Publication of The University of Texas Harris County Psychiatric Center

Monday, July 5, 2004
(Note: There will be no CenterViews the weeks of July 12 – 23)

In This Issue:

Psychiatry Department Voted The Best
Cheruvelli Named Assistant Nurse Manager
UT President Willerson to Visit UTHCPC
Benefits Brown Bag
Annual Enrollment for UT Benefits

Psychiatry Department Voted The Best
UTHCPC Executive Director Robert W. Guynn reports that this years UT Medical School graduating senior class voted the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences as Number One among all UT Medical School departments, for offering the best clinical clerkship. Dr. Guynn gives his “congratulations and thanks to all for your help with and attention to the teaching of our medical students!”

Cheruvelli Named Assistant Nurse Manager
James Cheruvelli, RN, MBA, has accepted the Assistant Nurse Manager's position for unit 2B. He is replacing Liz Jones who transferred to the Utilization Review Department. James was the preceptor for Unit 3B for several years and early this year was named Assistant Nurse Manager for the Detox Unit.

UT President Willerson to Visit UTHCPC
A reminder to all faculty and staff that UT Houston President James T. Willerson, M.D will speak at UTHCPC on Monday, August 2, at 11:30. The presentation will take place in the auditorium. Dr. Willerson will bring news of interest concerning the UTHCPC, UTMSI, and the HSC There will be an opportunity to ask questions.

Benefits Brown Bag
The Employee Benefits Office will conduct a brown bag sessions at UTHCPC on July 14 at 12 noon in the auditorium. Please make plans to hear about the major changes to the UT insurance plans.

Annual Enrollment for UT Benefits
Annual Enrollment for insurance coverage will occur during the month of July. This is the period during which you may make changes to your group insurance coverage. The University of Texas System has developed a convenient paperless enrollment system called UT TOUCH, which you can visit at http://www.utsystem.edu/egi/UTTOUCH to view and change your coverage on the Internet.

Recently, you should have received a letter from UT System Office indicating your current insurance coverage and your important Personal Identification Number (PIN). Your PIN is necessary in order to make changes to your existing insurance coverage. If you have not received a
letter by July 1, please contact the Employee Benefits Office at (713) 500-3935.

Important changes to note:

• UTTouch (1-800 UT Touch) is no longer available. All changes must
  be made via the Internet at http://www.utsystem.edu/egi/UTTOUCH
• Humana HMO is no longer available in the Houston area.
• All Humana HMO participants must make a new medical insurance election. If you fail to do so, you will automatically be enrolled in UT Select.
• Fortis Dental HMO changed its name to Assurant HMO.
• Employer-provided Basic Group Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) are available only with medical coverage.
• Group Term Life Insurance (GTL) is now offered by Fort Dearborn Life. Coverage may be purchased in multiples of 1 to 6 times your annual salary. We no longer offer coverage for the flat dollar amount of $50,000.
• Voluntary GTL insurance is provided in addition to the Basic GTL.
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) will replace Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) and is being offered by Fort Dearborn Life.
• Voluntary AD&D insurance is provided in addition to the Basic AD&D.
• Flexible spending accounts will be administered by PayFlex USA and will offer reimbursement for certain over-the-counter drugs and provide an optional flex convenience card.
• If you are currently enrolled in UTFlex and you want to continue with your contribution, you must re-enroll.
• Enrollment in either of the UTFlex plans is final 30 days after the effective date. The Internal Revenue Code does not allow changes or cancellations in the plan year unless a significant qualifying event occurs.
• Beneficiary Designation forms are required for all GTL and AD&D enrollees whether or not you make a change to your existing coverage. The forms should be sent to:
  The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Employee Benefits
  7000 Fannin, 10th Floor, Houston, TX 77030
• Transitional Benefits may be available for current Humana HMO enrollees for three months if your health care provider is not a contracting provider under HMO Blue. This will allow you the opportunity to find a new Network Provider. Transition of Care forms may be downloaded at http://www.utsystem.edu/egi or by contacting the Employee Benefits Office, (713) 500-3935.
• Please note that because our own UT Physicians clinical practice signed a contract with Blue Cross-Blue Shield very recently, their names are not yet loaded into the online program for those employees who wish to enroll in HMO Blue and select a UT physician as their Primary Care Physician (PCP). Likewise, our UT physicians will not show up on UT Touch as Primary Care Physicians until HMO Blue is able to load their information and provide the UT System benefits office an updated data set. We expect this to occur within the next week or so.
• Personnel also should note that Memorial Hermann Hospital is not in the network at this time, but HMO Blue continues to negotiate with Memorial Hermann.

The open enrollment period ends July 31. For more information, please contact Stephanie Jones at (713) 500-3935.