In the April 26, 2012 Board meeting, the OEBB Board finalized the rates and plan designs for the 2012-13 plan year. Some of the highlights include the addition of a bariatric surgery benefit (subscribers only), embedding an orthodontia benefit into all but one of the dental plans, and adding a value tier pharmacy benefit to ODS Medical Plan 9 (the HSA Compliant plan).

Important changes have been made to the Medicare Creditable and Non-Creditable Coverage notices. Effective October 1, 2011, ODS Med Plan 9 will be considered Creditable Coverage and ODS Pharmacy Plan C will be considered Non-Creditable Coverage. If you are enrolled in either of these plans for 2011-12, be sure to read this important notification.

OEBB has created an online tool to help you compare your plan options for the 2011-12 plan year (effective Oct. 1, 2011 - Sept. 30, 2012). You can create different combinations of medical, dental and vision plans and compare the benefit details and premiums side-by-side. You can even plug in the amount your employer contributes and it will subtract that to show your remaining monthly cost.

If you are enrolled in an ODS or Providence medical plan, it's important to know that certain procedures now require additional copayments. Those procedures include, outpatient upper endoscopy, spine surgery for pain, knee and hip arthroscopy and knee and hip replacement. This "additional cost tier" was added to encourage members to talk with their doctor and consider other choices in order to make the best treatment decision for their personal situation.

If one of these procedures is recommended to you, use the following resources provided by your health plan to learn more about the procedure.
- ODS
- Providence

You can view a collection of member and educational entity resources or contact your carrier.

Due to state budget reductions, the Oregon Educators Benefit Board offices will be closed on Friday, May 25, 2012. OEBB offices will re-open on Tuesday, May 29 following the Memorial Day holiday. Thank you for your patience.

The OEBB Board would like to share some short, entertaining videos that can also improve your health!

Need help paying insurance premiums for coverage at work? Have uninsured family members opting out of coverage due to costs? Oregon's Office of Private Health Partnerships (OPHP) may be able to help. OPHP manages several programs that assist income-eligible members pay for insurance at work or a portion of COBRA premiums.

Health care that "works best" is care that gets the best results for your health, is safe and uses health care resources in the most efficient ways. While you might tend to assume that all patient care is good quality, research studies have shown that some care does not measure up to quality standards. To help make sure that you and your family get good quality care, you need to be informed and actively involved.

You can start in your doctor's office. When a doctor or other health provider recommends a particular treatment, ask what research has been done and what the research might mean for you. You can also ask whether there are other choices to consider, and whether research has been done to find out which treatment works best. You can also look for more information on your own. Click here for help finding trustworthy information on the web.