Medical plans

Understanding the options for medical benefits

You have a choice between two plans for medical coverage, both offered by the health system via Blue Cross Blue Shield.

HSA Advantage Plan

This works best for those who use less healthcare. The per-paycheck premiums are lower but your cost of care during the year is higher through deductibles and coinsurance.

This plan uses an aggregate deductible. This means the full family deductible must be met before the health plan’s coinsurance covers expenses for any one covered member.

With this plan, you will have a Health Savings Account (HSA), with a contribution from the health system, that you can use to pay for healthcare with pretax dollars.

Signature Plan

This works best for heavier users of healthcare. It offers lower deductibles and fixed copays for in-network office visits, but has higher per-paycheck premiums.

This plan uses an embedded deductible. This means that once a covered member meets the individual deductible, the health plan’s coinsurance begins to cover their expenses, even if the full family deductible amount has not been met.

Provider networks

Both plans offer the Blue Select Plus network (Kansas City area) and the BlueCard PPO network (in greater Kansas and nationwide).

• Neither network includes HCA and St. Luke’s. If you or your family uses providers at these locations, you may want to find a health system or in-network provider for the best coverage.

In-network care

Preventive care is 100% covered in both plans when in-network providers are used. This is to encourage employees and their dependents to get their appropriate check-ups and screenings.

Because we are proud of the care we provide, using a health system provider (health system network in the chart below) is the most affordable option in both plans. The second-lowest cost option is for in-network providers. Learn more about provider networks.

Beginning January 1, 2024, the health system network will expand to include all Olathe Health facilities as well as those providers who are employed by Olathe Health/The University of Kansas Physicians. This means:

• Facility charges for any care received at an Olathe Health facility will be covered at the health system network rate, regardless of provider.
• Coverage for provider charges will vary based on if the provider is employed by Olathe Health/The University of Kansas Physicians. Please review the list of employed providers at Olathe Health. This list will be updated periodically so it is a good idea to check the list during the year.
  • Employed providers: covered at the health system network rate.
  • All other providers: Covered at the in-network or out-of-network rate, depending on whether the provider participates in the BlueSelect Plus network.

Understanding the HSA Advantage Plan

Employees who choose the HSA Advantage Plan will have a health savings account to help pay for healthcare expenses with pretax dollars.

Here are important things to know about electing an HSA:

• The health system provides “seed” money to support employees with healthcare expenses. The money is deposited in early January.
  • Individual coverage: $500
  • Family coverage: $1,000
• Employees may contribute additional pretax dollars to their HSA from each paycheck to build up the account for healthcare expenses, up to the maximum amount allowed by the IRS:
  • $4,150 for individual coverage
  • $8,300 for family coverage
  • Employees 55 and older may contribute an additional $1,000
• Think of an HSA as a guaranteed discount on money you’re already going to spend on eligible healthcare expenses (braces, prescription drugs, copays for medical care and much more).
• Funds in an HSA roll over from year to year.
• HSA funds are 100% yours and the money goes with you if you leave the health system.
• You can invest the money in your HSA.

Per-paycheck premiums for medical insurance

The chart shows how much you will pay out of your paycheck for medical insurance, along with the larger portion paid by the health system to support each employee.

If your spouse is offered medical insurance through their employer, you will pay an extra $50 per paycheck if you add them as a covered dependent on your medical plan.