BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF MEETING

SEPTEMBER 23, 2004

[In these minutes: Employee Benefitsπ Announcements, Health Improvement as it Relates to the RFP]

[These minutes reflect discussion and debate at a meeting of a committee of the University Senate or Twin Cities Assembly; none of the comments, conclusions, or actions reported in these minutes represent the view of, nor are they binding on the Senate or Assembly, the Administration, or the Board of Regents.]

PRESENT: Gavin Watt (chair), Linda Aaker, Pam Wilson, Karen Wolterstorff, Peter Benner, Jody Ebert, Ronald Enger, Rhonda Jennen for Rita McCue, Don Cavalier, Joseph Jameson, Michael Marotteck, Carol Carrier, George Green, Carl Anderson, Susan Brorson, Don Harriss, Fred Morrison, Richard McGehee, Peh Ng, Theodor Litman, Rodney Loper, Dann Chapman, Keith Dunder

REGRETS: William Roberts, Carla Volkman-Lien, Gladys McKenzie

ABSENT: Frank Cerra

GUESTS: Watson Wyatt representatives Tamra Lair and Stephanie Pronk

OTHERS: Linda Blake, Ted Butler, Karen Chapin, Amos Deinard, Patti Dion, Jennifer Durocher, Shirley Kuehn, Kathy Pouliot, Ruth Rounds, Jackie Singer, Phyllis Walker

I). Gavin Watt called the meeting to order.

II). Employee Benefitsπ Announcements:

• Dann Chapman reported that Employee Benefits has prepared its second annual UPlan Report. This report was shared with the AWG last week and there are plans to present the report to the BAC at its September 30^th meeting. The report comes in two formats, a full report which is intended for AWG and BAC members and a summary document, which will be posted on the Employee Benefitsπ website for all employees to review.
• Ruth Rounds reported that the self-care books have been ordered and will be distributed to employees as part of a kit that will share information on nurse lines and clinic lines. This kit will also include information on websites, which have been identified as good resources for self-care information. Additionally, the kit will include a form for employees to complete, which asks them information about the resources in the kit. If employees take the time to look over the materials in the kit, complete the form and turn it in, they will receive a t-shirt.
• Ruth Rounds stated that a base-line health improvement survey will be conducted this fall. The purpose of the survey is to get a sense of the pulse of the Universityπs population and invite employees to share their needs and interests to guide in the development of a health improvement program.
• Ruth Rounds requested volunteers from the BAC who are interested in coming up with new wellness activities for the spring and in trying new wellness products to contact her. In terms of new activities, the Twin Cities campus hopes to able to have a farmers market next year.

III). At last weekπs BAC meeting, members agreed that health improvement/wellness should be an integral part of the UPlan. Karen Chapin of Employee Benefits provided members with background information on steps the University has taken to date to make this a reality. Then, Ruth Rounds shared with the Committee the objectives of the Universityπs health improvement program:

• Improve employee morale.
• Improve the productivity of employees and their dependents.
• Contain health care costs.
• Make the University a desirable place to work.

Members spent the remainder of the meeting discussing which elements of health improvement should be included in the RFP. Discussion highlights included:

• Offer employees equitable incentives to participate in a health risk appraisals (HRAs), lifestyle behavior change programs and disease management programs.
• Receive bids from both medical plan vendors and from broad program vendors related to HRAs, lifestyle behavior change programs and disease management programs.
• Do not mandate, but encourage health improvement program participation.
• Remove barriers (e.g. co-pays, etc.) for employees to participate in health risk assessments, lifestyle behavior change programs, and disease management programs.
• Strive to offer medical plans with integrated disease management programs.
• Investigate the feasibility of offering health decision support/health coaching (e.g. national nurse line) to UPlan members.
• Choose which health improvement programs should be included in the UPlan based on the Universityπs disease prevalence experience.
• Incent providers through UPlan contract language to move towards best practices.
• Health improvement is important and the UPlan should be willing to commit funds to it in order to achieve future savings.

IV). Gavin Watt noted that the two main agenda items for next weekπs meeting are:

• Plan design discussion
• UPlan Annual Report

Hearing no further business, Mr. Watt adjourned the meeting.

Renee Dempsey

University Senate