Category Archives: Postdoc Benefits

Postdoc Benefits

Aetna Emergency and Urgent Care Information

Please visit people.rice.edu for more information about medical and dental insurance at Rice University.

As winter recess ends, the benefits team would like to wish you a safe and healthy new year! Should you need to seek Urgent or Emergency Care, please keep in mind the following information:

Aetna Mobile Application – We encourage you to add the Aetna Mobile App to your smart phone. The app has a feature that will locate the closest urgent care center, walk-in clinic, or emergency room based on your current location. You can learn more about this application here: Aetna Mobile.

Aetna Navigator & Member Services – You have a lot of information that you can access through www.Aetna.com.

· Search in-network physicians, hospitals, dentists, behavioral health providers www.Aetna.com/docfind

· Register with Aetna – you must be a participant

· View claims

· Request a new ID card

· Change primary care physicians

Aetna Concierge Member Services is also available to assist participants of the faculty and staff medical plan: 800-905-7670.

Emergency Services – Knowing when to go to the Emergency Room or not can be a tough decision. The definition of an Emergency is “fear of loss or limb.” A car crash, signs of a heart attack, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, and stroke symptoms are example of obvious emergencies that a person should seek Emergency Care for. Some common illness that may not require Emergency Care could be a rash, minor cut, fever, or a non-life threatening issue. If you are uncertain of what to do, call your physician. Most primary care and pediatricians have on call answering services that will put you in touch with your doctor. You also can consider using the Walk-in Clinics, Baylor Express Care, or an Urgent Care Center (see below for a few local providers).

Walk-in Clinics – Local Walk-In Clinics are part of the network. It seems like in any 5 miles radius, there is a pharmacy on the corner! CVS’s MinuteClinic, Walgreens Take Care Health and HEB’s RediClinic all have nurse practitioners that can treat you, and are in Aetna’s network. To view a listing, see the following: Walk In Clinics.

Baylor Express Care Center – Rice still maintains a relationship with the Baylor Express Care Center. The center offers treatment of minor illnesses and injuries for employees, residents, students, fellows, and their families. Appointments are recommended and the clinic strives for same day service! 713-798-9355.

Baylor Clinic

6620 Main Street

12th Floor, Suite 1250

Houston, Texas 77030

Doctor Express – Doctors Express is a local Urgent Care Center that many people at Rice have utilized and shared positives experiences. They have two local centers that are in-network and they have weekend hours:

Doctors Express Doctors Express – Washington Heights

5568 Weslayan Street 107 Yale Street, suite 200
Houston, TX 77005 Houston, TX 77070

Urgent Care for Kids – You may have seen the Urgent Care For Kids location on Kirby Drive (behind Shoe Doctor). This pediatric Urgent Care facility is in-network with our Aetna plan (HMO, POS, and HDHP) and are open weekends! Phone: 713-522-6800. www.UrgentCarekids.com.

Urgent Care for Kids Houston Hours: Weekdays: 3pm-10pm and Weekends: 9am-9pm
Address:
5215 Kirby Drive Suite B
Houston, TX77005

Other commonly used Urgent Care Centers near Houston:

Nightlight Pediatric Urgent Care: http://www.nightlightpediatrics.com/

MedSpring Urgent Care: http://medspring.com/texas/houston-urgent-care

PrimeUrgent Care: http://www.primeuc.com/en/pearland-urgent-care.php

Postdoc Benefits

BeneBytes

Affordable Care Act, Rice, and You

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires a tax form 1095 to be provided to every individual who participates in a medical insurance plan. If you were in a benefits eligible position at Rice during calendar year 2015 you will be mailed a 1095-C form to your home address, whether you participated in one of Rice’s medical insurance plans or not. Rice will send Form 1095-C since the University is self-insured. You may receive another Form 1095-A, B or C if you had coverage outside of Rice at any time during the calendar year.

The ACA requires employers to provide employees with an annual summary of employer-sponsored health benefits offered. Form 1095-C will include three different parts:

  • Part I lists information about you and Rice.
  • Part II lists codes for each month to show if you were eligible for health benefits. The back of the form lists what each code means.
  • Part III lists each person covered by the health benefits, including which months they were covered.

Form 1095-C is important because it tells the government you had qualifying health coverage, also called minimum essential coverage during the year. Individuals who do not have qualifying coverage for each month or don’t qualify for an exemption may be subject to pay a penalty under the shared responsibility provisions under the ACA. The form will include information for you and any eligible dependents enrolled in the plan. The IRS will use the information from these forms and a Form 1094-C that Rice will send directly to the IRS to confirm who had health coverage during the calendar year.

Watch for your forms to arrive in your mailbox by February 1, 2016. Please make sure your address is updated in Esther www.esther.rice.edu.

If you had health insurance through Rice in 2015 you will not need the 1095 form to file your taxes. You’ll just have a copy of the 1095 form to keep with your tax documents which serves as proof that you had qualifying health coverage.

Regardless of whether you need the form to file your taxes, you should still check to make sure the information is correct. Review all eligible dependents and for what months during the year they had coverage. Rice has partnered with Tango Health to send out the 1095-C form to employees and a portal will be available for re-prints and to submit correction requests. More information on the portal will be sent out to Rice medical insurance eligible employees.

Esther

Make sure your address is current in Esther. Rice uses this information to communicate directly with you. Important information as well as documents like the W-2 Tax and 1095-C forms will be sent to the address in Esther.  Your user id is your employee id and there is a Forgot PIN? Button if you need a reminder!

Wellness

Get a jump start on your New Year’s Resolutions and sign up for the Healthy Rice, Healthy Life wellness portal if you have not done so already. The site will help you reach your wellness goals; there are tools such as trackers for physical activities, healthy eating, stress and wellbeing as well as others. There are also Tips of the Day like the one below to help encourage you on your wellness journey.

Fantastic Fiber

Fiber is a key ingredient for good health. It comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble. Insoluble fiber sources such as whole grains, many fruits and vegetables and wheat bran may help remedy constipation or stool irregularity. Oatmeal, barley, nuts, seeds and legumes are good sources of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is associated with lowering cholesterol, which can help prevent heart disease. Both types of fiber have different, but important, health benefits. It is best to choose a variety of high-fiber foods each day. Remember to increase fiber slowly and drink sufficient fluids. Source: National Library of Medicine

                THE POWER OF TWO

If you are a very social person, finding an upbeat workout partner can be a great way to maintain or increase physical activity. Positive people tend to be encouraging and bring out the best in one another. This can positively affect your attitude and increase your desire to come back for more. Pick a day and time to walk with a neighbor or meet a friend to work out at the gym. You won’t want to let them down so you will be more likely to stick with your commitment. Plus, catching up as you work out can make the time fly by! Source:  HealthFitness

Helpful numbers

Aetna Concierge (medical plans):                             1 800 905 7670
Aetna Dental:                                                                    1 877 238 6200
Aetna (vision through Eyemed):                               1 800 793 8616
Bright Horizons (back-up care):                                  1 877 242 2737
Envision Rx (prescription service):                            1 800 361 4542
Fidelity:                                                                                1 800 343 0860
Payflex (health savings account):                              1 800 284 4885
TIAA-CREF:                                                                         1 888 842 7782
Unum (short/long term disability):                           1 888 857 0157
UTEAP (employee assistance program):                1 800 346 3549
Wageworks (flexible spending accounts):             1 877 924 3967
Wageworks (COBRA):                                                    1 877 502 6272
Wellness Manager:                                                            713 348 3538

QUESTIONS?

You can access additional information regarding your Rice benefits at http://people.rice.edu/benefits.aspx. The benefits team is here to assist you as well, remember one call to 713-348-2363 or one email to benefits@rice.edu is all it takes!

Verónica Villaseñor
Benefits Specialist
Rice University
6100 Main St. MS-92
Houston, TX 77005
713 348 3557