Health Advocate. Effective beginning Fall 2023, adjunct or part-time faculty shall have access to the Health Advocate program.
Health Advocate. Commencing July 1, 2014, the Board will contract, at its own cost, with a service to help unit members navigate the health insurance plan, at a cost of no more than $20 per covered employee per year.
Health Advocate. Health Advocate, a leading provider of the kind of services provided by this program, will make available by phone or online 24/7 individuals who are typically seasoned registered nurses or experienced benefits specialists, on a voluntary and member initiated basis, to help resolve a number of issues, including, but not limited to: • Finding the right in-network doctors and hospitals • Scheduling appointments • Coordinating expert second opinions • Resolving insurance claims and medical billing issues • Obtaining approvals for needed services from insurance companies • Finding treatment for complex and serious diagnoses • Explaining insurance plan options and enrollment • Transferring medical records, X-rays and lab results • Researching the latest approaches to care • Coordinating services during and after a hospital stay End-of-Life Counseling Vital Decisions' end-of-life counseling programs will be made available to Plan members on a voluntary and member-initiated basis. These programs utilize both telephonic and technology-enabled solutions that provide a compassionate, patient centered experience that readies a patient for relevant end-of-life decision-making. The programs are designed to improve the quality of the communication and shared decision-making processes for Plan members with advanced illness (life expectancy of one year or less), their family and their physicians. The improvement of these processes is achieved by assisting the individuals to overcome the inherent barriers and obstacles that normally prevent them from effectively communicating their quality of life priorities to their family and physicians and participating in making significant end-of-life decisions. Core principles of Vital Decisions' program strategy and methods are: • Care decisions should reflect the personal quality of life priorities and values of the individual especially during the time of complex or serious illness. • Behavioral Economics and Behavior Change Science should be selectively and effectively utilized to achieve high quality values communications and a shared decision-making process that integrate a patient's values. • The member should understand that he/she is the key to success and focus of improving the processes.
