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Global CI has made arrangements with Blue Cross / Blue Shield of MD for medical coverage. Two of these plans are HSA (Health Savings Accounts). These are high deductible plans that have savings accounts coupled with them to pay these deductibles. The following PDF files are the options and summaries of these plans. There is still a traditional PPO plan as well.

Here are the new premiums between the plans. Please be sure to double check the cost's here.

Option 1 - Most Expensive	Option 2 - Cheaper	Option 3 - Least Expensive
Blue Preferred PPO	Blue Preferred HSA	Blue Choice HMO HSA
Summary of Benefits	Summary of Benefits	Summary of Benefits
Rx Summary	Rx Summary	Rx Summary
Vision Summary Added this year!
CareFirst Site Info	CareFirst Site Info	CareFirst Site Info
	HSA Member Book	HSA Member Book
PPO Enrollment App	HSA Enrollment App	HMO HSA Application
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Blue Choice Waiver

The HSA is intended to shift more of the cost and control of the health care dollars to the member. In a traditional plan you pay for the insurance up front and incur that premium cost whether you actually need to use the benefit or not. This results in a higher premium that is shared amongst all members of the plan equally based on classification (i.e. single, family, etc.) regardless of whether they use the benefit.

The HSA lowers the cost of the premium because the member will be responsible for all medical costs out of pocket (High deductible) until the actual "insurance plan" kicks in. For a simple conceptual example, if you elect an HSA plan that has a $1,200 deductible the member is responsible for paying the first $1,200 they incur for medical expenses before the insurance benefit actually kicks in. In this scenario under the traditional plan I may have been paying $450 per month for my coverage. Under an HSA plan it may be $260 per month because they are not covering the first $1,200 in expenses.

The company that sponsors the plan may elect (Global CI will) to contribute to a "savings account" to offset some of that $1,200 expense that the member is liable for. The member may also contribute to this "savings account' tax free in an effort to funds future expenses. The member controls the dollars once they are placed in the savings accounts and these accounts carry their balances forward year after year if a balance exists. This is where the HSA differs from Flexible Spending Accounts. There are limits to the amounts that both the company and member can contribute. Make sure you understand these limits.

So the HSA is intended to make the member make wise decisions about their medical care because they actually control the first $1,200 that is being spent. For example, if I have a cold do I want to go to the urgent care facility and spend $150 or go to the drug store and spend $10 on some decongestant. If I don't use the money this year in my savings account I will have more available next year for some future illness.

FAQ's:

• If you choose a HSA plan, Global CI will pay 50% of the premium.
• The monies deposited into your account is yours. It never goes away. If you have a $1,200 deductible, each pay cycle we will both put in $50. By years end there will be $1,200 in the account.
• The family deductible is aggregate (example $2400 can be met by one or all insured’s in the family)
• All services go towards the deductible (except preventive care) including prescriptions
• The fund can be utilized for Qualified Medical Expenses (213d) however expenses that normally would not be covered under your medical plan that are qualified medical expenses(i.e.: dental, vision, OTC medications just to name a few) will not count towards the deductible