Enrollment for employee healthcare plans are scheduled to be open from Oct. 24 to Nov. 10, following a series of town hall meetings concerning the University’s decision to replace Health Net and PacifiCare with the new Blue Shield Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO).

Employee plans with Health Net and PacifiCare will be replaced by the Blue Shield EPO on Jan. 1, according to the Stanford Benefits Office.

The benefits Office held town hall meetings throughout September to discuss the upcoming changes. The meetings were held at the Clark Center, Tresidder Memorial Union, Hopkins Marine Station and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, among other locations.

Employees with Health Net and PacifiCare were encouraged to check that their doctors and prescriptions fall under the Blue Shield Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Network and the company’s Drug Formulary.

Employees who enroll in the new plan will not be required to select a primary care physician, as they will be able to see specialists and network doctors without referrals. The patient, however, will be responsible for obtaining preauthorization for non-elective and non-emergency procedures.

Stanford will continue to offer the Blue Shield PPO and Blue Shield High-Deductible PPO health care plans, as well as a Kaiser Permanente Health Maintenance Organization (HMO).

The Benefits Office recently mailed the third of four newsletters about the upcoming changes.

Other changes include a Blue Shield expanded care management program and optional Health Equity health savings accounts (HSA), with a contribution from Stanford, for employees enrolled in the Blue Shield High-Deductible PPO.

Employees who complete the confidential Stanford Health and Lifestyle Assessment (SHALA) and Wellness profile by Nov. 30 will be eligible under the BeWell Employee Incentive Program for discounts on their 2012 health care plan premiums.

– Margaret Rawson