Benefits - New for 2025

In January of 2024, the Benefits department held town halls regarding the financial overview of the state of our medical plans.  MCCCD has a self-funded medical plan, which means that we pay for all of our own medical costs from employee premiums and employer contributions.  These funds are deposited into a Health Funding Account. Because we had not increased employee medical premiums or employer contributions in the past seven (7) years, we held a Special Medical Only Open Enrollment in April 2024 with premium increases that became effective July 1, 2024. 

Working with the Employee Benefits Advisory Committee (EBAC), the recommendation to make additional changes to not only our medical premiums but also medical coverages became necessary to keep costs from jumping too high, too fast. The goal for 2025 is to have a cost share of 10.6% paid by the employee in their premiums.  To do this, MCCCD had to make adjustments to certain levels of coverage that are shown in the tables below. 

Below are the EPO Plus (Core) Plan, Open Access POS II (Buy-Up) Plan, and Prescription Drug Plan benefit plan design changes. Changes for 2025 are in Blue. 

Core and Buy Up Include: 

• Additional Pair Benefit: 40% off + $100 allowance at PP ($50 at other providers)

• $0 copay for Standard Progressives, Child Polycarbonate, and Retinal Imaging Coverage

Effective January 1, 2025, the number of sessions per issue will be reduced from ten (10) to six (6) sessions with a mental health counselor. First responders will continue to receive twelve (12) sessions per issue. 

Wellness Incentive Credits (WIC) Redesign Philosophy

The Maricopa County Community College District aims to implement a redesign of the wellness incentive credits program, promoting employee engagement through a variety of wellness activities to achieve improved wellness outcomes for employees and their families.

WIC Redesign Project Update

• The WIC Redesign Project Team is nearing the end of the formal competitive bid process for procuring a district-wide wellness engagement platform.  

• An interim solution to begin the 2025 plan year has been developed to ensure continuity of service. 

Wellness Incentive Credits Interim Solution Effective January 1, 2025

• No change to the non-tobacco credit at $30/month for completing the survey/attestation

• Redesign of the health risk credit at $20/month. Employees enrolled in the MCCCD medical plan must complete an annual Primary Care Physician preventive health visit or biometric screen.

Effective January 1, 2025, until the WIC Engagement Platform is implemented – tentatively end of March, 2025.

Biometric screens help you identify and monitor (over time) any concerning health conditions and include assessments of Cholesterol, Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, Height, Weight, BMI, and Waist Circumference. They promote engagement in preventive health so you can make educated decisions about your healthcare. 

If you choose to see your PCP for an annual preventive visit, MCCCD will get confirmation from Banner|Aetna. Updates will not include protected health information but will only show if a PCP preventive visit was completed. Benefits will contact you to inform you whether MCCCD has received confirmation.

If there are changes to FSA Limits, the IRS will typically release the updated limits in late Fall.

If you wish to enroll in or continue contributing to an FSA, you must elect and confirm your enrollment for 2025. 

Annual Acknowledgements & Disclosures

MCCCD has updated the Annual Benefits Legal Notices in our Benefits Guides. These Annual Notices have been at the end of the guide each year. In order to make them easier for our employees to find, we are taking them out of the guide and publishing them on our existing Benefits Forms, Documents, and Links webpage. 

The Annual Acknowledgements & Disclosures typically include the following information:

• Important Plan Information, including the “No Surprises Rule,” Plan Documents including the Plan Summaries, Health Plan Notices, COBRA Continuation Coverage, Availability of Privacy Practices Notices, and ACA Disclaimer

• Medicare Part D Notice

• Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act

• Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act

• HIPAA Notice of Special Enrollment Rights

• Premium Assistance under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)