TERMS & CONDITIONS

Your Social Security number is required for purposes of benefit plan administration, for financial reporting, to verify your identity, or for legally required reporting purposes, all in compliance with federal and state laws.

As a participant in UC-sponsored plans, you are subject to the following terms and conditions:

1. With the exception of benefits provided by Optum Health, UC-sponsored medical plans require resolution of disputes through arbitration. With regard to each plan, IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT ANY DISPUTE AS TO MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, THAT IS AS TO WHETHER ANY MEDICAL SERVICES RENDERED UNDER THE CONTRACT WERE UNNECESSARY OR UNAUTHORIZED OR WERE IMPROPERLY, NEGLIGENTLY OR INCOMPETENTLY RENDERED, WILL BE DETERMINED BY SUBMISSION TO ARBITRATION AS PROVIDED BY CALIFORNIA LAW, AND NOT BY A LAWSUIT OR RESORT TO COURT PROCESS EXCEPT AS CALIFORNIA LAW PROVIDES FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ARBITRATION PROCEEDINGS.  BOTH PARTIES TO THE CONTRACT, BY ENTERING INTO IT, ARE GIVING UP THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO HAVE ANY SUCH DISPUTE DECIDED IN A COURT OF LAW BEFORE A JURY, AND INSTEAD ARE ACCEPTING THE USE OF ARBITRATION. For more information about each plan's arbitration provision, please see the appropriate plan booklet or call the plan.
2. UC and UC health plan vendors comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other federal/state regulations related to the privacy of personal health information. To fulfill their contracted responsibilities and services, health plans and associated service vendors may share UC member health information between and among each other within the limits established by HIPAA and federal/state regulations for purposes of health care operations, payment, and treatment.  A member’s requested restriction on the sharing of specified protected health information for health care operations, payment and treatment will be honored as required by HIPAA. 
3. By making an election with your written or electronic signature, you are authorizing the University to take deductions from your earnings (employees)/monthly Retirement Plan income (retirees) to cover your contributions toward the monthly costs, if any, for the plans you have chosen for yourself and your eligible family members.  You are also authorizing UC to transmit your enrollment demographic data to the plans in which you are enrolled. 
4. You are subject to all terms and conditions of the UC-sponsored plans in which you are enrolled as stated in the plan booklets and  the University of California Group Insurance Regulations.
5. By enrolling individuals as your family members, you are certifying that those individuals are eligible for coverage based on the definitions and rules specified in the University of California Group Insurance Regulations and described in UC publications, "Group Insurance Eligibility Factsheet for Employees and Eligible Family Members" and "Group Insurance Eligibility Factsheet for Retirees and Eligible Family Members".  You are also certifying, under penalty of perjury, that all the information you provide regarding the individuals you enroll is true to the best of your knowledge.   
6. If you enroll individuals as your family members you must provide, upon request, documentation verifying that those individuals are eligible for coverage. The carrier may also require documentation verifying  eligibility. Verification documentation includes but is not limited to marriage or birth certificates, domestic partner verification, adoption papers, tax records, and the like..
7. If your enrolled family member loses eligibility for UC-sponsored coverage (for example, because of divorce or loss of eligible child status), you must notify UC by de-enrolling that individual. If you wish to make a permitted change in your health or flexible spending account coverage, you must notify UC within 31 days of the eligibility loss event, although for purposes of COBRA eligibility, notice may be provided to UC within 60 days of the family member’s loss of coverage,  However, regardless of the timing of notice to UC, coverage for the ineligible family member will end on the last day of the month in which the eligibility loss event occurs (subject to any continued coverage option available and elected.)    
8. Making false statements about satisfying eligibility criteria, failing to timely notify the University of a family member’s loss of eligibility, or failing to provide verification documentation when requested may lead to de-enrollment of the affected family members. In addition, employees/retirees may be subject to disciplinary action and de-enrollment from health benefits for a period of up to 12 months and may be responsible for any UC-paid premiums due to enrollment of ineligible individuals.
9. Under current state and federal tax laws, the value of the contribution UC makes toward the cost of health coverage provided to certain family members who are not your “dependents” under state and federal tax rules may be considered imputed income that will be subject to income taxes, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and any other required payroll taxes.
10. If you specifically ask UC representatives to intercede on your behalf with your insurance plan, University representatives will request the minimum necessary protected health information required to assist you with your problem. If more protected health information is needed to solve your problem, in compliance with state laws and federal privacy laws, including HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), you may be required to sign an authorization allowing UC to provide the insurance plan with relevant protected health information or authorizing the insurance plan to release such information to the University representative.
11. Actions you take during Open Enrollment will be effective the following January 1, unless otherwise stated - provided all electronic and form transactions have been completed properly and submitted timely.

* Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. Anthem Blue Cross and Anthem Blue Cross Life and Health Insurance Company are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Association.

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By authority of The Regents, University of California Human Resources, located in Oakland, administers all benefit plans in accordance with applicable plan documents and regulations, custodial agreements, University of California Group Insurance Regulations, group insurance contracts, and state and federal laws. No person is authorized to provide benefits information not contained in these source documents, and information not contained in these source documents cannot be relied upon as having been authorized by The Regents. Source documents are available for inspection upon request (1-800-888-8267). What is written here does not constitute a guarantee of plan coverage or benefits--particular rules and eligibility requirements must be met before benefits can be received

The University of California intends to continue the benefits described here indefinitely; however, the benefits of all employees, retirees, and plan beneficiaries are subject to change or termination at the time of contract renewal or at any other time by the University or other governing authorities. The University also reserves the right to determine new premiums, employer contributions and monthly costs at any time. Health and welfare benefits are not accrued or vested benefit entitlements. UC's contribution toward the monthly cost of the coverage is determined by UC and may change or stop altogether, and may be affected by the state of California's annual budget appropriation. If you belong to an exclusively represented bargaining unit, some of your benefits may differ from the ones described here. For more information, employees should contact your Human Resources Office and retirees should call UC Customer Service (1-800-888-8267).

In conformance with applicable law and University policy, the University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Please send inquiries regarding the University's affirmative action and equal opportunity policies for staff to Systemwide AA/EEO Policy Coordinator, University of California, Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, CA 94607, and for faculty to Associate Director of Academic Personnel, University of California Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94607.