Health Plans: Before you Choose, Know

Jan 16, 2002 3:44 PM

BASIC FACTS

Before you decide which plan is right for you and your family, we recommend that you study the city’s detailed Summary Program Description booklet. It’s available from your payroll secretary or the Department of Education’s Bureau of Health and Welfare Services at 65 Court St., Brooklyn. Each plan also issues its own informational material (see last section of this booklet for contact information).
To make your choice easier, the UFT’s Welfare Fund each fall sends chapter leaders our Summary Comparison of Health Plans Chart to post on UFT bulletin boards. It also runs in the New York Teacher and is available all year long at www.uft.org/welfare.cfm (click on “comparison of health plans” in the list at the right of your screen).

How do I choose among the plans?

Each plan has its benefits and drawbacks, so we recommend three sets of considerations as you search for the plan that will give you the coverage you want at the price you can afford:

• What are the individual medical needs of you and your family? If you have a young family, you might emphasize maternity or pediatric benefits. If you have problems with your feet, look for the best podiatric care. As your needs change, you can change your plan.• Who are the physicians and what are the hospitals affiliated with the plan? If you want to continue treatment with a physician you’ve been seeing, you should check to see if you can continue coverage through a plan. Another consideration is whether your local hospital, where your local physicians are likely to have privileges, is affiliated with a plan you are considering. Telephone numbers for each plan are listed at the end of this brochure so you can check hospital affiliations and get a list of participating physicians.• How does the plan fit into your budget?