Premera Updates
Beginning January 1, 2026, Premera members will no longer have access to Doctor
on Demand or BestBeginnings. Doctor on Demand will be replaced with 98point6. There
is not a replacement currently for Best Beginnings; however, members can call the
24/7 nurse hotline for prenatal support. Letters have been sent from Premera to anyone
who used either Doctor on Demand or BestBeginnings in the last 12 months.
More information can be found in our news article or by referencing the "General Telemedicine and Virtual Care" or the "Pregnancy & Childbirth" down menu's below.
Medical Plan
The University of Alaska partners with Premera to provide UA employees with three
medical plans including the Premium, High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), and Copay
plan. The Copay plan is available beginning July 1, 2025.
Medical Plan Enrollment
- Benefit-eligible employees working a minimum of 20 hours per week
- Temporary employees who meet the hours worked requirement (check with HR Coordinator or visit the temporary employee webpage)
- Eligible if enrolled in same plan as the employee
- Review our dependent page for more information
- Review the new employee webpage
- 30 day deadline from hire date to enroll or opt out
- If no form submitted, defaulted into Copay medical, Basic dental, and vision for employee-only coverage
- Review the qualifying life events page
- 30 day deadline from life event (60 days for birth or adoption)
- Late forms not accepted
- Check with HR Coordinator
- Visit the temporary employee webpage
- Submit form by 5:00pm on the Thursday prior to the end of their first pay period
- If submitted later but within the 30 day requirement, coverage begins on the first day of the pay period the form is submitted
- Submit form on or before the day of the event
- If submitted after the day of the event but within the 30 day requirement (60 for birth/adoption), coverage begins on the day the forms is submitted
- End of the pay period in which an employee (1) separates from the University or (2) ends coverage due to a life event
- Review our life event or offboarding page for more information
- Review our Arrears FAQ page for more information
- Employees can view arrears balance at any time on UAOnline > "Employee Dashboard" > "Arrears Balance" (located on the right side under the blue
timesheet button).
1-866-486-8242 | assist@touchcare.com | TouchCare webpage
- Comparing UA medical plans for the best option medically/financially
- Price comparisons for services (like an x-ray)
- Assistance with medical billing - general questions on bills, advocacy with Premera on incorrect bills, etc.
1-800-722-1471 | Sign into Premera portal and send a secure email
- Issues logging into Premera Portal
- Confirm prior authorizations
- Medical travel
1-800-877-7195
- Issues logging into the VSP portal
- Confirm prior authorizations
- Print VSP card
Accredo (owned by ExpressScripts) | 1-800-689-6592
SaveonSP | 1-800-683-1074
- Specialty Medications
- ua-benefits@alaska.edu
- (907) 450-8242
- Meet with Us
Available Plans
Includes biweekly premiums, deductible, out-of-pocket maximums, and Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for each plan.
- $150.61 employee
- $325.40 employee+spouse
- $232.78 employee+children
- $420.66 employee+family
- $1,400 individual
- $4,200 family
- $5,000 individual
- $10,000 family
- $54.38 employee
- $116.02 employee+spouse
- $80.34 employee+children
- $146.27 employee+family
Copays do not count toward the deductible.
- $40 to see a primary care physician (PCP)
- $60 to see a specialist
- $75 to go to urgent care
- $4,000 individual
- $8,000 family
- $6,000 individual
- $12,000 family
- $72.19 employee
- $152.28 employee+spouse
- $103.07 employee+children
- $186.59 employee+family
- $2,200 individual
- $4,400 family
The individual and family deductibles work differently with the HDHP. If more than one person is covered on the HDHP, the family deductible applies.
- $6,000 individual
- $8,150 family
Medical Plan Standard Costs
All Plans
- Covered at no cost to members
- Review the preventive benefits flyer for an overview of covered services
Covered at a set percent after deductible is met.
- In-network: 80% covered
- Out-of-network: 60% covered
Copay does not count toward deductible.
- In-network: $40
- Out-of-network: 40% after deductible is met
Covered at a set percent after deductible is met.
- In-network: 80% covered
- Out-of-network: 60% covered
Copay does not count toward deductible.
- In-network: $60
- Out-of-network: 40% after deductible is met
All plans
- Covered at a set percent after deductible is met
- In-network: 80% covered
- Out-of-network: 60% covered
Covered at a set percent after deductible is met.
- In-network: 80% covered
- Out-of-network: 60% covered
Copay does not count toward deductible.
- In-network: $40 PCP / $60 Specialist
- Out-of-network: 40% after deductible is met
Covered at a set percent after deductible is met.
- In-network: 80% covered
- Out-of-network (hospital): 80% covered
- Out-of-network (free-standing): 60% covered
Copay does not count toward deductible.
- In-network: $75
- Out-of-network (hospital): 80% covered
- Out-of-network (free-standing): 60% covered
All plans
- Covered at a set percent after deductible is met
- In-network: 80% covered
- Out-of-network (hospital): 80% covered
Medical Plan Providers & Support
Prenatal Care
- Pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions are covered on the same basis as any
other condition for all female members.
- Screening and diagnostic procedures during pregnancy
- Related genetic counseling when medically necessary
- Medically necessary services and supplies related to home births
- Inpatient hospital services for up to 48 hours after a vaginal birth and 96 hours after a cesarean birth
- Preventative services include:
- Breastfeeding counseling, including hospital-grade breast pump rental if medically necessary
- Maternity diagnostic screening
- Screening for gestational diabetes
- Purchase of a standard electric breast pump
To access Prenatal Care:
- Call the 24-Hour NurseLine at 1-800-841-8343
- Available to employees and covered dependents on a UA Choice Medical Plan
- Travel within or outside Alaska (to nearest in-network provider) when care or diagnosis needed and there are no local providers
- Up to three (3) round trips via air
- Airfare is paid for by member and reimbursed via medical claim form
- Only cost of airfare reimbursed (no meals, hotels, etc)
-
Benefit is limited to the patient only unless the patient is a minor under the age of 18. A minor can be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
To access Medical Access Travel:
- Call Premera's customer service at 1-800-364-2994
- Available to employees and covered dependents on a UA Choice Medical Plan
- Travel outside of Alaska for certain elective procedures as a cost savings measure
- Available for wide variety of elective procedures but does not include office visits, routine care, or dental care
- Travel and accommodation concierge services through dedicated phone line and service unit
- Care coordination and problem solving between case managers and customer support
- Steerage to high-value, lower-cost providers
To access Elective Procedure Travel:
- Call Premera's customer service at 1-800-364-2994
- Available to employees and covered dependents on a UA Choice Medical Plan
- Travel outside of Alaska for certain specialty procedures as a cost savings measure
- Air travel for employees and a companion, black car services from the airport to hotel, and lodging at a select Virginia Mason hotel (up to IRS limits).
- Partnered with Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle to deliver better patient outcomes at affordable prices
- Enhanced support services for certain specialty procedures
- Total joint replacements (knee & hip)
- Spine surgeries
- Gynecological procedures
- Bundled payment arrangements for eligible specialty medical procedures which include:
- Pre-surgical consultations and related services
- Hospitalization, surgery, and related inpatient care
- Post-surgical checkups
-
Employee cost shares (deductible and coinsurance) waived (except the HDHP which can’t be waived)
To access COE Travel:
- Call Premera's dedicated COE customer service line at 1-800-995-2420
Video chat with a doctor for urgent care when sick, or for preventive health and chronic condition care. Get started with 98point6 by visiting the Premera MyCare app and locating it under the "find care" section.
Speak to an in-network provider via the telehealth services offered through the specific provider's office
Speak to a registered nurse for non-emergent situations via the number on the back of the Premera member ID card
- Available to employees and covered dependents on a UA Choice Health Plan
- Connect to therapists and psychiatrists by video, phone call, and text
- Cost is about the same for about the same cost as an in-person visit
To access TalkSpace:
- Sign up for Talkspace at Premera's dedicated TalkSpace website
- Get matched with a therapist
- Start messaging right away
Available to employees and covered dependents (over the age of 6) on a UA Choice Health Plan
- Support for mental health therapy via phone or video chat
- Psychiatric medication management also available for those over the age of 18
To access Spring Health:
- Download Premera's app from the app store
- Locate Spring Health in the "Find Care" section of the app
Livongo - Powered by Teladoc
- Offered at no cost to University employees and covered dependents who are enrolled in a UA Choice Health Plan and meet the criteria for the program(s).
- Provides whole person support and medical supplies for diabetes, diabetes prevention, hypertension, and advanced weight management.
- Visit the Teladoc website to check your eligibility and join one (or more) of these programs now at no cost
to you!
- Go to UA's dedicated Teladoc website
- Click on "Check my Eligibility"
- Complete the information as requested
- Check the box labeled "(Optional) I received a Teladoc Health code" and use the registration code UOFAK
Phone: (800) - 835-2362 | Registration code: UOFAK
Additional Resources/Information:
Omada (virtual)*
- Physical therapy for joint and muscle health
- Log in to Premera's app to connect with in-network providers with Omada
*Omada will no longer be available on a UA Choice Plan after June 30, 2026. More information will be provided as we move closer to that date.
Evicore
- Outpatient rehabilitation management program
- Available on all UA Choice Medical Plans
- Helps members get the right care for their condition to avoid unnecessary treatments
and costs
- Work with your doctor to have them submit your case through Evicore for review
Boulder Care
- An estimated 2.1 million people in the U.S. have an opioid use disorder (OUD)
- Only 17.5% of people who need substance abuse treatment receive it
- The most cited reasons for not seeking treatment are
- Time off work
- Affordability
- Finding a provider
- Stigma
- Boulder Care is delivered through video visits and messaging
- Patients work with a team of specialists over an easy-to-access, secure and robust telemedicine platform, to receive individualized private care
To access BoulderCare:
- Get connected with a professional today by visiting Boulder Care's website
On October 29, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury jointly released the Transparency in Coverage final rule. One of the requirements of the rule that group health plans and issuers must meet is to make certain price information accessible to plan participants and other stakeholders. This is known as the Public Access Requirement. For more information, please visit Premera's dedicated Transparency in Coverage website.
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