Your Health Plan Coverage on Vacation

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Before you pack your bags and hit the road on vacation, take this one important precaution—call your health care provider.

The Department of Human Resources’ Benefits Division recommends adding this task to your pre-travel plans so that you understand your health coverage away from home and get the recommended vaccinations for international travel.

While you plan to be healthy while traveling, you should also be prepared! After all, accidents and illness can happen anywhere.

UnitedHealthcare members are urged to call the VEBA Advocacy Team at 888-276-0250.

Know ahead of time what’s covered and what’s not. While many plans may provide out-of-network coverage when you travel outside of the U.S., the way services are paid for can be different, according to UnitedHealthcare. Doctors and hospitals in other countries will commonly expect you to pay up front before starting treatment. Most likely, you will need to keep careful records and submit everything for reimbursement when you get home.

A trip abroad can be the trip of a lifetime. Keep it a healthy one. UnitedHealthcare offers these travel health tips:

  • Talk to your doctor at least six weeks before you go so you have time to get any necessary immunizations.

  • Find out about health concerns at your destination by checking reports issued by the Centers for Disease Control.

  • You can’t be certain about food safety in some countries. To avoid foodborne illness, you may want to drink bottled water, eat only food that is cooked or served hot, avoid raw fruits and vegetables except those you can peel, and avoid food from street vendors.

  • Don’t let jet lag ruin your trip. If you’re crossing time zones, it’s best to get your body moving into the new rhythm as soon as possible.

Kaiser Permanente members can call the Away from Home Travel Line at 951-268-3900.

In addition, KP offers a few pre-travel tips for members:

  • Make sure your immunizations are up to date, including your yearly flu shot.

  • Learn about immunizations required for international travel. If you’re leaving the country, ask your doctor or local travel clinic about vaccinations or medications you may need.

  • Refill your prescriptions, including contact lenses, to have enough while you’re away. Be sure to refill at least 1 or 2 weeks before your trip so there’s time to process your request.

  • If you travel by plane, keep your prescription medications with you in your carry-on baggage.

  • Before your trip, register with kp.org so you can see your health information online and email your doctor’s office with non-urgent questions.

  • “Visit” your doctor. Video appointments are available for members—even while on vacation. To make an appointment call 1-800-290-5000.

  • Pack your Kaiser Permanente card. It has important phone numbers on the back.

  • Save the Away from Home Travel Line number 951-268-3900 to your cellphone, you’ll have it handy in case you need it.

Safe travels and don’t forget to check in with your healthcare provider before you leave! UHC members can call the VEBA Advocacy Team at 888-276-0250 or Kaiser members 951-268-3900.

For more information on employee benefits, visit the division on InSite.

Comic-Con: County Style

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San Diego’s largest convention is back this week, and self-proclaimed nerds are geeking out. In fact, we’ve had a few of our own Comic-Con extraordinaires here at the County! You can read up on how your colleagues have participated in the Comic-Con fun in the past:

Do you have a fun Comic-Con story? Do you dress up each year at work as your favorite superhero? Drop us a line or send us a photo – we’d love to hear from you County Comic-Connies out there.

County Shows Pride

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The County was full of pride this weekend. Five departments marched in the San Diego Pride Parade in Hillcrest Saturday: the District Attorney's Office, Office of the Public Defender, Probation Department, San Diego County Library and the Sheriff's Department.

In addition, the LGBT & Allies Association Employee Resource Group held a ceremony on Friday at the County Administration Center as the building was illuminated in rainbow lights.

See the full photo gallery and the news coverage of the lighting.

Administration Center building illuminated in rainbow lights

Tips for Filing Flexible Spending Account Claims

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Filing a flexible spending and health reimbursement claim can be easy. Staff in the Department of Human Resources’ Benefits Division provided some tips and tricks to avoid issues with claims for Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs) and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DC FSAs).

If you follow these tips, filing claims will be a breeze!

Do it now! It’s a good idea to submit claims as you incur them throughout the year. While you have until March 31, 2019 to file 2018 claims, you don’t need to wait to get reimbursed for approved medical expenses. It’s your money after all. Just have your receipt ready—you’ll need the information on it.

There’s an app for that. Get the ASIFlex Mobile App to manager your claims. You can check your balance, submit claims and more from anywhere and at any time. It’s free and available in the Apple Store and Google Play.

Go green! Sign up for direct deposit and email or text notification to save time, money and the environment. Log in to your online account to make these elections or fax or mail this form.

Get paid now and maybe later too. While Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account claims can only be paid out for amounts actually contributed to your account year to date, this does not mean that you shouldn’t submit claims for more than your current balance.

You can get a partial reimbursement now and once the additional funds are contributed, the pending amount will be paid to you.

Here’s an example: You send your son to summer daycare. It costs $400, but you’ve only contributed $300 to your Dependent Care FSA so far this year. You can file the claim for the full $400 now and get the $300 you contributed paid out now. Then once you’ve contributed the additional $100 from payroll deductions, that remaining balance will be paid out to you automatically.

If you submit the claim before waiting for your available balance to hit your expense amount—it saves you from forgetting, losing the receipt or spending the money elsewhere.

Don’t forget your dependent children. You can file a claim for your dependents—the key here is that they are certified in the ASIFlex system. This task must be completed every year and for every dependent. To certify your dependents you’ll need their date of birth, social security number and the name of the employer providing your health coverage. Here’s how.

Have additional questions about an FSA or HRA? Visit the Benefits Division on InSite.

PerkSpot Alert: Deals for Adventure Seekers

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These PerkSpot deals for County employees are sure to get your adrenaline pumping this summer!

Feel like you’re floating on air with 25 percent off at iFLY Indoor Skydiving facilities in Mission Valley and Oceanside. Reach new heights by saving more than 30 percent off lift tickets for Big Bear Mountain Resort’s Scenic Sky Chairlift that ascends through San Bernardino Forest. Be your own captain with Speed Boat Adventures – San Diego for more than 20 percent off rental fees. Or drop 80 feet down a waterslide at Aquatica for more than 25 percent off.

The fun doesn’t have to stop there. Put your hands up in the air, if you love roller coasters and sweet deals! Find discounted tickets to the following parks with rollercoasters on PerkSpot: up to 45 percent off Knott’s Berry Farm, up to 42 percent off Six Flags, up to 25 percent off Universal Studios Hollywood, and up to 29 percent off, plus the second day free at LEGOLAND California.

PerkSpot offers benefits and discounts through more than 400 service providers and retailers, from movie theaters to florists and jewelers. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop. If you are new, click on “Create an Account” to register.

Each month, one of the most popular PerkSpot deals will be highlighted on InSite.

Governor Appoints Sheriff Gore to State Board

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San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore has been appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to become one of the 13 members of the Board of State and Community Corrections.

The independent agency was created in 2012. Some of its duties include: implementing state regulations for California’s adult and juvenile detention systems; developing and maintaining data on California’s public safety realignment programs; developing standards to select and train corrections and probation officers; and administering millions of dollars in public safety grants.

The Sheriff’s Department released a statement saying Gore was honored to be appointed to an important leadership position that “provides leadership to adult and juvenile criminal justice systems as well as technical assistance on a wide range of community corrections issues across the state. In the last several years, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has instituted groundbreaking reentry programs and has opened award winning detention facilities.”

Gore’s appointment to the Board of State and Community Corrections requires confirmation from the State Senate. The position is non-paying.

How We Make San Diego a Great Place to Live… and Visit

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Summertime in San Diego, and the livin’ is… busy.

We get visitors all year round, but summer is the season we’re especially teeming with tourists. While we may not be crazy about the crowds, we know tourism is a major driver of the local economy. More than 35 million people came to the region last year, spending billions of dollars.

Although we’re not in the tourism business directly, County workers do things every day to make this a great place to live and a great place to visit. As we get into the thick of the summer I wanted to highlight some of the things you do collectively to make the season so enjoyable!  

Those of us who live inland know there’s more to San Diego than beaches, but let’s face it, surf and sand are our claim to fame. And that reputation rests on the water being clean for swimmers.

The County’s Department of Environmental Health has an extensive program to check water all along our coastline to make sure it is indeed safe. You don’t even need to get to your favorite beach to see the swimming conditions. Go to SDBeachInfo.com to receive water quality information from Oceanside to Imperial Beach! 

And if you want to skip the ocean and instead lounge by the pool, you can enjoy one of our public pools or spas without any worries.  DEH inspectors are hard at work there, too, ensuring water quality standards are met to keep you safe.

What about those summer barbecues, food trucks at picnics, or just plain summer dining out? While the chefs handle the flavor, our restaurant inspectors make sure every bite you eat is germ-free.

Mosquitoes and other summer pests? Yep, we help to minimize impacts associated with those lovable creatures through inspections, pesticide compliance and trappings.

Leaving town? Do you need a passport to go on that summer vacation? The County processed 27,000 passport applications this past year so that our residents could travel abroad to see their friends and relatives or explore cultures around the world.

How about enjoying a family park? We have campsites throughout our park system for an overnight staycation, summer camp activities for kids out of school or even movie nights for your family or a special date. And out on the hiking trails, our Sheriff’s department is helping those who run into trouble get back out safely.

We take no credit for our world famous weather, but we do play a part in keeping our skies blue. The Air Pollution Control District works with businesses to make sure they operate cleanly. It gives out millions of dollars in grants so customers can get trucks or other equipment that cut pollution in addition to constantly monitoring the air around the county. 

Did you sign up for one of our summer library reading programs? Kids and adults are logging some serious hours enjoying fiction and non-fiction literature as part of their summer down time. And soon-to-be kindergartners are participating in a 10-session program to help them prepare socially and academically for their formal academic journey.

Some of our social workers and community partners welcomed foster kids to their first ever summer camp experience. In some cases, siblings were re-united, while in other cases, friendships were initiated and lifetime memories were made. 

Summer travel requires extra trips to the gas pumps. Agriculture, Weights and Measures makes sure every gallon you pump is accounted for in your tank! They also make sure that those summer shorts and sandals you bought were scanned properly so that your credit card was charged accurately.

Our outdoor yoga classes, the Live Well 5K, nature hikes and sports fields help round out some healthy entertainment to cap off another great summer.  Our first responders keep each of these events safe while other county employees organize and execute them to the pure delight of our residents.

There’s so much that makes San Diego attractive, for anyone visiting or living here as we do. I hope you’ll have a chance to savor some of it yourselves over the next couple months. You set the bar for the quality of life our residents and visitors are enjoying this summer, and you deserve to enjoy it, too!

 

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