• BCBS ACCESS FOR EMPLOYEES LIVING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

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• AFA Local Numbers

BCBS ACCESS FOR EMPLOYEES LIVING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

The Company has sent the following letter to all US Airways employees living in the Western Pennsylvania area. The letter details the ability to choose to continue coverage with United Health Care (UHC) or return to Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). This change was due to the fact that network access to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) was unavailable to those enrolled with UHC. This was a substantial reduction in coverage that did not meet the standard of providing coverage in a particular area similar to prior coverage. Since there was no viable alternatives for the Western Pennsylvania employees the decision was made to allow a re-enrollment with BCBS.

We understand there are other areas of the country where employees have had difficulty with UHC. The Company must be able to provide suitable and reasonable coverage in all parts of the country where employees reside. The Company does not have to make sure that an employee's physician/ health care provider participates in the UHC network but does have to make sure there are reasonable and viable alternatives.

If you are having problems associated with securing reasonable alternatives if your former physician/health care provider is not part of the UHC network please contact your local AFA office.

Please note that the enrollment period is very brief. It commences on July 13 and closes on July 20th.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
The US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA


To US Airways Employees Living in Western Pennsylvania:


After our merger in 2005, we began to combine our systems, processes, policies and plans. While some of that work continues today, one very understandably emotional piece of our integration was that of combining healthcare providers.

Overall our move to United Health Care (UHC) has been very successful for employees throughout our system, including most of you. For some employees located in Western Pennsylvania, however, a missing element in UHC coverage is network access to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) network. This is a key unique element of the prior coverage offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS).

Based on this feedback, and after months of unsuccessful negotiations with UHC and UPMC to achieve access to UPMC for our employees, we have decided to reopen the enrollment for employees living in Western Pennsylvania and offer a choice between continued coverage in UHC or movement back to BCBS.

So what do I need to do today?

If you want to remain in UHC and retain existing UHC coverage, you do not need to do anything. Stop reading here and drop this letter in the nearest recycle bin.

If you want to move to BCBS, you must log onto the eBenefits website (eBenefitsUS.com) and enroll between July 13 - 20. Coverage would begin August 1 so the enrollment period is very short in order to give us time to get all necessary data into the system and to BCBS.

What Happens to Current Deductible Balances I've Already Achieved with UHC?

Deductible balances will be transferred from UHC to Blue Cross Blue Shield, so payments that count toward your annual deductible will be applied to the new plan. If you have already met your deductible for 2007 no further payments toward the deductible will be required. The transfer of these balances may take some time, especially when payments are in the process of being sent and posted, so we ask that employees be patient while this transfer is completed.

Further details, will be posted on Compass and theHub, including information about the plan and how to sign up for the Blue Cross coverage if you choose to do so and a schedule of upcoming information sessions.

If you have questions, please contact us at employee.benefits@usairways.com.

Thanks for your feedback. We look forward to continuing to work together to provide the best benefits possible to our employees and their families.


Sincerely,

Linda M. Wallack
Managing Director,
Compensation & Benefits Plans & Systems

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Accessing The Hub:

http://thehub.usairways.com 
Logging in the first time your user name is u0(zero) and your five digit employee number. Your initial password is the first five digits of your social security number. Questions about the Hub? Please contact the EDS Help Desk at 336-744-6000 for assistance. More information can also be found HERE.

AFA Local Numbers

Council 40 PIT 724-695-3329
Council 41 DCA 703-212-8090
Council 69 BOS 781-289-8454
Council 70 PHL 215-492-0840
Council 82 LGA 315-736-3483
Council 89 CLT 704-527-0325

New Hotline Number Toll Free: 866-USA-AFA2
US AIRWAYS Benefits Information 800-872-4780

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