News

1/17/2024

Along with a new health insurance provider (Blue Cross Blue Shield) Wespath has partnered with Quantum Health to provide Care Coordinators who are ready and waiting to help HealthFlex participants navigate their health care in 2024. Care Coordinators provide expert consultation to help HealthFlex participants use their benefits as efficiently and effectively as possible, improve overall health care experience, and reduce your health care costs. Care Coordinators are available at (833) ...

11/2/2023

November 1-16 is annual enrollment time for HealthFlex participants. Elections you make during this period will take effect on January 1, 2024.  To get started, log onto Benefits Access to view the Benefits Access Annual Election Page. Note that if you are currently making contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Savings Account (FSA), or Dependent Care Account (DCA), to continue contributing to those accounts in 2024 you must elect them during annual enrollment. These do not ...

4/30/2018

This year’s Blueprint for Wellness screenings for HealthFlex participants are open through July 31, 2018; and you can earn $100 PulseCash and up to 120 Wellness Points! Every year, HealthFlex participants and their spouses complete their Blueprint for Wellness diagnostic screening. Screenings are an important way to identify areas for improvement, so health concerns can be addressed before they become more serious. You can gain valuable information about your health including your heart, ...

11/13/2017

HealthFlex participants, you'll want to make the best choice for your health insurance for the coming year. HealthFlex Open Enrollment is available through Thursday, November 16. ALEX, an online "benefits counselor" from WesPath, can help you evaluate the plans. Especially important to consider are price increases in 2018 over 2017. Try ALEX at https://www.myalex.com/healthflex/2018/northgeorgia#intro  To begin making your Open Enrollment selections, visit www.wespath.org and sign into ...

10/25/2017

HealthFlex Participants are encouraged to use ALEX, an online "Benefits Counselor" provided by HealthFlex to assist us in choosing the best option for health insurance as we approach Open Enrollment time. Open enrollment for 2017 is November 1 to 16.  Find ALEX at https://www.myalex.com/healthflex/2018/northgeorgia#intro

8/31/2017

North Georgia United Methodists have access to a free resources for coping after a storm or flooding. Wespath has offered the services of Optum, the Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) provider for HealthFlex. Optum has put together resources for natural disasters and makes them available to our Annual Conferences free of charge. You do not need to be covered by HealthFlex to use these services. Optum is also offering a free emotional support help line for people impacted by Hurricane Irma. This...

1/20/2017

The Conference Benefits Office provides the following update to all 2017 HealthFlex Participants who have elected dental or vision benfits: TO ALL 2017 HEALTHFLEX PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE ELECTED DENTAL OR VISION BENEFITS: DENTAL benefits are provided by Cigna.  Please note that Cigna will not be mailing ID cards to members of the dental plan. You may download an ID card by going to www.myCigna.com. On the card you will find your personal identification number.  Without a personal identification ...

8/28/2016

UnitedHealthcare and Piedmont Healthcare have reached a three-year agreement that will keep all Piedmont Healthcare hospitals and physicians in UnitedHealthcare’s network for commercial health plans, including the plan that covers North Georgia Conference HealthFlex participants. The new contract is retroactive to July 1, 2016, ensuring members enrolled in UnitedHealthcare employer-sponsored plans do not experience any interruption in their in-network benefits coverage for services received at ...

8/24/2015

Take HQ by September 30—Save $ Use Your Smartphone, Tablet or Computer HealthFlex participants and spouses should take the HQ online health risk assessment between August 1 – September 30, 2015. (Please note: If you took the HQ prior to August 1, you must retake it before September 30 to avoid the higher deductible.) By taking the HQ, you: 1. Avoid paying $250 or $500 extra on your 2016 medical plan deductible. 2. Learn how to improve your health so you can be at your best.  3. Learn about ...

5/28/2015

Earn $100 HealthCase and Up to 120 Wellness Points This year's Blueprint for Wellness screenings will be available to HealthFlex participants and spouses. As an incentive, $100 HealthCash as well as Wellness Points will be offered.   The screening can be taken at no cost between April 1 and July 31 at a local Quest Diagnostics, but will be offered on-site at 2015 Annual Conference in Athens.  Registration is strongly recommended for the on-site event as walk-in availability is very limited. ...

12/18/2014

Thanks to the generosity of donors around the world and right here in the North Georgia Conference, The Central Conference Pensions Initiative achieved its $25 million challenge goal late last year. In fact, $26.7 million has been raised to date and $5.1 million in investment earnings have already been distributed to support Central Conference Pensions participants.  The successful effort will fund pensions for Central Conference clergy, who without this support would have little or nothing in ...

7/29/2014

Take the HealthQuotient between August 1st and September 30th to save money on your medical deductible. HealthQuotient (HQ) is an online health risk assessment, it is also step 2 of the HealthFlex “Three Steps to Wellness.” HQ identifies potential areas to improve your well-being and directs you to wellness resources available at no cost through HealthFlex, including personalized health coaching.   Participants can avoid paying $250 extra on individual deductibles or $500 extra on family ...

4/3/2014

This year’s Blueprint for Wellness pays off more than ever. HealthFlex participants will earn $100 HealthCash, plus up to 90 Wellness Points depending on your screening results. You’ll also gain personalized data on 30 health factors. The Quest Diagnostics Blueprint for Wellness screening involves a single blood draw, followed by lab analysis including blood glucose, cholesterol, hemoglobin and much more. Test results provide valuable information about heart disease risk, diabetes risk (or ...

11/6/2013

HealthFlex Annual Election Is Open October 30-November 14 Elections you make during this period will apply to your 2014 health benefits. Annual Election is your only opportunity to:*   Select your 2014 plan coverage—if your plan sponsor offers more than one medical plan. Select a dental plan—if your plan sponsor offers more than one dental plan through HealthFlex. Make flexible spending account (FSA) elections and enjoy pre-tax savings in 2014. Your 2013 FSA elections will not roll over for ...

11/6/2013

Late last week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published Notice 2013-71 which modified the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule for health flexible spending accounts (health FSAs). The Notice generally allows employer-provided cafeteria plans to be amended to provide a carryover of up to $500 of unused amounts in a participant’s health FSA into a subsequent plan year. The $500 carryover amounts may come from employer or employee contributions. The carryover amount may be applied only in the year ...

10/30/2013

A special fund for North Georgia United Methodists offers help to those who are in need of eye-related care. The Louise D. Park Eye Fund is available to provide assistance for care which will diminish the likelihood of blindness - for instance cataract and macular degeneration treatment.    Pastors are encouraged to inform low income persons, retired pastors, and others who might need help with eye care costs of this available assistance.    Guidelines that govern usage of the fund are below. ...

11/27/2012

Starting Nov. 27, the North Georgia Conference is offering churches the option to make apportionment, special offering and benefits payments online. Funds can be drawn from any bank account by submitting an online remittance form through NGUMC Data Services. Payments will be processed through Suntrust Bank's Online ePay Manager System. Three North Georgia churches volunteered to test the process and have successfully used the system for several months leading up to opening the option to all ...

11/5/2012

All active clergy and any enrolled lay employees:  Annual Election is your only opportunity to make changes for your 2013 health benefits. From now through November 20 (date extended due to Atlantic Storm Sandy), you can:   Make flexible spending account (FSA) elections to enjoy this pretax savings in 2013. Your 2012 FSA elections will not roll over for next year. Read Understanding FSAs on the WebMD login page to learn more. Select your medical plan for 2013 - if your plan sponsor offers ...

8/29/2012

It is time once again for all HealthFlex insurance participants to take the HQ -- or have their insurance premiums raised. The Health Quotient (HQ) is an online health survey and must be completed between August 1 and September 30 to maintain deductible levels of $750/$1500 for 2013. (If both participant and covered spouse do not complete the HQ by Sept. 30, deductibles will be increased for that all coverage of that participant.)   If you took the HQ before August 1, you must retake it to ...