Special Edition: July 8, 2008

• Reminder: Enrollment benefits fairs are July 9, 17
• Annual benefits enrollment runs July 1-31
• Several OB/GYN UTSelect plan practices end participation
• It's not too late: Join the challenge toward better health
• UTSA will change banks Aug. 1
• Reminder: Fiscal year-end purchasing dates

Reminder: Enrollment benefits fairs are July 9, 17

A benefits information fair is set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Wednesday, July 9 in the John Peace Library Assembly Room (4.03.08) on the 1604 Campus. A 10 a.m. presentation by Blue Cross/Blue Shield will be in Spanish only. All employees can visit with benefits and insurance vendors throughout the day.

Other benefits information fairs are 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Thursday, July 17 at the University Center Retama Auditorium (2.02.02) and galleria on the 1604 Campus, and Frio Street Building Room 2.534 on the Downtown Campus. A 10 a.m. presentation in English by Blue Cross/Blue Shield will be simulcast at the Downtown Campus venue.

At the information fairs, employees can visit with UTSA benefits staff and representatives from UT System Office of Employee Benefits, Blue Cross/Blue Shield (UT Select), Medco (prescription drugs), Delta Dental, Assurant Dental, Superior Vision, Fort Dearborn (life insurance), The Hartford (short- and long-term disability insurance,) PayFlex (UT Flex) and CNA Long Term Care. Also at the fairs, there will be retirement benefits representatives from AIG, Fidelity, ING, Lincoln, MetLife and TIAA-CREF.

Annual benefits enrollment runs July 1-31

Annual enrollment for fiscal year 2009 benefits runs July 1-31. Download a Word document with details on annual enrollment meetings, benefits information fairs and other details. During July, benefits-eligible employees and retirees can make online benefit changes using UT Touch. Changes will be effective Sept. 1, 2008.

Employees must make these elections each year during annual enrollment:

• UT Flex for medical and dependent day care
• PayFlex

Several OB/GYN UTSelect plan practices end participation

As of June 30, three OB/GYN practices terminated their participation with the UT Select (BCBSTX) health insurance plan. They continue as in-network providers. The three former plan participants are:

• Women Partners in OB/GYN (6 providers)
• Northeast OB/GYN Associates (14 providers)
• Institute for Women's Health (23 providers)

For in-network benefits, employees can select from approximately 140 OB/GYN providers in Bexar County. Visit the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Web site for a current list of in-network providers.

It's not too late: Join the challenge toward better health

If you want more energy for work and play, want to feel less stressed and want to achieve healthier weight management goals, register today for the six-week UT System Ultimate Challenge. (Indicate UTSA in address #2 when registering. E-mail benefits@utsa.edu after registering and receive a free pedometer.)

The UT System institution with the highest participation (based on percentage of employees) and improvement (based on percentage of improvement) will win the "America On the Move UT System Ultimate Challenge" traveling trophy.

UTSA will change banks Aug. 1

Effective Aug. 1, the UTSA institutional banking provider will change from Bank of America (BOA) to JPMorgan Chase. For most of the UTSA community, this will be a transparent change.

• For employees who receive pay via direct deposit, nothing will change except the payment will be deposited by Chase instead of BOA.
• Employees who receive a UTSA paper paycheck will notice that the checks are drawn on a Chase account, rather than BOA.

For updated instructions, staff members who provide students with instructions for transferring tuition payments directly from their banks should contact Financial Services at 458-4221. Additionally, staff members who work with third parties or granting agencies that wire funds to UTSA should notify these parties of the change.

Staff members using a BOA endorsement stamp for checks deposited at the Office of Fiscal Services must contact Mary Ann Shaughnessy at 458-4235 to request a new Chase endorsement stamp.

In order to process outstanding checks, the UTSA account with BOA will remain open for six months. To avoid a return, anyone with a UTSA check drawn on a BOA account should deposit it as soon as possible.

More information: Gary Lott, director of financial services, 458-4221

Reminder: Fiscal year-end purchasing dates

The purchasing office revised year-end purchasing dates to allow sufficient time to make important last-minute purchases. There will be additional reminders concerning the end-of-year PBO (small-dollar purchase order) process. The important dates are:

• Aug. 13: Last day to create a PBO using fiscal year 2008 funds
• Aug. 15: Last day for final approval of a PBO using fiscal year 2008 funds
• The deadline for ProCard use for the fiscal year will be in August; a date is to be announced.

More information: Deby Bailey, Disbursements and Travel Services, 458-5915

FY 2008 UTSA Holiday Schedule

Training and Development Classes

UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures

UTSA Calendar

Payroll Calendar

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Read more at UTSA Today, the official UTSA news source.

Editor: Tim Brownlee, Assistant Director of Public Affairs