Good Morning, Team! 

I hope that your week is wrapping up well. I know that February can feel like one of the most challenging months of the school year. Please do what you can to take care of yourself at this busy time of the year. I appreciate your dedication to our students and our mission, and I’m honored that I get to support this amazing team. 

I’m reaching out today with a very important update related to the DSST medical insurance plans. Effective March 1, 2023, all DSST team members who are enrolled in medical will move to the Aetna Open Access network (the larger, expanded, network of care providers) as we are moving away from the Aetna APCN Network. 

Why the change now? 

In direct response to team member feedback, DSST had already made the decision to move to the larger, Aetna Open Access network for all team members next school year (see Bill’s email from 1/23/23). In recent weeks, it has become apparent that this move to expand the network needed to happen sooner rather than later. Many of our teammates on the APCN network were experiencing significant challenges finding in-network and consistent care due to the emerging limitations of the network. These limitations were causing a substantial burden to team members and the network, necessitating an earlier-than-anticipated change.

What does this mean for me if I was on the APCN Network? 

If you were on the APCN network, this means that effective March 1, 2023, you now have access to Aetna’s expanded list of doctors (Open Access Network–POS II). If you were already seeing medical providers on the APCN network, you can continue to see those providers, and you will also have access to the expanded Aetna network: 

• You will see this change reflected in Workday in your Benefits tab showing your benefits enrollment on 3/1. 
• You may continue using your existing medical insurance card until you receive an updated one in the mail. Note: Only your network of doctors is changing (expanding). Your member ID will remain the same. By the end of March, you will get a new ID card in the mail and you will notice that your digital insurance card on the Quantum portal will also update. Remember, you can always obtain a digital copy of your card on the Quantum portal at www.mydsst.com. 
• Please note that DSST is absorbing the premium difference so you will not see an increase in the monthly cost of your benefits premiums for the remainder of this plan year. There will be no change to deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums for the current plan year ending June 30, 2023.

What does this mean for me if I was already on the Open Access Network (POS II)? 

If you were already on the Open Access Network (POS II), your network of care will not change. Additionally, starting March 1, 2023, your benefits premiums will decrease, as there are no longer two distinct networks of doctors and everyone will pay the lower premiums previously associated with the old APCN network. You will see this reflected on your March 15 paycheck. The new premiums will be as follows: 

Where can I access information on benefits, including verifying that my medical doctors are in-network? 

You can continue to find information related to medical, dental, vision and additional benefits on the DSST Benefits Site. An important step is downloading the Quantum Health app (MyQHealth - Care Coordinators in the app store) and setting up your profile. Through this tool, you can find care providers, download a digital version of your insurance card, view claims and bills and connect with a care coordinator via phone, chat or secure message that provides individualized support.

Where can I see which doctors are on Aetna’s Open Access (POS II) network?  

You can search providers by using the Meritain/Aetna Provider Search. You will enter your zip code and desired search radius and then choose: “Aetna Choice POS II (Open Access)” as the plan. On the following screen, you can search by provider or practice name. As always, you should also verify with the provider when scheduling that their network has not changed and they are still working with the Aetna Open Access POS II plan.

Where do I go if I still have questions? 

If you have questions or if there’s other information or support we can provide, please reach out to humanresources@scienceandtech.org.

While this change occurred earlier than we anticipated, we are committed to ensuring that each team member feels supported through this transition. Healthcare is crucial to your well-being, and we have worked hard to identify plans and tools that provide quality care to you and your family. As the third trimester gets underway, the Human Capital team is hard at work preparing for next school year and the open enrollment cycle to ensure we can continue offering the best benefits possible. You will see us again on campuses in May as we start open enrollment for the 2023-24 school year, but please do not hesitate to reach out if there is support we can offer in the meantime.

Thanks for all you do, 

Ashley