Record numbers enroll in health, reimbursement benefits

Heather Webb believes good things come in small packages -- like the type that include Duke's new Health Care Reimbursement Card.

"I said, ‘Hallelujah, it's coming!' when I found out that the card would be offered for 2008," said Webb, associate director in Duke's Office of Sponsored Programs.

During Open Enrollment in October, Webb was one of 5,789 Duke faculty and staff who signed up for a health care reimbursement account -- an increase of 36 percent. The total amount contributed by faculty and staff to Health Care Reimbursement Accounts for 2008 is more than $8 million.

Benefits Director Lois Ann Green said the increase was the most significant change for 2008, and she attributes it in large part to the Health Care Card, which makes paying for eligible health care expenses more convenient. When an eligible purchase is made with the card, the amount is automatically deducted from an employee's Health Care Reimbursement Account. Eligible expenses include medically necessary dental, vision and doctors' fees, prescriptions and some over-the-counter drugs.

"Often, my health care expenses are one-time deals, so being able to swipe the card to pay for those things is a lot easier than filling out all the paper work that was previously necessary," Webb said.

Webb was also one of 9,271 faculty and staff who made changes to either health, dental, vision and/or reimbursement accounts during Open Enrollment. That's up from 8,247 the previous year. Green said several factors could have impacted enrollment, including a larger workforce and enhanced communications.

Duke's health plans cover more than 51,000 faculty, staff and their family members, representing a new record for enrollment. Overall, Duke's health care plans cover 90 percent of eligible faculty and staff; the national average is about 60 percent.

"Many of our faculty and staff have a choice between Duke's plans and those offered by an employer of a spouse or same-sex partner," Green said. "The fact that 90 percent of eligible faculty and staff are enrolled in one of our plans is a good indication that we have better coverage and lower cost compared to other employers in the area."

Open Enrollment survey results back up that theory. Nearly 94 percent of those surveyed said they believe Duke's health care plans provide coverage that meets their needs or the needs of their family. And 97 percent said health care and/or dependent care reimbursement accounts are valuable to them. Webb counts herself among them.