Summary - 2000 Benefits Survey

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT

We received 503 surveys from members who took the survey posted on the Trust's website from November 3-16. While not a valid scientific sample (it's less than 1% of our total population), the results are respectable: this was our first attempt to use a web-only survey, and the response rate was almost the same as 1998, when we offered a benefits survey on paper, phone or web. Big thanks to all of you who helped to keep survey costs down, while still offering up a lot of valuable input.

REVIEW OF THE SURVEY

The survey asked members how long they'd worked for the State, and which Union represented them, but that was all the personal information asked. It asked how satisfied members were with all Trust benefits, and then how satisfied they were with dental or vision. Next, it asked which areas the Trust should improve in dental and vision by priority, and offered members the opportunity to rank possible new plans the Trust could add (long-term care, a portable/permanent life insurance, or the write-in benefit of the member's choice). To get the best sense of order of importance, the members had a final opportunity to rank order improvements to dental or vision versus adding a new plan. Finally, members were asked for all other input on their Trust-sponsored benefits or anything else we needed to know.

WHO TOOK THE SURVEY

The little demographic information we collected tracked very closely with actual membership numbers. We had 82% OCSEA, 13% 1199/SEIU, 2% OSTA, 1.2% FOP, 1.4% SCOPE/OEA, and .2% CWA. Additionally, we had 74% respondents with 5 or more years of service, 20% with 1-4 years of service and 6% with less than a year of service. Taken together, we can look at the input with some confidence, knowing that little skewing has occurred (though the results are still not scientifically valid).

HOW CURRENT BENEFITS RATED

We found that a majority of respondents are satisfied with their Trust-sponsored benefits (60% including both "satisfied" and "very satisfied" rankings), but the satisfaction ratings for dental and vision are lower (45% and 43%, respectively). The dissatisfaction ratings are highest for the dental benefits at 37% (including both "dissatisfied" and "very dissatisfied" rankings), followed by 30% in vision. The charts below break out this information, including the ratings for the neutral and don't know responses.

Top Dental Priority

• A higher annual maximum

62% of the respondents are willing to pay toward their top dental priority being enacted

The higher annual maximum was chosen as the first priority, and most frequently selected as a priority in the remainder of the rankings. In order, the next priorities respondents want us to work on are increasing coverage for crowns and dentures, enhancing preventive services and increasing the orthodontic maximum. The top three priorities were staggered evenly by overall selection (4% between each ranking), but orthodontic maximum was a distant fourth.

Top Vision Priority

• Yearly exam/lenses and frames

63% willing to pay toward their top vision priority being enacted

The combination of yearly exam/lenses and frames was chosen as the first priority, and most frequently selected as a priority in the remainder of the rankings. In order, the next priorities respondents want us to work on are adding lens options, higher frame allowance and yearly exam/lenses. The yearly exam/lenses option came in as the fourth priority in the rankings, but some respondents may have split their vote with the most popular option of yearly exam/lenses and frames. When examining rankings versus overall frequency of responses, the higher frame allowance moves ahead of the lens option selection. In the open-ended area, several comments of respondents support that both are important, and respondents wearing contacts may have caused this flip-flop, as they were unsure as to how to respond. (We'll make sure we provide answering instructions for contact wearers next time.)

Top New Benefit Priorities

• Long-term care, but additional life insurance (portable, cash value) was a close second, write-ins were a distant third

The survey noted that these benefits would be completely member-paid.

The rankings very clearly stated that long-term care was the top priority, but additional life was a concern. Some respondents wrote in that they weren't aware that they didn't have permanent life coverage or that they thought the term life would be adequate. Some frequently suggested new member-paid benefits were: legal plans, lasik surgery, hearing aids and a supplemental disability plan. However, the more popular responses were to make specific improvements to the dental and vision plans.

Top Overall Priorities

1. Dental Improvements
2. Vision Improvements
3. Long-term Care Plan Added
4. Additional Life Insurance Added
5. Other

The ranking of the top overall priorities offered a final affirmation of what the satisfaction ratings and intensity of the rankings indicated earlier in this summary. This direction is also repeated by the respondents who offered input in the open-ended section.

RESPONDENTS' COMMENTS

Many respondents said they were interested in expanding the plans, but not at the risk of losing current benefits because the coverage was pretty good overall. Others said we should seriously examine the dental and vision plans because they needed attention, especially the networks in non-metropolitan areas. Some asked specific questions about claims, for dental and vision, as well as medical. And we had many people who just simply thanked us for offering the survey. The top categories of comments included:

• Improve the dental network (11%)
• Counties/areas mentioned were Marion, Findlay, Richland, Noble, Union and Wood. The need to attract specialists to the network was also included.
• Increase vision coverage (10%)
• Annual materials and exams, increasing the frame allowance, lens options for both glasses and contacts and contact dispensation length were most often mentioned
• Medical/Prescription/Mental Health (9%)
• In the next Trust Talk, we'll address that we don't offer any of these plans…and we will also forward all the comments/concerns collected to the JHCC that does steer these plans.
• Enhance dental coverage (7%)
• Improving the orthodontic benefit, increasing the annual maximum and increasing crown/bridge and denture coverage were most often mentioned. Other suggestions including lowering the deductible, increasing the number of preventive services allowed, adding a fluoridation supplement.
• Thank you (6%)
• We have good coverage (4%)
• Keep up the good work (4%)
• Add Long-term care/Home health care (3%)
• Add a portable/permanent life insurance plan (3%)
• Enhance the vision network (2%)
• Add Lasik as a covered benefit (2%)
• Add coverage that offers special consideration for medical conditions that impact dental/vision care (2%)

The other comments, perhaps mentioned by one or two respondents, fell into several broad categories, wherein respondents: discussed communications and customer service, offered additional insight to your opinion of the insurance companies or your coverage, and introduced other issues or plans that the Trust might handle. The respondents stated: our website is good, some plans have poor customer service, more communication would be appreciated, the Trust should not change anything or the Trust should "keep their hands off the plans," the newsletter is disorganized, we should explore adding benefits/discounts for hearing aid, parking or work uniform coverage, "Met is bad," we should offer medical benefits for preventive/screening for medical conditions members are exposed to because of their jobs, we should cover TMJ care, we should look at retiree plans or supplements, cancer benefit plans, legal plans, deferred comp plans, MSAs or FSAs, and finally, we should address contract issues like sick and disability leave, getting more funding for the Trust so that benefits are on par with exempts, family vs. single coverage levels, coordination of benefits and extending benefits to domestic partners or dependent children until out of school (regardless of age).

The Trust does not receive funding from dues, but rather is funded by an arrangement made in collective bargaining between the State and your Union. We do not bargain for funding; your Unions do. Your Unions also fight for you on policy issues and medical coverage within the collective bargaining agreements. We will share your comments with them so that they can incorporateyour input into their planning for the next round of collective bargaining in 2003.

We thank every participant very much. If you took the survey and would like to have a specific issue you raised addressed directly, please contact us (participation was anonymous; unless you gave us a way to contact you, we don't know how else to reach you).

The Trustees will use all of this input to evaluate benefits for future open enrollment periods. You may even see some changes in time for spring 2001.