Medical and Dental Plans

ARA offers comprehensive group medical and dental insurance for all regular full-time employees working at least 30 hours a week. The insurance is effective the first of the month coincident with or following your date of hire. You can choose between two medical plans - Indemnity or Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) and may switch plans at the beginning of each calendar year. 

ARA's Contribution

ARA pays 90 percent of the premium for you and 75 percent of the premium for your dependents for both plans.

Indemnity Plan

If you select the 80/20 Indemnity Plan you may go to any doctor or hospital you choose, anytime, anywhere without having to get a referral from a primary care provider. However, there is a pre-certification requirement for surgical procedures and hospitalizations. The plan reimburses 80 percent of covered allowable expenses after the annual deductible of $250 per person or $750 per family has been met.¹ The maximum out-of-pocket expenses per calendar year for the Indemnity Plan are $1,000 per participant and $2,000 per family. ¹

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

Under the PPO Plan, you must select health care providers from a network of approved physicians and hospitals. A $15 co-pay covers services in the provider's office, but does not cover any services outside the office (such as lab work or x-rays) or any supplies used in the office. Other in-network services covered by the plan are reimbursed at 80 percent after the annual deductible of $250 per person or $750 per family is met.¹ Charges for out-of-network services are paid at 60 percent after the deductible is met. The maximum out-of-pocket expenses per calendar year for the PPO Plan are $1,000 per participant and $2,000 per family within the network, or $2,000 per participant and $4,000 per family outside of the provider network. ¹

Prescription Card Service

Both health plans provide a Prescription Card Service benefit which includes a $5 co-pay for generic prescriptions and a $13 co-pay for name brand medications. There is also a mail-order option in which you can get a 90-day supply of medication mailed directly to your house for a single co-pay.

Dental Insurance

The Group Dental Plan associated with the Group Medical Plan allows you and your family to see any dentist you choose. The Plan pays preventive care at 100 percent of usual and customary charges with no deductible. Preventive care covers two cleanings per year, bitewing x-rays once a year, and full-mouth x-rays every 3 years. Restorative services, such as fillings, are reimbursed at 80 percent, and major services (e.g. crowns and dentures) are covered at 50 percent. Both restorative and major services have a deductible ($50 per person or $150 per family) that is separate from the medical deductible. The Plan requires pre-certification for services over $200 and has a maximum annual benefit of $1,000 per person.

Orthodontic Coverage: ARA provides orthodontia as a covered benefit to both dental plans - the Group Dental Plan associated with the Group Medical Plan and the Stand Alone Dental Plan for those employees opting for alternative health care coverage. Orthodontia is payable as 50/50 co-insurance like other major dental services. The $1,000 annual cap did not change. The Stand Alone Dental Plan has a $1,500 lifetime maximum payment for orthodontia services.

Alternate Coverage

ARA will pay for alternate medical coverage such as Tri-care, Tri-care supplemental, spousal plans, and retiree plans up to the company's cost for employee-only coverage for the Group Medical Plan ($241.62/mo. in CY 01). ARA will also provide dental insurance for you and your dependents through our Group Medical Plan if you elect alternate medical coverage. ARA pays the full cost of this dental insurance, so it must be included in the calculation of how much ARA will pay for the alternate medical coverage. Dependents may be included on both the alternate health and the stand-alone dental coverage.

¹Unallowed services and charges above usual and customary are extra.

ARA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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