Ford is changing the way health care benefits are delivered to pre-Medicare salaried retirees, and those changes were reviewed at a recent meeting of Ford Retired Engineering Executives (FREE). 

Beginning Jan. 1, 2022, the current company-sponsored pre-Medicare salaried retiree health care plans – including medical, prescription drug and dental – will no longer be offered. Instead, Ford will contribute toward the cost of health care coverage in the form of a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), and retirees will have the option to use their HRA funds to get reimbursed for the cost of premiums for health care coverage purchased through a health insurance marketplace.

Why the change? Ford has been working to deliver the most valuable health care benefits possible to its pre-Medicare salaried retirees. Since 2006, Ford’s contribution to the cost of pre-Medicare salaried retiree health care has been capped at the same amount, leaving retirees to pay any increase above that amount (due to inflation and other market factors) in the form of increases to monthly contributions, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.

Ford will continue to contribute the same amount to retiree health care that it has since 2006; however, those funds will be provided in an HRA, effective Jan. 1, 2022. The annual funding (deposited in monthly installments) to the HRA is $6,000 for a retiree, $6,000 for their eligible spouse and $3,400 for each eligible child under the age of 26. The HRA can only be used for medical and dental plan premium reimbursement and it doesn’t roll over year to year.

Ford has partnered with Via Benefits Insurance Services to provide dedicated support for pre-Medicare salaried retirees’ health care plan decisions and retirees have a variety of plan options to choose from to fit their individual needs and budget.

Enrollment has been extended through Dec. 31 and pre-Medicare salaried retirees must enroll by Dec. 31 to avoid a lapse in coverage.

How to Enroll

Before you begin your enrollment, you are encouraged to create an account with Via Benefits. You will be asked for your name, date of birth and gender. Follow the online instructions from there. If you have already created an account, simply sign in.

There are two ways to enroll:

1. Enroll Online – Click here to enroll. Create and/or sign in to your Via Benefits account and make sure to have a list of your health care providers – doctors, pharmacies – and the prescription medicines you take handy so that you can create your Personal Profile. This information will help the system select the health care plans that best suit the needs of you and your family. Additional plans have been added to the website, including supplemental plans, so you can now view all plan options in one place. It’s a fast, safe and secure way to complete your enrollment if you are comfortable going online. There are also new tutorial videos to help you through the process. Simply scroll down to “Ford Educational Videos” and select the “Shop and Enroll Online” video.
2. Enroll by phone with a licensed benefit advisor – If you prefer to speak with a licensed benefit advisor to complete your enrollment, call Via Benefits at 1-833-363-FORD (3673) (TTY: 711). Benefit advisors are available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. ET. The best time to call, however, is Wednesday through Friday in the afternoon when call volume is lower. 

You can also make an appointment online to speak with someone over the phone. Once you’ve signed in to your Via Benefits account, click on “Speak to an Expert” to make an appointment. You will be given a phone number and asked to call Via Benefits on a specific day and time. When you call, the system will recognize your phone number and the next available representative will speak with you.   

To help make your phone call with a licensed benefit advisor easier and quicker, you are strongly encouraged to start your enrollment process prior to your call by clicking here and taking the following steps. Make sure to have a list of your health care providers – doctors, pharmacies – and the prescription medicines you take handy.   

1. Build your Personal Profile – Click on “Personal Profile” to add information about your doctors, pharmacies and the prescription drugs you take. Click here to watch a video that explains in detail how to Prepare to Enroll.
   
2. Choose your Funding – Click on “My Account” and select “Your Funding Decision.” There are two funding options. You can either use the Ford HRA to pay for your health insurance premiums or you may qualify for a Premium Tax Credit (PTC), a federal subsidy that helps pay for your health insurance premiums. The PTC is based mostly on your annual income and family size. Click on “Estimate my Eligibility” to find out how much federal funding you qualify for so that you can compare that amount to the HRA. Click here to watch a video that explains in detail how to Choose your Funding.
3. Research Plan Options – Completing your Personal Profile will help you select the plan that best suits the needs of you and your family. Click here to watch a video that explains in detail how to Shop and Enroll Online.

Message from Via Benefits: Via Benefits understands how critically important your health care coverage is to you. Your enrollment experience is important to us and we sincerely apologize for any delays or frustration you may have experienced over the past few weeks. To improve your experience, Via Benefits is offering extended shifts and overtime to call center staff until Dec. 31, 2021. We are also offering additional enrollment appointments exclusively for Ford retirees.

All of the tutorial videos mentioned above are available at the Via Benefits Marketplace under “Important Information.” For your convenience, all the videos are listed below:

• Prepare to Enroll
• Making your Funding Decision
• Shop and Enroll Online