Warning!!!! My understanding based on the AON rep is that to use the money in the HRA you have to buy the Health Insurance through them!!! If you use an independent agent no HRA $$$. Better check on this. Also be sure to use the Zipcode where you live! You can use different Zipcodes but that premium won't apply to your residence.
This thought is not exactly related, but you would think that the rep. at the call center would put in the computer a summary of your conversation so that when you call back any other rep. would have some idea of your previous conversation.

Refer to question #14 on the AT&T FAQ's document that I posted a few days ago that states the following...

14. Can HRA credits be used to reimburse expenses incurred for plans that are not purchased through the Aon Exchange?


The HRA is established after an eligible individual enrolls in a medical and/or prescription drug plan through the Aon Exchange. Once the HRA is established, any eligible expenses that this individual submits for himself for reimbursement will be processed. For example, if the
Individual is enrolled in a prescription drug plan through the Aon Exchange and is enrolled in a Medigap plan outside of the Aon
Exchange, eligible expenses incurred under either plan may be reimbursed through the HRA. Note, however, that the premium auto-
reimbursement feature will not be available for non-Aon Exchange plans. Claims will need to be submitted manually.

Have a good weekend,
Bill

Hello,

I just happened to come across this forum. I'm a Benefits Advisor with Aon.

A few things you should know about your Benefits Advisors - we are overworked, generally disregarded by our company. It's a call center environment so many of us are suffering just as badly as you having to go through this transition. There are major concerns regarding whether or not we will be able to successfully enroll all 225,000 of you on time, if we have the capacity to do such a thing. If too many people cannot decide on their first call what they want for an insurance policy, it is likely we may not enroll all 225,000 before the end of November, which was our original goal (the deadline is still December 31).

Employee engagement (i.e. job satisfaction and work productivity) at our company is extremely low. While Aon has been trying to make improvements, there is a general disrespect for the Benefits Advisor, who is generally overworked, forced to work on days right before and right after major holidays (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's). Sometimes, though, its not just Aon that tends to disrespect us, but the retirees, too! We feel the heat from everyone, and we are tracked by CMS via our recorded calls, so if we do something incorrectly, we get fined or sent to hell. Then there's some jerkface on the other end of the call that's monitoring us and telling us how much we suck at our job. The job of your BA is rough. Our only saving grace is that many of us really do want to do what is in your best interest. The bad news is, however, that Aon's interests do not always coincide with us. Aon is only looking for the bottom line and to preserve their reputation at all times, even if that means withholding information from you, and from us. That's fairly obvious, or else we as Benefits Advisors would be much happier as they'd make more investments into our needs and involve us in their strategy. As if that would ever happen. We are just robotic drones which are generally not allowed to have an opinion or allowed to voice discontent. Except on message boards like these when we're safely anonymous.

Is Anyone Planning To Get Coverage Outside of AON
 

Medicare Advantage and Supplemental policies are available via AON Health Exchange but to qualify for and trigger the HRA one is not required to purchase a Medical through AON; the purchase of a Prescription Drug Plan through AON is sufficient.
Has anyone here seriously considered doing that and shopping for a Medical plan elsewhere?

Go Elsewhere
 

That would be logical. I am hesitant because I worked for Ma Bell for 30 yrs and know how they are. Basically I don't trust them and would hate to lose coverage because of wording of the "rules" of the plan. I can easily see them rescinding or otherwise negating the phrase "enroll in a medical and/or prescription drug plan".

I have read the Summary Plan Description and found the following on Page 7: "You must be an Eligible Former Employee to participate in the Program........
You are NOT eligible to participate in the Program if you are an Active Employee or an "Eligible Retired Employee" as defined in a collective bargaining agreement."

Can anyone explain to me exactly what that means?

Thanks!

At the bottom of page 5 of the SPD it says see the "Contact Information" section. That starts on page 40. Maybe 800-928-8027. Every year we renewed our health and other insurance without much difficulty. This time it couldn't be made more complicated.
I'm not sure what an Independent Agent has to offer. I've looked at the plans in the 2015 Medicare Handbook and online at the plans of some of the Big Name medicare insurers and I don't see a difference in pricing between those sources and the AON/Hewitt website. I mean there are name plans with "o" premium how can you get cheaper than that! The big variation appears to be copays and deductibles between plans. That affects pricing.

That makes sense to me. I'll check out the 2015 Medicare Handbook. Thanks!

How did you make out with your choices, what did you pick, also are you using Tricare for life as well and how was the prices for the coverage's on the list

My enrollment contact with an AON advisor went well and was a very positive experience. It was necessary for my wife and I to research the insurance plan information on the website to make a truly educated decision.
Regarding the AON employee experience, this seems to parallel a similar contact I had with Express Scripts. Some agents and management were helpful, others were not. Searching the internet employee comments reveal a similar on the job experience similar to yours. Sweat shop? I wonder if those call centers in India and the Philippines treat their employees the same way.