WEA Select - distinct advantages

WEA Select health insurance offers two new carriers 

WEA Select has changed our program to offer two insurance carriers, Aetna and UnitedHealthcare, effective with the new plan year, beginning Nov. 1, 2017. 

The purpose of expanding WEA Select was to better meet the stated needs of plan participants for better choices, lower cost and easy access to health care.

By providing two companies within WEA Select, we are creating incentives for the insurance carriers to compete on the basis of the type, quality  and price of health insurance plans offered. You can learn more about the providers, plans and networks by visiting www.weaselect.com.

Why WEA Select is best for our members’ health care

WEA Select provides real benefits to you, our members that other carriers simply cannot match. Specifically:

• A claims appeal process run by a committee of WEA educators, the Benefit Services Advisory Board, (BSAB). This unique claims appeal process is a cornerstone of the WEA Select Plan, and has improved access to care and saved money for many educators.
   
• One of the largest purchasing pools for insurance in the state, which allows us to significantly smooth out peaks and valleys in premiums that result from unpredictable claims costs. No other insurance provider can offer this same level of protection for educators and school districts against the impacts of unexpectedly large claims. All locals who have participated in our pool have benefited from it.
   
• A Rate Stabilization Fund – The RSF is a federally regulated trust that provides for a portion of our premiums to be invested for future use, typically to mitigate against rising premiums. The RSF has in the past buffered our members from large swings in insurance costs.
   
• WEA Select reflects union values. It is run by educators for the benefit of educators.  When we pool our resources, we are able to leverage our collective purchasing power for higher quality services and competitive rates, now and in the future. 

• Our new insurance companies have added several improvements to the plans, including: 
  • Top-rate, concierge-style customer service. 
  • No pre-approvals required for massage services. 
  • Access to free health and wellness programs and services.
  • Free “telemedicine,” with 24-hour access to talk with a doctor. 

• WEA Select is our program. It has been designed by our members for our members, school employees and our families. We have a proven track record of meeting and being responsive to the insurance and health care needs of educators for over 50 years. In fact, WEA Select was created to guarantee that all educators had access to health insurance regardless of where they live.