Health/Life Insurance
Western Oregon University, through the Public Employees Benefit Board, (PEBB) offers a comprehensive benefit plan for eligible employees and their families. This plan includes core benefits of medical, vision, dental, basic life insurance, as well as several optional benefits. Employees with other group medical or dental coverage may elect to opt-out of the medical and dental plans and receive limited cash back. You may also decline benefits entirely.
Eligible unclassified or classified employees, must enroll for a benefit plan within 30 days from date of eligibility. For new employees, this is the date you were hired. Benefits begin the first day of the month following hire date. Our plan year runs from January 1 to December 31. You may change your elections only during Open Enrollment in October, to be effective January 1 of the following year, unless you have a qualifying midyear change.
Our benefit premiums are paid a month in advance, so depending on the timing of your first paycheck you may have benefits taken out twice on your first paycheck. Eligible 9-month employees who are on the 9-month pay plan and are expected to return in the fall, will have their benefits tripled on their May paycheck each year to pay for summer benefit coverage. Additionally, if you don’t receive pay in September, your October paycheck will have benefits taken twice to pay for October and November benefit coverage.
Core Benefits
WOU’s PEBB Agency Number is 58020. Don’t know your PEBB Benefits number, or have other questions? Contact the Office of Human Resources at 503-838-8490 or Michelle Sides, Benefits Manager, at 503-838-9390. Click here for the Summary Plan Description.
Life Insurance
Benefit eligible employees will automatically receive $10,000 of basic life insurance coverage with enrollment through The Standard.
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
Basic Life Insurance
Phone: (800)628-8600
Policy Number: 606814-D
SafeTrip Travel Insurance
Included with basic life insurance plan.
US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, US Virgin Islands Call: 800-527-0218
All Other Countries (Call collect.): 410-453-6330
SafeTrip Website
Medical Coverage
Employees may choose between five medical plans: You pay 5% of the monthly premium cost, unless you enroll in the lowest cost plan in your zip code, then you pay 3%.
- PEBB Statewide Plan (Providence PPO)- offered Statewide and Nationwide.
- Providence Choice HMO Plan – available to employees who live or work in Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Wasco, Washington, Yamhill in Oregon; Clark, Walla Walla in Washington.
- Kaiser Traditional HMO Plan or Kaiser Deductible HMO Plan – available to employees who live or work in Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, and Yamhill in Oregon; Clark, Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania & Wahkiakum in Washington.You must coordinate medical care through a Kaiser facility.
- Moda Synergy – available to employees who live or work in Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Wasco, Washington, Yamhill, in Oregon; Clark in Washington.
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
Kaiser Permanente
500 NE Multnomah, STE 100
Portland, OR 97232-2099
Phone: (800) 813-2000
Group Number: 18273
Member Number: Assigned by carrier
Kaiser Deductible
500 NE Multnomah, STE 100
Portland, OR 97232-2099
Phone: (800) 813-2000
Group Number: 18273
Member Number: Assigned by carrier
Moda Health
PO Box 40384
Portland, OR 97240
Phone: (877)605-3229
Member Handbook
Group Number: 10002802
Member Number: Assigned by carrier
PEBB Statewide Plan
PO Box 3125
Portland, OR 97208-3125
Phone: (800)423-9470
Member Handbook
Group Number: 108601
Member Number: Assigned by carrier
Providence Choice
PO Box 3125
Portland, OR 97208-3125
Phone: (800) 878-4445
Member Handbook
Group Number: 106528
Policy Number: Assigned by carrier
Mail Order Pharmacy- Statewide & Providence Choice Plans
Walgreens
Phone: 800-636-3070 or 800-797-3345
Postal Prescription Services
Phone: 503-797-2100 or 800-552-6694
Wellpartner
Phone: 877-935-5797
Health Engagement Model
Signing up for the HEM program gives you and your spouse or partner lower monthly deductions for health coverage and important tools for better health. See the HEM Program Page for more information. If you participate in the HEM program you receive an incentive of $17.50 (employee only) per month.
Tobacco Use Program
Employees enrolled in a medical plan who use tobacco have a deduction to help offset the risks they bring to the group. For employees and/or their covered spouse/domestic partner who use tobacco there is a monetary monthly deduction. Tobacco users can stop the deduction if they quit using tobacco mid-year. Employees to whom this applies have a monthly surcharge of $25 per person.
Spouse-Other-Coverage Program
If an employee covers a spouse or domestic partner on their medical plan and their spouse or partner waives coverage offered by their employer, it shifts risk and costs to PEBB. Employees to whom this applies have a monthly surcharge of $50.
Dental Coverage
PEBB sponsors four dental plans: (You may choose to enroll or not enroll. You pay either 5% or 3% of the monthly premium cost dependent on your medical plan enrollment.
- Delta Dental Premier Plan – provides nationwide coverage, employees may choose any dentist.
- Dental Dental PPO Plan – provides coverage under a select list of dentists.
- Willamette Dental Group – a dental health maintenance organization with select locations throughout the Willamette Valley.
- Kaiser Permanente Plan – employees must live in the service area and coordinate dental care through a Kaiser facility.
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
Moda Health PPO
(Previously ODS Preferred)
Moda refers to plan Delta Dental PPO
601 SW 2nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (800) 452-1058
Member Handbook
Group Number: 6571
Member Number: PEBB.Benefits Number
(You should receive a card in the mail.)
Moda Health Premier
(Previously ODS Traditional)
Moda refers to plan as Delta Dental Premier
601 SW 2nd Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
Phone: (800) 452-1058
Member Handbook
Group Number: 6570
Member Number: PEBB.Benefits Number
(You should receive a card in the mail.)
Wilamette Dental
14025 SW Farmington Road, Ste 300
Beaverton, OR 97005
Phone: (800) 460-7644
Group Number: Z250I
Member Number: PEBB.Benefits Number
Kaiser Permanente
500 NE Multnomah, Ste 100
Portland, OR 97232-2099
Phone: (800) 813-2000
Group Number: 18273
Policy Number: Assigned by carrier
Vision Coverage
PEBB sponsors one vision plan if you aren’t with Kaiser medical: (You may choose to enroll or not enroll.) You pay either 5% or 3% of the monthly premium cost dependent on your medical plan enrollment.
Kaiser medical participants are automatically enrolled in the Kaiser Vision Plan. (Cost is included in your medical plan premium).
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
Vision Plan (Except for Kaiser Members)
Vision Service Plan (VSP)
PO Box 997105
Sacramento, CA 95899
Phone: (800) 877-7195
Group Number: 12179989
Member Number: PEBB.Benefits Number
Optional Benefits
- Optional Life Insurance
- Short Term & Long Term Disability Insurance
- Long Term Care Insurance
- Medical/Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts
Optional Life Insurance
Benefit eligible employees may elect for additional life insurance coverage through The Standard. Optional life insurance is available up to $600,000 for employee’s coverage and $400,000.00 for spouse/domestic partner coverage. The first $45,000 of employee life insurance is paid on a pre-tax basis. Amounts above $45,000, and spouse life insurance, are deducted on a post-tax basis
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
Optional Life Insurance
Phone: (800)628-8600
Policy Number: 606814-D
Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Phone: (800)628-8600
Policy Number: 603073-A
Short Term & Long Term Disability Insurance
PEBB offers a short-term disability plan, and long-term disability coverage to our employees through The Standard. Disability plans offer income protection during times when an employee is unable to work due to an injury or illness. Premiums for disability insurance are paid on a post-tax basis, and rates vary depending on the plan(s) chosen and gross monthly salary. Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance is also available for employees and family.
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
Short-Term Disability
Phone: (800)368-2859
Policy Number: 442210-C
Long-Term Disability
Phone: (800)368-1135
Policy Number: 606717-A
Long Term Care Insurance
UNUM’s Long Term Care Insurance pays benefits when you require substantial assistance with two out of six activities of daily living. Once you qualify, you will receive the monthly benefit you selected, even if your benefit payment exceeds the actual monthly charge you incur. When your plan pays a benefit, you can use the money to meet the needs that you decide are most important. How and where you receive services depends on your needs, family situation, finances, and plan selection. Employees can enroll in Long Term Care at any time.
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
UNUM
2211 Congress Street
Portland ME 04122
Phone: 800-227-4165
Plan Number: 025758-003 6
Plan Highlights
Certificate of Coverage
Medical/Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts
Any benefit eligible employee may establish a flexible spending account to use pre-tax income to pay for eligible healthcare and dependent-care expenses. Employees may enroll in accounts within 30 days of initial date of hire, during Open Enrollment, or within 30 days of and consistent with a qualified status change. FSAs are “use it or lose it” accounts. If your expense is less than the amount that you deposit for the year you will forfeit the balance.
Provider Information/Policy Numbers
PO Box 6044
Columbia, MO 65205-6044
Phone: 800-659-3035
Opt-Out/Declining Benefits
Opting-Out
Employees may opt-out of medical coverage for cash back. Cash back is subject to Federal, State, and Social Security taxes. The medical opt-out amount is $233 per month less the cost of employee basic life insurance of $1 per month. You may choose to enroll or not enroll in dental or vision coverage, you would pay 5% of the monthly premium cost of each.
To be eligible to opt-out you must be covered by another employer sponsored health insurance program or employer sponsored health and dental programs. Other group coverage does not include Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration Health Benefits, Student Health Benefits, or an individual plan. You must provide proof of other employer coverage.
If you opt out of medical coverage you must still enroll in basic life insurance and may still enroll in any of the PEBB optional insurance coverage.
Declining Benefits
You may decline coverage all together. If you decline coverage, you are declining enrollment in the CORE benefits (medical/vision, dental and employee basic life insurance). You will also not be eligible to enroll in any of the other PEBB optional insurances.