Making the right choice Advantage+ health care plan is again an option in 2014 By Karen Lareau and Susan D’Alexander Ayear ago, Kelly Wright, a Boeing Human Resources manager in Washington state, was like many other employees who were trying to bet-ter understand which Boeing health care plan would be best for them and their families in 2013. Wright, a 15-year Boeing veteran and mother of two, took her time exploring all of her options and decided to go with Boeing’s new Advantage+ health plan. As part of this plan, Boeing contributes to a separate health savings account for eligible employees. When Wright needed surgery, she had the flexibility to increase her own pretax contributions to her health savings account in advance, and used tax-free money to pay the medical bills. “With the funds I had accumulated in my health savings account, I was able to pay my portion of the cost for the surgery, with money still left over,” she said. Wright is among about 22,000 Boeing employees, or nearly 25 percent of the company’s nonunion workforce, who received medical benefits through the new Advantage+ health plan in 2013. This month during annual enrollment, which runs from Nov. 8 through Dec. 3, employees will be asked to choose their medical benefits for 2014. The Advantage+ health plan is again among the choices for many employees. (To confirm eligibility, call TotalAccess at 866-473-2016.) The plan was introduced in 2013 to offer a new option that would meet the needs of a wide range of employees and also help them save for future medical expenses, according to Tony Parasida, 14 BOEING FRONTIERS / NOVEMBER 2013 “I was able to pay my portion of the cost for the surgery, with money still left over.” – Kelly Wright PHOTO: JIM ANDERSON/BOEING
Frontiers November 2013 Issue
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